Featured Contractor: Jim Donlon
Donlon Coatings, Inc.
17 Prescott Street
Medford, MA 02156
1.800.480.0304
Project Name: Retail Shoe Store
Donlon Coatings applies acid-stain to a prototype design for a national Retail Shoe Store
We recently installed L. M. Scofield Company's LITHOCHROME® Chemstain® Classic on an existing slab on grade floor at an upscale mall in Mashpee, MA. This specification is intended to be the prototype design for many new stores that this shoe retailer intends to build around the country. The design group specified Chemstain to be installed using 3 colors -- Antique Amber, Faded Terracotta and Padre Brown -- with several radius and straight saw cuts as demising lines. Graphics in the form of lettering were placed between the seal coats and the floor was waxed for a final finish.
The real challenge for DCI was to prepare the existing slab and install the floor on a tight construction schedule. The building was approximately 3 years old. The 2,500 sq. ft slab had been sealed with a hard topical sealer and the concrete had several stains under the sealer. The edges were hand ground first with a Metabo hand held diamond grinder. We used an HTC 800 HD grinder with HTC SF-1 diamond stones to remove the sealer and stains in the concrete. We progressed to SF-2 diamonds, then SF-3 to relieve the scratches. The saw cuts were then placed -- 2 tight circles at the center, two long arcs at the side walls -- and a straight line border cut at either end. The lines were protected with tape and plastic and the stains were applied, one color each day.
The residue was removed prior to installing the next color and the floor was neutralized at the completion of the staining. We used Scofield® Selectseal-W™, airless spray applied, to protect the floor during the graphics installation, which was done through stencils. We returned after the graphics were completed to final seal the floor. The wax was applied by the cleaning contractor, who will continue to maintain the floor for the owner.
The owner and the design group were very pleased with the outstanding result. The key to the success of this floor was the complete removal of the old sealer while not damaging the concrete. Diamond grinding is the only practical way to accomplish this task. Diamond grinding with the proper method and equipment allows for the removal of almost any pre-existing finish from concrete required for the successful installation an acid stain system. We have removed mastic, epoxy and even pre-existing acid stain to achieve excellent stained floor results. Of course, all jobs should be mocked-up for approval. But the idea of recovering existing floors that have various finishes applied and successfully staining them is exciting and good reason to consider investing in quality grinding equipment.
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