Building materials - how to cover the floor so that it doesn't get dusty? Review + Video

Building materials - how to cover the floor so as not to get dusty. On construction sites that have a concrete floor, the screed is subjected to increased mechanical stress, and it is for this reason that the surface is made concrete, since it is distinguished by high strength, durability and affordable cost. In addition to the advantages of such a floor covering, there is one big disadvantage, namely that the floor is dusty.

Let's find out how to cover a concrete floor so that it doesn't get dusty, and also how to get rid of such a problem once and for all.

Why does the concrete floor begin to dust

Even though the concrete coating is recognized as very reliable and durable, after a while various defects appear on it - cracks, chips, depressions , as well as delamination occurs on the top layer, as is clearly shown in the photo.

In this case, dust must not be allowed to appear, as it will pose a danger to human health - both workers and users of the premises in the future. To get rid of such a problem, you will need to perform a concrete floor treatment. As mentioned earlier, the surface of a floor made of concrete is often subjected to many types of influences (including chemical and mechanical), because of which it begins to rapidly deteriorate, deteriorate, and cement dust begins to accumulate on it. What to do if the screed is dusty?

First, it is worthwhile to understand the causes of this phenomenon. There may be several of them:

• The laying technique was not performed.

• You have chosen the wrong building composition for the mortar.
• The components of the mixture are of poor quality.

But even if the concrete floor was equipped without any violations, but was missed step with surface reinforcement, and special preparation has not been performed, the surface will wear out and at the same time begin to lose its original strength.

There are several other reasons why you need to dust off your concrete floor. For example, during the preparation of the cement mortar, the components did not have time to enter into a chemical reaction with water, which is why the cement is porous.

For this reason, dust from it will begin to fall into the air and spoil life.

Please note, that if the concrete is of poor quality, then it will definitely begin to collapse. Also corrosive phenomena can lead to the appearance of dust. For example, the reason for their appearance sometimes lies in the appearance of a reaction of carbon dioxide and lime, which is also part of the concrete, and because of this, microcalcite appears, which is a fine particle of dust.

Methods for dedusting the floor surface

Naturally, the question "What should I do to prevent the concrete floor or screed from dusting?" always relevant, and in particular for those who have chosen this type of flooring.

At the moment, there are coloring compositions, impregnations and primers on sale on the market or in specialized hardware stores. Regardless of the method,

which you choose to cover the concrete floor, after processing the surface will become:

• Much stronger.
• Will have anti-slip characteristics.
• Antistatic.
• Aesthetic.

• Long lasting.
• Hygienic.
• Will be free from defects.

Interestingly, that today, due to a huge selection of various means, real estate owners will have no problems with what exactly to process concrete floors so as not to get dusty. There are compounds on sale, namely alkyd, epoxy, acrylic and polyurethane.

Topping can be used to harden the concrete surface, which is a standard dry mix. In addition, home craftsmen often process the floor in the utility room, made of concrete, with a mixture of PVA glue and water, the proportions should be 1 to 10 or 1 to 7.

Preparing a concrete coating for processing

During preparation:

1. First, remove all debris from the surface of the floor covering so that it can be cleaned of oil stains and loose layers ( superficial).
2. Cracks and indentations on the surface should be repaired and sanded to level the substrate and to improve adhesion to paints and impregnants.
3. After the process is over, you will need to remove the cement dust with a grinder.

   To do this, use a construction or even industrial vacuum cleaner. If the amount of work is small, you can use a broom and a scoop or wash the floors with a damp cloth.

When the base is ready, proceed to the next step.

The process of hardening the concrete base

So, the first method in order to process the screed and so that it does not later become dusty, is stronger, implies using topping to strengthen the top layer. Cement is necessarily present in the dry mixture, but quartz or corundum, various plasticizers, and in some cases metal particles are also added to it.

All these admixtures help to give the floor:

• Increased level of resistance to various mechanical loads.
• Additional resistance to wear.
• Hygiene.
• Insulation performance.
• Lack of reaction to chemicals.

Using the special spreading equipment on the concrete surface, spread the specified amount of the mixture evenly. Topping should be sprinkled with water so that it gets a little wet, and then you can smooth everything out with a paddle machine. After that, the pores of the concrete should be closed, and the floor covering will not only be durable, but also very beautiful.Due to this technology, it will be possible to solve the problem of what exactly to process the concrete floor.

In order for the surface to have decorative qualities, you can on your own initiative add substances such as dyes of different shades to the topping.

The amount of the mixture and its consumption will depend on what load you plan to exert on the floor surface. By the way, topping is intended only for processing new concrete surfaces so that they can be a single whole.

The second option is used if it is required to solve such a question - how to cover the floor screed so that it does not get dusty, or rather soak it if it has already been used.

In this case, it will be necessary to use liquid formulations, which are made:

• On an organic basis - molecules of acrylic, polyurethane or epoxy compounds able to penetrate into the bud, due to its porosity structure, and after that the floor becomes waterproof, immune to the action of various chemicals.
• On an inorganic basis - fluates fall into the very thickness of the base, and there they come into action with the soluble components of the concrete mixture, which helps to strengthen the base.

  Such formulations are ways of strengthening the floor surface so that they are even used when making runways.

Please note, that any type of concrete floor impregnating agent from dust, when it gets into the structure of the floor covering, can block pores and even clog cracks. As a result of dedusting, the surface becomes resistant to various types of damage.

Applying a primer solution to the coating

It is worth priming the surface of the concrete floor to enhance the adhesion between the paintwork and concrete. Deep penetration formulations are capable of simultaneously performing a number of functions, namely dedusting, priming and impregnation.

Primers protect concrete floors from:

• Fuels and lubricants.
• Various types of oils.
• Detergents.
• Saline solutions.

Primer mixtures should be applied with a brush 1-2 times, a roller can be used if desired, and for large areas such a useful tool as a spray gun can be used.

The polyurethane compound can be used as the only surface protection, or it can be applied before finishing painting. The best option is to create a topcoat and use a polyurethane enamel, as both materials are made from identical components. They should be applied at intervals of 12 hours.

Good advice! Epoxy primer should be used as a sole coat or in tandem with epoxy paint.

Painting the concrete surface

One of the options for solving such a problem as the concrete floor, which is dusty, is painting it.

Ultimately, the treated surface must have anti-slip and antistatic properties. On the packaging of the coloring composition, there must be a mark that it is intended for a concrete surface.

For this, several types of paint are most often used.

Epoxy paint

Paint for concrete based on epoxy is most often a two-component composition, which should be mixed together when adding water (no more than 20%) with a drill and just before the application of the material. Such a substance is capable of forming a very strong and durable coating on the surface, which will be resistant to external influences.

From the advantages of the paint we single out:

• Waterproofing properties.
• High resistance to aggressive chemicals (fuels and lubricants, alkalis, salt solutions, acids).
• Abrasion resistance.
• Environmentally friendly.
• Resistant to discoloration (fading).

But among the shortcomings, it is worth noting the rather high cost of the material. Moreover, later it will be extremely difficult to change the color of the surface. Epoxy paint for concrete is suitable for a garage, hangar. Car workshop, workshop, parking and many other premises. It can be used for internal and external processing.

The paint consumption will be approximately 100-200 m per 1 m ² , and the curing time will be from 12 to 24 hours, it all depends on the manufacturer. Epoxy concrete floor paint should be applied in several layers, and it will be possible to walk on the treated surface after a day. In addition, there are one-component epoxy paints on the market that dry very quickly. Before using the materials, it is imperative to prime the floor surface.

Acrylic paint

The basis of such paints will be inorganic and organic polymers, as well as acrylic resins.

How to cover the concrete floor so that it does not get dusty? Definitely acrylic paint, as it forms a strong film on the floor surface, which will prevent the formation of mechanical damage and chemical influences.

Acrylic concrete floor paint has many advantages:

• Ease of application (during painting, you can use a brush, roller or spray).
• Environmentally friendly.
• Impervious to moisture.
• Drying speed.

• Resistant to abrasion, low temperature and chemicals.
• Large selection of shades, colors and varieties of paint (matte, glossy or semi-matte).
• No unpleasant odor.

The only drawback of this paint is its high cost. By the way, such compositions dry for a relatively short time - from 12 to 15 hours (but it will be possible to walk on the floor only after two days), and the consumption is from 100 to 200 ml per 1 m ² .

Some manufacturers claim that acrylic paint for concrete floors can be applied in one layer, but in reality it is better to play it safe and apply the material in several layers. Acrylic paints are perfect for the treatment of floors in the garage, basement and balcony.

Polyurethane enamel

Such enamel for covering concrete, so as not to dust, can be one-component and two-component (for a garage it is better to choose the first type ). Such compounds should be used for both exterior and interior decoration.

The advantages of this material include:

• High level of stability in extreme temperature conditions (the composition is able to withstand temperatures from -65 degrees to +87 degrees).

• Economical consumption.
• Mechanical strength.
• Low cost.
• Resistant to wear and tear.
• Resistance to fuels and lubricants and chemicals.

But among the shortcomings, it would be unfair not to note that the paint is "capricious", it can be applied only if the room temperature is not lower than +5 degrees, and the humidity is not more than 75%. If the requirements are not met, the composition simply will not "grab".

Please note, that there are compounds on sale that can be applied even in severe frost (up to -30 degrees), although their cost will be more than 450 rubles per 1 liter.

In addition, the disadvantages include the fact that the enamel dries for a long time. The first layer of paint will take at least a day, and after covering the floor with another layer, you will need to wait 2 weeks before you can walk on the floor.

Usual paint consumption - up to 200 ml per 1 m ² surface. The compositions are used for painting the floor in a gym, garage, swimming pool, parking lot and car wash.

Rubber paint

If you think about what paint to paint the concrete floor with so that it does not get dusty, you can buy rubber paint, which appeared on the construction market relatively recently, but has already become popular. The main advantage of the composition is that it will begin to solidify after 30 minutes, if the room temperature is not less than +21 degrees. But this does not mean at all that staining can only be carried out at a positive temperature.

This type of paint is allowed to be applied on frosty days, the only difference will be in how quickly the coating dries.

Rubber paint for concrete floors will be similar in composition and properties to polyurethane material. Due to this, the coating can be safely used in temperatures ranging from -55 degrees to +65 degrees. Another advantage of the composition is its long service life (over 10 years). Material consumption is not more than 400 ml per 1 m ² .

The paint can be applied with a roller or brush in two layers.

Of the shortcomings, we highlight only the high cost of the composition, and if you want to cover the concrete floor as cheaply as possible, use a polyurethane or epoxy primer as a protective coating. As you can see, a high-quality repair of a dusty floor covering will be much more profitable than a complete replacement.