SITUATION:
Known for its inspiring, quality and economical home furnishing displays, IKEA experienced failures with their existing floors and asked ARDEX to find a solution. IKEA wanted a product that was durable, abrasion resistant and aesthetically pleasing. They also wanted a floor with superior longevity that was easy to maintain.
CHALLENGES:
- Cracking in various areas throughout the existing concrete substrate
- Installation completed while store remained open, so a product with low or no odor was required
- Area to be repaired in sections 4500 m2 (48,439 ft2)
- Abrasion resistent floor required
- Able to withstand heavy rolling loads and foot traffic
- Over five year floor repair solution expected
SOLUTION:
Offering complete customer service and technical support, ARDEX recommended to the Shanghai Weigu Corrosion Company and IKEA China the ARDEX Self-Leveling Polyurethane System. This flooring system would repair existing cracks in the substrate and meet all the finished flooring requirements IKEA wanted.
To ensure there would be no harsh odors during the installation, Shanghai Weigu Corrosion Company installed a fan system and VOC monitors. This system was used to make sure there was absolutely no odor in the air that would distract the customers while shopping.
After each area was sectioned off, Shanghai Weigu Corrosion Company used a grinding machine to prepare the existing surface to receive the ARDEX Self-Leveling Polyurethane System. The grinding process creates a strong bond to concrete, removing any possible contaminates that could cause failures with the ARDEX system.
To prevent cracks from reflecting or telegraphing through to the new floor system, cracks larger than .8mm (1/32”) were filled with a suitable cementitious patching compound. The ARDEX Polyurethane Self-Leveling System is a three coat system. Once all pre-existing cracks were filled, the ARDEX R7PP Polyurethane Primer was installed to ensure a strong bond between the flooring system and the substrate. Next, the ARDEX R120PP Polyurethane Body Coat was installed followed by the ARDEX R115PP Polyurethane Top Coat.
The ARDEX Polyurethane Self-leveling System was selected because it is easy to install, extremely durable, abrasion resistant and has a long life span. ARDEX Polyurethane Self-Leveling Systems can be installed seamlessly to maintain an aesthetically pleasing floor. The perfect combination for IKEA China.
PARTICIPANTS:
Installers: Shanghai Weigu Corrosion Company
