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CONVERTING EXISTING CONCRETE FLOORS TO A ROLLER SKATING
SURFACE
CLEANING
TESTING
To determining which preparation method to use, test
several 2’ x 2’ sections in different areas of the
floor. This will help determine which of the following
cleaning or stripping systems is best for your floor.
Use Muratic Acid solutions for testing as described
below in the ETCHING section of these
instructions on page 3.
GREASE AND OIL
Using strong detergent and abrasive stripping pads,
scrub the surface with an automatic floor scrubber or
rotary floor cleaner. Clean surface in small sections
being certain to rinse and remove the dirty water before
it has a chance to dry. A wet/dry vacuum cleaner should
be used remove rinse water from the surface.
WAX
Remove all water-based wax or finish with an industrial
strength wax strippers following manufacturer’s
instructions.
SEALER OR CURING
COMPOUNDS
For curing
compounds and sealers that cannot be removed with
water-based strippers, the following procedures apply:
- Apply solvent-based
stripper such as Multi-Clean Solvent Blend No.1 with
a lamb’s wool applicator, covering an area of 10’ to
20’ at a rate of 150 sq. ft. per gallon.
- Keep surface wet
with this stripper and allow product to stand 15 to
20 minutes.
- Mix a powerful
detergent such as Multi-Clean Butyl Plus 1 part
detergent to 7 parts hot water.
- Flood the solvent
treated area with detergent solution and scrub with
a floor machine equipped with a poly-grit brush or
black stripping pad.
- Pick up the residue
with a wet/dry vacuum or automatic scrubber.
- Check area for spots
and residue that may appear.
- With etching
solution, test area in the manner described above.
If fizzing occurs, then you have broken through the
sealer or compound and may continue stripping the
floor.
VARNISH OR PAINT
- Remove all water
based wax or finish.
- Apply a Varnish
Remover to a 10’ x 20’ area with a lamb’s wool
applicator. Let stand and work 15 minutes.
- Scrub stripper with
a ploy grit brush or wire brush.
- Spread sawdust or
oil absorbent material on the stripper solution.
- Sweep up the residue
and dispose of properly.
- Scrub the floor with
a powerful industrial strength detergent solution.
- Rinse with plenty of
water.
- Test area with
etching solution. Repeat stripping if little or no
“fizzing” occurs.
EPOXIES
If you suspect that epoxy paint has been used as a floor
coating, contact your Roll-On and Super Base Supplier.
They will see to it that you are properly advised as to
its removal.
ETCHING
IMPORTANT NOTE
All concrete surfaces must be properly and thoroughly
etched with a MURIATIC ACID solution (often the
label says, “30% Baume”) or other concrete etching
product before coating. Muriatic Acid is available in
most hardware stores and is used commercially to clean
swimming pools and stainless steel containers. Work with
this product wearing rubber boots, rubber gloves and
good protective eyewear. The common neutralizer for this
product is white vinegar. Please consult labels on the
product for proper protective measures and first-aid
recommendations.
MIXING
Mix 1 part muriatic acid to 6 parts water in a large
PLASTIC container or garbage can. DO NOT use metal or
galvanized containers for this process.
TESTING
Apply a few drops of Muriatic acid or other etching
solution to a few test areas throughout the skating
surface. If the mixture “fizzes” the surface is clear of
sealers or other coatings and the surface is ready to
etch. The acid solutions should react the same in areas
tested. If no “fizzing” occurs in one or more of the
test areas, then a curing compound, sealer, varnish, or
a wash coat is present and must be removed before the
etching process can be started.
ETCHING – BROOM FINISH
CONCRETE
Acid-etch the cured slab until it feels like 80 grit
sand paper. If the broom finish already has that feel to
it, you need only acid-etch the slab once.
Etch in 10’ x 10’
sections per gallon using a common plastic garden
sprinkling can to apply the solution. This is the best
way to control the spread of the solution. Allow the
solution to “fizz” for about 10 to 15 minutes. During
this time, scrub with a floor machine equipped with a
wire brush or use a stiff bristled parking lot push
broom to work the solution into the concrete. Using a
5-gallon plastic paint pale, flood the 10’ x 10’ area
with 5 gallons of clear water, also working this in for
a minute or two with the parking lot broom or scrubber.
Remove the water in the 10’ x 10’ area with a water
vacuum and move on to the next section.
ETCHING – SMOOTH
FINISH CONCRETE
It may be necessary to etch smooth concrete two times to
obtain a proper etch. A proper etch should have the feel
of 80 grit sand paper. The first etch should be done
with a mixture of 1 part Muriatic acid to 4 parts water.
The second etch should use the standard Muriatic
solution of 1 part Muriatic acid and 6 parts water.
Etch in 10’ x 10’
sections per gallon using a common plastic garden
sprinkling can to apply the solution. This is the best
way to control the spread of the solution. Allow the
solution to “fizz” for about 10 to 15 minutes. During
this time, scrub with a floor machine equipped with a
wire brush or use a stiff bristled parking lot push
broom to work the solution into the concrete. Using a
5-gallon plastic paint pale, flood the 10’ x 10’ area
with 5 gallons of clear water, also working this in for
a minute or two with the parking lot broom or scrubber.
Remove the water in the 10’ x 10’ area with a water
vacuum and move on to the next section.
Once the concrete slab
is etched, it must dry thoroughly before applying your
skate floor coating.
TEST FOR
ELIMINATION OF MOISTURE IN THE SLAB
36 hours after completing
the etching process, test for moisture by placing a few
6’ X 6’ plastic drop cloths (large plastic garbage can
liners work well too) around the floor. Weight the
corners of the plastic sheets down so they won’t move
with sudden air currents.
After 24 hours, lift a
drop cloth. If the concrete is moist, the area under the
plastic sheeting will be darker than the surrounding
area. The surface is not ready for coating.
Return the drop cloth to
its original position and test it again in a few hours.
If the area under the drop cloth is dry, the surface is
ready to coat. Once all test areas have dried, the
skating surface is ready for coating.
If you are satisfied that
the floor is “ROUGH, CLEAN, and CURED”, then refer to
Roll-On Floor System’s Publication regarding application
of Super Base Two Part Epoxy.
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