Continuous pavement
Do you know what continuous pavements are? Do you know what makes them different? Can they be used in your home? Its use was centralized in the industrial area, although they have been extended in the use of housing and especially in rehabilitation. We present the differences.
There is variety depending on the main material that is in the composition, becoming the base of concrete, cement, resin or polyurethane. Some of the most important are:
Continuous concrete pavements:
• Polished concrete.
• Self-leveling mortar.
• Microcement.
• Polished concrete.
Synthetic continuous pavements:
• Self-leveling epoxy resins.
• Polyurethane resins.
• Resins mix of epoxy and polyurethane.
Below is a description of each one.
Main characteristics of polished concrete
It is the continuous pavement is one of the most common in construction. The essential difference between the following materials is the thickness, since in this case we are talking about a concrete slab with a minimum thickness of about 8 cm. This floor is given a surface polishing treatment to achieve brightness and a perfect planimetry.
Because of its thickness, expansion joints are required-approximately every 4'5m²-, so if we are strict, it is not a continuous pavement itself.
Main characteristics of the self-leveling mortar
The self-leveling mortar is a traditional mortar treated with additives to give it greater fluidity. Yes it is a continuous pavement without joints and with a smaller thickness between 5 and 15 mm. It is an evolution of the self-leveling mortar that has been used for decades with thicknesses of about 3 cm and that was used as a support for a later finish. Now, the thickness is less than half and can be used as a final finish.
Main characteristics of microcement
Microcement is a coating, usually bilayer, with a mixture of cement derivatives with resins and polymers and a mesh in between. We can use it for both indoor and outdoor. Its thickness is only 1 to 3 mm and it has a great resistance and flexibility. It is a continuous coating without joints. It is applied in a traditional way, with a metal trowel (that is, it is not self-leveling) and the smooth finishes are the most normal, although we can achieve effects that imitate stone or other drawings and have a great variety of colors and finishes. It has great mechanical strength and strong adhesion on any type of support: concrete, mortar, ceramic, plaster, etc., although it is not recommended on wood. It is completely waterproof and a non-slip finish can be achieved. The micro cement finish is cementitious, with variations in tone and even water. The microcement is placed quickly (up to 30m per day) and can be moved after about 4 hours. The microcement depends on the existing floor to avoid the weakness before the blows.
Main characteristics of the polished cement
Do not confuse with the polished concrete with which we have started, despite the name. In this case, it is rather an evolution of the microcement, which is composed of selected cements, fine sands, resins and natural pigments. The main difference with this one is that it does not need intermediate mesh for its application and that it has greater resistance to compression. Its finish is even more uniform and the total thickness is approximately 2 mm. It is a totally continuous floor and surfaces of up to 500 m² can be achieved without expansion joints.
Main characteristics of epoxy self-leveling resins
The epoxy resin floor is a self-leveling floor, formed by a thermosetting polymer that hardens when mixed with another agent. It is a waterproof material, with a lot of durability and resistant to abrasion. It is easy to apply and provides a smooth and continuous finish in different colors, in addition, its thickness is very small. The resins have a uniform color, as if it were a painting, and there is a lot of variety: its finish can be matte, satin or glossy. As a main disadvantage, we find that the resins are very delicate in their execution, although nothing that does not fix the application by a professional. Epoxy resins also have some shortcomings such as low resistance to scratching, lack of elasticity and colors that are not very stable to light.
Main characteristics of polyurethane resins
Although they are similar, polyurethane resins come to meet the shortcomings of epoxy resins. The polyurethane coatings offer a greater chemical resistance, to the rays of illumination of the sun and its more elastic nature.
Resins epoxy and polyurethane mix
The combination of both resins is giving very good results. These hybrid systems have several of the advantages of epoxy and polyurethane at the same time. To combine both resins, the installation process starts with polyurethane layers and is finished with layers of epoxy paint on the surface, giving the special finish that only epoxy resin can give in this type of flooring. The mixture achieves floors with great resistance to abrasion and with very stable colors.