Warehouse floors that dust less and handle forklift traffic better

A forklift turns out of the rack aisle

At the end of the aisle, the forklift turns towards the dock. As it does, the rear steering wheels scrub across the concrete and grind away the soft top layer. Dust rises where traffic is heaviest and settles on the pallets in the racks.

Illustration: A rack aisle next to a loading dock. A pallet truck drives off the dock leveller into the hall, and a forklift turns out of the aisle towards the dock. Dust rises on the turn and at the edge of the leveller and settles on the pallets.

Wear shows on the turn and at the dock

After a few years, the turn shows dark tyre marks and exposed aggregate. At the edge of the dock leveller, pallet truck wheels strike the concrete every day, so the edge crumbles and dusts.

Illustration: Dark tyre marks and a worn strip on the turn. A close-up shows exposed aggregate, rubber marks and dust. The concrete edge next to the dock leveller is chipped.

Grinding, then HARD and SEAL 3.0

First we grind the drive lanes back to sound concrete. HARD penetrates the surface layer and reacts there, making the layer harder. A second application, SEAL 3.0, seals the surface so that it dusts less and is easier to clean. There is no film on top that could peel.

In dry indoor warehouses, SEAL may also be suitable. We confirm the choice during the site visit.

Illustration: A ground and treated strip of drive lane. In the enlarged section of the slab edge, the surface layer where HARD has reacted is marked in violet; there is no film on top.

Same turn, less dust

Forklifts use the same routes, but only a little dust rises above the turn. Machine cleaning with a diamond pad removes the abrasive dirt that would otherwise grind the surface, so the floor is easier to maintain.

Cleaning and maintenance

Illustration: After treatment, a cleaning machine cleans the drive lane, a forklift turns out of the aisle and only a few grains of dust rise behind it.