CPP Inc. used EdenCrete® in the concrete for their new company headquarters and wind tunnel laboratory, in place of a more expensive and topically-applied 2-part epoxy coating system, to provide a durable and crack-resistant floor.
EdenCrete® was chosen as the alternative to the epoxy floor coating for several reasons, but primarily because of cost, performance, and lack of maintenance relative to the epoxy. EdenCrete® was used to provide a mix that was easy to place and finish, receiving a burnished finish from the riding trowel well. It was also intended to provide crack-resistance to the exposed concrete floor, leaving floors unobstructed and in-service to lab carts without requiring annual reapplication to repair gouges.
When building their headquarters in Windsor, CO, CPP INC. requested a smooth finish and no imperfections as the floor for their new laboratory area. They desired a floor which is easy to cleanup and with minimal transitions to obstruct or impede the wheels of lab carts. They considered a two-part epoxy coating system, but the cost and maintenance required to upkeep the finish quickly negated its benefits. CPP began looking for an alternative with a more permanent solution.
EdenCrete® at 1 gal/yd3
The EdenCrete® mix pumped very well through 300 feet of 3” line and received the burnish from the finishing equipment shortly after set. A small amount of cracking has occurred due to structural loading in areas with improper jointing. The work area of the lab floor finished well, but there are a few areas with blemishes from the trades working after the concrete had cured.
EdenCrete® is dosed integrally and at the plant during batching, so there is no additional labor cost for it to be applied as there is with the epoxy-coating. It is effective at improving performance throughout the entire concrete mix, and there is no annual maintenance required for EdenCrete® to remain effective; it performs from the time of batching and throughout the life of the concrete.
The cost savings associated with using EdenCrete® instead of the epoxy-coating system was approximately 70% of the upfront material cost, and there is no reapplication necessary to maintain performance, saving additional money for the life of the concrete versus using the epoxy.
The project included approximately 300 cubic yards of concrete dosed with EdenCrete® at 1 gal/yd3, to place a slab on grade of approximately 200,000 square feet.
