Long-lasting and cost-efficient floor sealant

Covestro has developed the Pasquick technology that is said to make coating floors easier and less time-consuming than conventional processes, while delivering results that are just as long-lasting and high in quality. This is due primarily to the fact that the number of coats required can be reduced and curing time shortened significantly, says Covestro. Already in April 2015, the company had unveiled Pasquick as new umbrella brand for its polyaspartic technology.

“Building owners and operators benefit just as much from the technology as architects, civil engineers and, of course, floor coating specialists,” said Contardo Pafumi, head of marketing for building applications in Covestro's Coatings, Adhesives, Specialties segment. “Eliminating one of the coating steps saves contractors time and labour costs. Thanks to the rapid curing, they can apply several coats of such floor coatings in a single day using standard equipment.”

Application thus takes place at room temperature, under less time pressure and with no additional effort. Furthermore, the surface can be walked on after just a few hours. These advantages minimise downtime on construction sites and cut costs. The coatings also fulfill the primary objective of the other stakeholders: to complete renovations as quickly as possible so the building can go back into use. Owners and operators thus benefit from lower lost earnings. The floor coatings are said to be long-lasting and robust, but also flexible. They exhibit high chemical and temperature resistance, are solvent-free and fulfill the Deco Paint and VOC directives. On top of that, they are lightfast, weather-resistant and have crack-bridging capabilities, says the company.

According to Covestro, Ave Maria University in Naples, FL, USA, is a good example of the durability of polyaspartic coatings. When the private university was founded in 2007, a concrete floor with a total area of 70,000 square feet (approximately 6,500 m²) had to be provided with a long-lasting, yet affordable coating with a marble look.

US manufacturer Decosup and Covestro convinced the university's project team of their idea of applying an acid stain to the concrete floor and then sealing it with a polyaspartic coating. After diamond-polishing the floor and utilising the acid stain, the Crown Concrete and Cutting Edge Concrete companies applied the coating. Thanks to the rapid curing, they were able to apply the second coat just a few hours later. Acid stain prior to application promotes good adhesion of the coating and provides the desired marble effect. Despite the tight time frame, work was completed in time for the university's grand opening. The scratch-resistant coating has retained its glossy finish over the years and is also easy to clean.