Walk in coolers, freezers, and cold storage areas are integral parts to your facility’s productivity. Just like the processing area, these areas of sub-freezing temperatures are also subject to floor damage from normal wear and tear. If these cracks, spalls, or chipped floors go unfixed, it could lead to delays in production or even create a tripping hazard. Most repair materials cannot be applied in ambient temperatures and tend to lose their shore hardness. Selecting the correct application is just as important as the actual repair. Below are a few simple rules to follow when selecting a cold storage repair material:

4 Things to Consider When Selecting the Correct Materials for Repairing Floor Joints in Cold Storage Areas

1. Materials that can be applied in ambient temperatures causing them to become brittle and lose hardness.
2. Let’s face it, taking an entire cooler or freezer area down to repair a crack is just not practical. The reality

Let’s face it, nearly every installation of process equipment is time sensitive these days. Ultra-competitive markets and slim profit margins force most companies to limit even planned down-time to the bare minimum. Saving the cure time for conventional grouts could mean getting back 8, 12 even 24 hours of production time. Cement and epoxy chemistry have made great strides in the ability to get fast strength gains while still providing the properties needed for most industrial applications. 

But it’s important that you choose the right material for your application. You’ll want to consider some key factors before you decide.

What properties do you need for the installation?

Not, what material has the highest strengths in every category. If you need fast turn-around, you will have to sacrifice some of those characteristics. Many of which were overkill anyway. 

What is your target start-up time?

Be realistic. What do you need

Concrete is a widely available, customizable, and affordable material. These traits make it ideal for various applications, including equipment foundations and process skids. It is also the most commonly used method for adding mass to critical pieces of equipment. However, despite its advantages, traditional concrete has some limitations that may hinder progress on fast-paced projects. Fast-setting concrete allows for faster start-up times.

Fortunately, there are alternatives to conventional concrete. These fast-setting products and additives retain most of concrete's desirable traits while addressing its shortcomings. In this article, we'll talk about five unique benefits of fast-setting concrete and how it can revolutionize your project timeline.

1. Set Time

Fast-setting concrete allows for a faster start-up time. With specialized additives and formulations, these materials can set in as little as a few minutes to an hour, depending on