The sub base below the concrete floor slab is levelled and compacted using laser guided machinery and roller to ensure the concrete will sit on a smooth surface. Using laser equipment ensures the tolerances of the working platform for the concrete slab are completed to incredible accuracy thus saving on concrete wastage and improving the longevity of the slab performance, a serious need for our farming and agricultural customers who face 365-day operations every year.
To minimise damp ingress and vermin which could destroy grain and livestock feed, we shutter the perimeter to the outside of the stanchions to form an integral part of the floor slab structure. This is all carried out during the concreting process and careful detailing is required to control concrete slab shrinkage to allow movement.
Reinforcement types vary dependent upon concrete floor loading capacity, cost and ground conditions which can vary from farmer to farmer. In the case of the photograph steel fibre reinforcement for the concrete floor slab is being added by our conveyor to the truck mixer. Reinforced concrete flooring is ideal for storing agricultural machinery that sits idle for large parts of the year and is only needed in the harvesting season, for example a combine-harvester.
In the case of this slide steel fabric reinforcement is positioned in advance of the laser screed on a “just in time basis” and supported by metal chairs/supports. This negates the use of a mobile pump and allows excellent compaction from laser screed.
The concrete is laid and levelled using laser controlled equipment to leave a very flat surface prior to the commencement of powerfloating.
Nationwide Concrete Flooring have developed unique floor finishes to suit the requirements of the agricultural concrete flooring user. For a typical grain store, we densify the surface with powerfloats, still leaving an amount of surface traction to ease loading when the floor becomes wet or damp.
Once we have powerfloated and applied the dust inhibiting compound to the surface of the concrete slab the stress relief saw – cut induced joints are installed. We alter the design of these joints depending upon layout of the building, reinforcement type used, the farming and agricultural requirements, shrinkage characteristics of the concrete and external temperatures. The timing of the installation of the joints varies and is generally governed by our extensive experience working with farmers and other agricultural customers.
Saw cut induced contraction joints are then sealed using instant Seal 101. The Instant Seal not only minimises the chance of joint breakdown by protecting the arris edge, but also stops debris ingress, thus improving the lifetime of the slab which is vital for farmers in a time when many struggle to control costs and expenditure. The Instant Seal joint sealant is immediately installed within the saw cuts and can be trafficked straight away.
For more information regarding Nationwide Concrete Flooring’s extensive agricultural services and expertise gained from working in the farming industry, email us at claire@nd-group.com or jon@nd-group.com or ring our Howden office on 01430 436596. Nationwide Concrete Flooring are the perfect partner for you if you need grain, bulk, potato, harvest, food, feed, fertiliser or machinery storage; we have the agricultural expertise to provide the farming industry with the concrete flooring system that suits them. Alternatively if you located in the north east you can call our dedicated north east office in Gateshead on 0191 404 6831.