Does urethane cement work in a freezer in Ottawa?

Urethane cement is marketed for freezers and cold storage, so whether it suits yours depends on the product's data sheet and your room. One urethane cement installer page lists an operating range of about -40 to 120 degrees C, and one self-levelling urethane cement data sheet lists tolerance up to 99% relative humidity and 20 lbs per 1,000 sq ft per 24 hours for moisture vapour. Those are single-product figures; the data sheet for the specific product your contractor proposes governs.

What makes a freezer floor different from a standard commercial floor comes down to a few things worth raising with any contractor:

• Application temperature matters: one data sheet lists a minimum surface temperature of about 4 degrees C for polyaspartic and 10 degrees C for epoxy. Ask what minimum surface temperature the urethane cement product requires and how the contractor plans to meet it.
• Moisture testing matters here. ASTM F2170 in-situ probes or ASTM F1869 calcium chloride tests show the slab's condition only at the time and location tested. Ask what the product's limit is and what the contractor will do if the slab exceeds it.
• Surface profile: one urethane cement data sheet asks for CSP 3 to 5 (ICRI scale). Ask how the contractor will achieve and verify that profile, and whether any old coating or adhesive needs to come off first. If old vinyl tile or black mastic is present, have it tested for asbestos before any grinding takes place.
• Return to service: one self-levelling urethane cement data sheet lists light foot traffic at 18 hours and heavy traffic, moisture and chemical exposure at 72 hours. Confirm the schedule against the actual product data sheet before planning any closure.

On the regulatory side, R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 851 (Industrial Establishments), s.11 says a floor used by workers shall not have any finish or protective material that is likely to make the surface slippery. Ask the contractor how the proposed finish addresses that in a wet or icy freezer environment.

Comparing quotes, put the product name and data sheet, the prep method and target surface profile, the moisture test method and the product's stated limit, the number of coats or the specified thickness, cove base scope, anti-slip texture, and the closure window from the data sheet side by side before you decide. The form on this page sends your request to local Ottawa floor coating contractors, who reply by email.