A correctional facility is almost never taken out of service and once filled with inmates, it is extremely difficult to coordinate even minor repairs. This requirement for long life-cycles is one reason Tnemec’s StrataShield flooring products have been applied in prisons and jails throughout the United States and why it was selected for the newly constructed Butler County Jail in Ohio.

Double broadcast laminate epoxy floors are widely installed in these facilities because of their quick installation and durability. Aggregate is broadcast to refusal, which means the liquid epoxy layer is fully loaded with aggregate. Once the first layer cures and any excess aggregate is removed, a second layer of epoxy liquid is generously spread across the floor and the aggregate broadcast is repeated, thus the term “double broadcast.” These floors usually achieve a nominal thickness of 1/8”. Topcoats are typically applied to help seal the rough, aggregate-filled surface which improves ease of cleaning and aesthetics.

After preparing the concrete floor at the Butler County Jail by abrasive blasting, the crew from Summit Industrial Maintenance primed with a clear polyamine epoxy called Series 201 Epoxoprime, followed by the double broadcast application using Series 237 Power-Tread, a polyamine epoxy, and 35/40 mesh sand. The same product was used to build rolled radius coves along the perimeter of the floor that provide a transition to the adjoining wall. The entire floor was then topcoated with Series 280 Tneme-Glaze, a high-build polyamine epoxy glaze coat, pigmented in a medium gray color chosen by the owner.

This StrataShield floor system was installed to over 90,000 sq. ft. of the jail, including the commons area and cells. It is an excellent choice because the aggregate locked within the epoxy provides reinforcement that can stand up to impact and abrasion. With the topcoat sealing the surface, the system is also very easy to keep clean.

“We’ve installed epoxy floors in several Ohio correctional facilities,” Tnemec coating consultant Dan Haines said. “And they continue to perform years later.”