Why Polyurea Is The Ultimate Tool For Primary and Secondary Containment

When used for primary or secondary containment, traditional coatings have been too hard and not sufficiently elastic to accommodate ground, concrete, or metal substrate shifts. This deficiency can lead to cracks or holes forming in the substrate and the coatings, compromising containment.

However, the formulation of hard, monolithic, flexible coatings such as polyurea is now resolving this problem for contractors, engineers, and facility administrators. When applied directly to cement or metal surfaces, polyurea not only reinforces and protects the underlying substrate but can also bridge gaps and cracks.

Furthermore, polyurea is now being pre-applied to geotextile liners that can be instantly rolled out in sheets to protect more heavily damaged surfaces or for use in field applications such as dirt or rock pads at drilling sites. Once installed, applicators need only coat the seams of the liners to create a monolithic cover that is ideal for containment.

Containment Requirements

Federal and state regulations mandate the use of primary and secondary containment systems to keep toxic or hazardous substances from escaping into the earth and potentially entering the water supply, whether at factories, industrial plants, or other manufacturing buildings.

This provision implores the understanding that primary containment is not infallible. Though durable, metals corrode, concrete cracks, and is porous, so it will drain fluids if uncoated. This requires secondary containment, which often takes the form of concrete pits with barriers installed around the perimeter of a tank or other storage container.

To protect these structures, coatings such as epoxies, tars, and polyurethanes are often employed as an added barrier of protection. However, these traditional coatings are frequently inflexible when cured and can crack along with the concrete.

Typical coatings do not hold up well to substrate movement or daily, seasonal, or process-related thermal expansion and contraction, which can lead to cracks and leaks.

When applied to substrates such as cement or steel, the spray-applied waterproof coating creates a durable, seamless, elastic, protective barrier that prevents leaks and strengthens the integrity of primary and secondary containment systems. The coating exhibits superior physical properties such as hardness, tensile strength, as well as crack bridging and elongation up to 400%, to create a robust, industrial-grade protective covering.

Polyurea can bridge cracks as well as flex at a rate similar to concrete and steel. This not only supports it last but also seals the pavement, so it does not absorb contaminants if there is a spill inside the contained area.

While traditional coatings such as cementitious, epoxies, tars, and polyurethanes will precipitately fail if not installed under a comparatively narrow range of temperatures, polyurea is designed for installation and use from -40°F to +350°F. It sets and cures quickly and will withstand decades of freeze-thaw cycling, and wide variations of temperature and moisture.

Holds up to Extreme Weather

While traditional coatings such as cementitious materials, epoxies, and polyurethanes will prematurely fail if not installed under a relatively narrow range of temperatures, polyurea is designed for installation and use from -40°F to +350°F. It will withstand decades of freeze-thaw cycling and wide temperature and humidity variations.

Want to learn more about Polyurea? 

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Head over to ArmorThane.com, they have been around for over 30 years and are the most trusted name in the business.