Non-porous epoxy floor improves sanitation and aesthetics at Bagel Boy.

To keep pace with its output of 200,000 bagels a day, Bagel Boy, a private-label bakery in Massachusetts, constructed a new, larger facility. However, prior to moving in, management realized its expansion plan had a hole in it-the concrete floor was not up to par. "The concrete floor in our new building was a problem in terms of maintenance, durability and appearance," says Chuck Bouchrouche, president of Bagel Boy.

The processor needed a floor that could accommodate daily, continuous, heavy foot traffic, as well as the aggressive rubber and steel traffic caused by dollies carrying 150-lb. loads from the production area to the loading dock. It also had to withstand repeated washings and decontamination.

To remedy the situation, the bakery installed Garland Floor Co.'s EPHB high-build epoxy coating and a topcoat of Ever-Wear 1000. The crew shot-blasted and, in some areas, acid etched the concrete substrate to clean and profile the surface. Next, they installed 30,000 sq. ft. of EPHB that had been pigmented light gray. The first topcoat dried quickly and the crew was able to proceed with a second topcoat of Ever-Wear 1000 in the high traffic areas with minimal downtime.