Encapsulation

The Problem

Concrete sub-floors are continually spalling off a fine grit that can not be picked up even by HEPA vacuums. It is this fine grit that can get past protections for your magnetic media and electronics. Test your sub-floor by wiping your fingers over the surface. If your fingers discover a fine talcom-like residue, then you need Encapsulation.

 

The Solution

For obvious reasons, Encapsulation must be performed in conjunction with a Triple Cleaning. As we vacuum the floor plenum, the cables are carefully lifted and braced. This is a high risk part of the operation and we use specific experienced associates to lift and brace the cables. Glycol based encapsulation media is cut so the first coat gets good penetration into the concrete pores. The second coat is applied full strength to give a smooth, bright, semi-gloss finish. After the encapsulation dries, the cables are lowered and the floor tiles replaced. Lastly, the floor tile surface is carefully hand scrubbed.

The result is a computer room environment that will be a joy for the life of the facility. Your staff and every vendor will be pleased to work under your floor. The care you take in your floor will be obvious and will have a positive effect on the quality of work from every vendor. Encapsulation is the best value per dollar investment you can make for your critical spaces. It is a one time expense that pays dividends forever

 

 

When to Encapsulate

Logic would seem to dictate that the best time to Encapsulate the concrete floor would be before the access floor is installed. Certainly it would be easier to just roll it on early in the construction process. We have learned to think otherwise for a number of reasons. The construction process itself creates lots of fine gritty dust. Anchoring to the subfloor, sheet rock sanding and ceiling tile operations all produce fine residues that can not be removed by vacuums. Triple Cleaning and Encapsulation at the end of the construction process results in a far cleaner room and greater client satisfaction. If your room is already in operation, the time to encapsulate is now. Set the highest environmental standard for your critical spaces with Encapsulation.

Reasons

NUISANCE

Have you ever emerged from working under your floor looking like the kid the teacher selected to erase the chalk board? Let's talk about Encapsulation.

FINE GRITTY DUST

It is this type of contaminate that has a chance to scratch your magnetic or optical media and bridge electronics. Encapsulation forever locks down the gritty talcum that is continually sloughing off concrete as it ages. This is the main reason to Encapsulate.

VENDOR WORK ETHIC

A vendor running a cable or making an installation will have his work ethics influenced by the environmental conditions he finds under the floor. Encapsulation tells every vendor that you care to have the very best environment and you expect his work to reflect that care.

COLOR SELECTION

It may seem like a small thing but it's not. Our encapsulation media is about the color of a manila folder. That color was selected so that the normal cable colors stand out and the pastel color provides a light reflective surface in the floor plenum. Clear or dark colors just don't provide these benefits.

SPILLS

Just one major spill or (God forbid) a sewer backup will cause the owner of an Encapsulated floor to realize that sealing the concrete floor has just justified the cost.

SEALER SELECTION

We know that there are some concrete floor sealers that are tougher than the one we have chosen. Those used to paint lines in parking lots are a good example. These very robust sealers are used where high vehicle traffic and hot rubber tires are a consideration. Temperatures and traffic under a computer room floor are mild in comparison. Our main concern is the vapors that evaporate from rugged sealers and so we opt for a glycol based encapsulate.

 

Call for an Encapsulation

Encapsulation must be performed in conjunction with a thorough floor cleaning. (See Triple Cleaning) Associates experienced in establishing a picking pattern and raising cables will gently lift and brace the under floor cables. Two coats of encapsulation media are rolled on with the first coat cut to maximize floor penetration. The second coat dries to a semi-gloss finish in a color that sets off the common cable colors and provides a light reflective floor surface. Finally, the cables are carefully lowered, the tiles replaced, and the floor surface scrubbed by hand