University Plaza Refinish
High-performance polishing of a 28,000 sq. ft. student center main concourse, restoring lost surface sheen, improving DSA-compliant slip resistance, and eliminating maintenance costs from failed topical coatings.
The Need
Failed topical wax coatings had left the 28,000 sq. ft. main concourse dull, peeling, and non-compliant with California Division of the State Architect slip standards.
Service Performed
Strip-and-refinish of all topical coatings, followed by diamond concrete polishing to a Class A semi-reflective finish with a guard coating for maintenance longevity.
Timeline
9-day summer-break schedule, completed in three zones to allow dining and retail tenants to remain partially open throughout the project.
The Challenge
The university had been applying acrylic floor wax annually for over a decade, building up 14 layers of degraded coating that were now cracking, yellowing, and peeling. This not only created an eyesore in the flagship student center but posed a genuine slip-and-fall liability, critical in a state that actively enforces ADA and DSA standards in publicly funded educational facilities.
Our Concrete Process
Coating Removal
Chemical strippers and mechanical scarification remove all existing acrylic and wax coatings down to bare, uncontaminated concrete substrate.
Surface Profiling
Diamond tooling at the correct CSP (Concrete Surface Profile) opens the substrate and creates a flat, uniform surface ready for densification.
Hardener Application
Sodium or lithium silicate densifier chemically reacts with the concrete, increasing surface hardness and eliminating the need for future topical coatings.
Guard Coat & Burnish
A breathable guard coat is applied and burnished to achieve the final reflective sheen and DSA-compliant slip coefficient across the full surface area.
"We eliminated our annual wax program entirely. The floor looks better, it's safer, and our maintenance staff spends zero time on floor coatings now."
— Director of Facilities, Pasadena University
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Get a custom estimate today and see the CATA difference.