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MMA Flooring – Questions and Answers

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MMA Flooring – Questions and Answers

Specifying MMA resins can be a daunting process, but what we sometimes fail to recognise is the fear factor that the client can often experience in choosing the right floor, with sometimes little or no knowledge about the products that they are being offered.

Here, the team at AllThingsFlooring tackles some common questions surrounding MMA resin flooring systems and gives an insight into the benefits the product can offer.

What is MMA?

MMA is a methyl methacrylate resin flooring system developed to enable fast track installations, typically 60 minutes to receive full trafficking.

What are the main benefits of the system?

There are many benefits of MMA but there are three main ones to consider when undergoing a refurbishment programme.

  • Rapid installation – full foot and vehicular traffic is accepted by the system after 60 minutes
  • Incredible bond strength and compressive strength capabilities
  • The ability to install the product at extreme (very hot and very cold) temperatures
Perth Railway Station

Perth City Railway Station transformed a cracked and unsightly floor finish in its upper level concourse area with a walk-on work of art MMA floor

Is this system more expensive than other resin systems that have been on the market for years?

This completely depends on your requirements – the product itself does tend to be more expensive compared to epoxy resin systems and polyurethane systems but because of the fast curing time the price becomes offset by reduced labour costs.

Workplaces that do not have a shutdown period to enable them to carry out works will find that using this system means productivity is not affected at all, therefore proving a highly economical choice.

RNLI

MMA resin was installed for the RNLI to withstand the extremes of a busy lifeboat station. The surface would be exposed to daily chemical use, heavy loads and salt water.

Are there any limitations with the product?

MMA resin has a reputation for having an odd, tarty smell, whilst it is true that during installation and cure it will have a strong odour, many installations over recent months have proven that with adequate extraction during this process tainting is not an issue.

Can the product be installed in the food industry?

Absolutely! With tight installation windows often available due to speed of cure, areas can often be installed causing little or no disruption to the end user.

The system offers twice the strength of a traditional epoxy quartz screed, which increases the life span, and wear and tear capabilities of the floor. The ability to install the product at extreme temperatures (-20 degrees to +35 degrees) makes it an ideal choice for the food industry.

Clean Foods

MMA offers twice the strength of a traditional epoxy quartz screed, which increases the life span, and wear and tear capabilities of the floor. The ability to install the product at extreme temperatures makes it an ideal choice for the food industry.

Does the product need to be installed by a specialist contractor?

MMA is considered a specialist product; labour needs to be trained in correct installation techniques by the manufacturer to ensure effective installation.

Are there any side effects due to exposure to MMA?

Regular contact with the product has had no effect on anyone in our experience, but being in the vicinity of MMA and a high concentration of its odour (high concentration is in small rooms with little or no external ventilation where the fumes can gather and stand) does give temporary minor discomfort, and so adequate extraction and ventilation is required. PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) standard to any resin application should be used for MMA installation.

MMA Resin Floor Installation

Gas masks and respirators are designed to filter out hazardous airborne contaminants and provide the user with a clean air supply. It is recommended these are worn during the installation of MMA resins.

Other than time of cure, which is a major benefit of the MMA system, what are the other significant areas of MMA resin compared to other resins?

Compared to a typical 4 mm quartz epoxy system, MMA offers twice the compressive strength and a much higher chemical resistance. Specialist MMA primers for damp substrates are more cost effective than traditional liquid epoxy DPM (damp proof membrane) systems.

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Rebekah Jones

Rebekah Jones is the Marketing Communications Director at Flowcrete Group Ltd. In this role Rebekah sets out the global communications strategy for a Group that encompasses several of the world's leading construction chemical brands.

6 thoughts on “MMA Flooring – Questions and Answers”

  1. Dennis says:

    Hi,
    Does MMA flooring taint food, can it be applied in a running kitchen?
    Dennis

    1. Dan Ash says:

      Hi Dennis
      Many thanks for your comment.
      MMA flooring does have a strong odour and many food & beverage operators will opt to move produce out the area while an MMA floor is being installed. However so long as the space is properly ventilated the odour will dissipate quickly and when combined with its rapid installation capabilities and seamless, easy to clean benefits, many kitchens are able to install an MMA floor and get back up and running with very minimal disturbance compared to alternative materials that will take days or weeks to cure. If you’d like to find out more please drop me a private email to marketing@flowcrete.com with your location and contact information and I will be sure to forward your details to your local representative who will be able to discuss this in more depth.
      Kind regards,
      Dan

  2. John says:

    Any limitations to apply a coating over a MMA system

    1. Dan Ash says:

      Hi John
      In general MMAs aren’t too difficult to coat, although it does depend on what you’re planning to apply on top of the MMA floor. As it happens, one of the best things to refurbish an MMA coating with is another MMA, as the new layer will chemically fuse to the previous one, creating a monolithic system that will not delaminate.
      Thanks,
      Dan

  3. Matt Maclean says:

    Will polyurethane coatings bond to an MMA base coat?

    1. Dan Ash says:

      Hi Matt
      Thanks for your comment. Polyurethanes can’t be applied directly onto an MMA coating as it will fail to bond with the underlying system. The potential exception to this is if the coatings are fully blinded with aggregate so that the two resins don’t come into direct contact with each other. In general it’s best to take up the previous finish and apply the polyurethane directly onto a prepped concrete substrate.
      Kind regards,
      Dan

Comments are closed.

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