Warehouse Striping Removal: What you need to know

(Updated on 6/05/2018 )

When it comes to warehouse environments, there is one consistent truth and that is that things are always changing. From things like your racking to bollards and yes, even your warehouse floor striping. Another thing that has changed is your options for warehouse striping removal. The options that are available today for floor prep depend heavily on what's going on in your warehouse, and what condition the floor is in. Read more below to learn about the options you have available today and what the pros and cons of those options are.

Option #1: Warehouse Floor Shotblasting

Warehouse floor prep services like shot blasting is the number one prefered method we use, especially if your looking for longevity to your project. Shot blasting is the process of mechanically blasting concrete with tiny steel shots at a very high velocity. This process typically removes up to 3 ml of the concrete's surface to reveal a rough profile for improved bonding. The concrete dust is recovered by a powerful dust collection system leaving little to no mess or contaminants on the project. Here at Empire we use several different models of shot blasters depending on the scope and size of your project. The equipment we use includes the BP-10-27 ride-on self-contained shot blasting system and is the perfect solution for larger jobs and eliminates the need of a generator or electric power. It can work with multiple sizes of blast medias and removes at a rate of 1,500 sq. ft/hr. 

Shotblasting Pros:

• Fast removal
• Leaves surface clean and paint ready
• Removes the need for harsh and dangerous chemicals
• Most economical option for larger projects

Shotblasting Cons:

• Will lightly scar concrete
• Makes paint more difficult to remove in the future
• Not practical on very small projects

Option #2 Paint Scraping

Believe it or not a lot of paint can be removed just using industrial scrapers, and for most of our floor striping removal projects this is a test that is performed first on a job walk. If the project is small and the paint can be scraped, then this is the least expensive way to remove paint. Industrial floor scrapers come in many sizes but our team will use our BlastPro BRB-2800 on most projects where scraping will work. We also use hand tool versions of this on very small projects, and we even have a skid steer mounted scraper for heavy duty projects.

Pros:

• Least expensive way to remove paint from concrete
• Very clean and quiet procedure for paint removal
• Excellent choice when not repainting area

Cons:

• Does not leave the concrete surface ready for new paint
• Not always a choice for removal
• Highly dependent on concrete being smooth and even (no cracks)

Other options we rarely recommend:

• Chemical Removal: Chemical removal can be effective in a few scenarios, but is usually frowned upon because of  environmental issues as well as the dangers to workers using these chemicals.
• Sand Blasting: Indoor sandblasting is a terrible idea. In a word "MESSY"!! Sand goes everywhere and can get into ventilation and worse. Even in new construction environments you still have a huge mess to clean up, scarring to the concretes surface is very bad, and new studies have shown that the silica present in sand is very hazardous. Does sandblasting work? yes, do we recommend it? no!

A Word About Empire

Empire Parking Lot Services is a Southern California parking lot and warehouse maintenance contractor with over 30 years of experience in parking lot, parking structure, and warehouse improvements. We specialize in helping decision makers improve the image of their properties through careful planning and management. Our approach has proven to save our customers time and money, while greatly improving their parking lots image. We have you covered in and out!

Contact us today if you have any questions in regards to this article or your parking lot project. The information in this blog is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers, and no rights. This blog does not represent the thoughts, intentions, plans, or strategies of my employer. It is solely my opinion. Feel free to challenge me, disagree with me, or tell me I’m completely nuts in the comments section of each blog entry, but I reserve the right to delete any comment for any reason whatsoever (abusive, profane, rude, or anonymous comments) – so keep it polite, please.