Dear poochbreeze-ga;
Thank you for allowing me to answer your interesting question. For
several years I worked with law enforcement K-9?s as both trainer and
handler. I had occasion to see many different types of kennels where
many different kinds of products were used. Invariably, whenever we?d
go looking for a product or piece of equipment to suit our needs, but
was not necessarily designed specifically for the dog handling
business, we?d find our solution on the mainstream commercial market,
either in the form of something that was modified to do the job or
something that was serendipitously applied and (thankfully) discovered
to be the answer.
Having said that, the best floor covering for kennels that obviously
withstands the worst chemical abuse is floor coverings that are
designed for chlorinated swimming pools and industrial areas where
accidental slips, moisture and sanitation are issues. Since these are
also intended to provide a relatively stable walking surface under
poor conditions they will provide the best solution for your kennel.
First, you should contact a floor specialist who can advise you
further about the type of surface that is best for you. I say this for
two reasons.
-- A specialist can often give you a consultation for free; assess
your specific needs and provide you with an estimate of the cost of
the needed products (and also labor if you plan to hire it done).
-- In addition, a specialist can advise you which coverings can be
used with which aggregates, should you choose to go that route. There
are literally dozens and dozens of aggregates such as gravels, sands
and so forth that can be mixed with some products to give an added
level of non-slip surface stability. Here again, a specialist can
advise you as to the availability and cost of these aggregates.
Since you will be experiencing a lot of routine decontamination in the
form of chlorine and other cleansers or solvents (not to mention the
caustic acidity of urine) you will definitely need something that is
che3mically resistant. International Coatings makes several liquid
applications that can be both non-slip and chemically resistant. For
example, the company has a product called ICO-Glaze that seals a
concrete floor thus cutting off many of the breeding grounds for
bacteria. Its simply applied with a roller or brush but dried to an
extremely hard ceramic-like finish that withstands the most demanding
industrial environments.
International Coatings
http://www.internationalcoatings.com/
Another option is an industrial epoxy floor sealant that inhibits
moisture migration and corrosive chemical penetration. These are the
two things most likely to create domains for bacteria, create
safety/trip hazards and also harbor residual chemicals that could
potentially pose a poisoning hazard to your kennel inhabitants or
workers. Epoxy Systems makes a number of different products for
garages, shops and warehouses (where oils, chemicals and slippery
surfaces are prevalent and cleanliness is always an issue))
EPOXY SYSTEMS
http://www.epoxysystems.com/
Finally, and perhaps most efficiently, is the seamless, skid resistent
polymer flooring system. These are widely used in the kennel business
as a floor solution. Read this article by Tom Murphy of General
Polymers (Published in Pet Services Journal March 2000). It?s very
informative with kennels specifically in mind:
GENERAL POLYMERS OVERVIEW
http://www.generalpolymers.com/tech_lib/kennel.asp
The company PolyMax also makes a nice applied flooring solution that
can be non-skid and chemically resistant:
POLYMAX
http://www.polymax-us.com/pressrelease1.htm
Abatron is another company that has a nice product and it has been
used specially in kennel environments:
ABATRON
http://www.abatron.com/home020.htm
Webac Corporation has a flexible, non-skid product that is chemically
resistant and is also marketed with kennels (and other surfaces) in
mind:
WEBAC
http://www.webac.com/flexcoat.htm
On a totally different note, if you want to use some type of temporary
application that can be applied and then removed (for cleaning of both
products and floor) you might consider a kennel liner such as this
non-slip sanitary liner marketed by JNK PRODUCTS
http://www.jnkproducts.com/Kennel_floor_liner.htm
There are literally thousands of products that you can use for this
purpose and you?ll obviously need to evaluate each one yourself for
consideration. These three concepts however will aid you in your
selection. Keep in mind that other marketed products such as
aggregates and dyes can be infused into most of the permanent
coverings in order to achieve a safer and more appealing result.
I hope you find that my answer exceeds your expectations. If you have
any questions about my research please post a clarification request
prior to rating the answer. Otherwise I welcome your rating and your
final comments and I look forward to working with you again in the
near future. Thank you for bringing your question to us.
Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga ? Google Answers Researcher
INFORMATION SOURCES
4 SPECS
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KENNEL
SURFACE
NON-SLIP
NON-SKID
CHEMICALLY RESISTANT
CORROSIVE |
