Commercial Concrete Floor Coating: Auto Dealer Service Center

The hustle and bustle of any vehicle service area can be a sight to behold. Many moving parts going in several different directions, when looked at as a whole, somehow make sense. The volume of cars, vans, and trucks that come in and go out on a daily basis can be quite overwhelming. The wear and tear of servicing so many vehicles wreaks havoc on tools and the space alike. Oftentimes concrete floors in these shops are oil stained, cracked, and pitted. Under normal circumstances a residential garage can offer an array of challenges when it comes to installing concrete coatings. One can imagine, then, the challenges faced when a huge commercial service center, at 18,000 square feet in size, inquires about a product that is better than epoxy and better than the paint that had been previously installed and is failing. That’s where our team at Distefano Brothers Concrete Coatings earns its reputation as the best in the business!

Saccucci Honda carries a reputation of their own for providing peace of mind while providing exceptional service beyond the sale of vehicles. When it was decided that the service area needed an upgrade, we immediately went into a mode where our thought process was how we could provide Saccucci Honda with peace of mind while providing our own exceptional service. Mike Stewart, our installation specialist, went for the initial consultation. He found that this commercial space was like so many others in that the paint and epoxy floor coatings were failing. They just don’t hold up to the conditions that our polyurea based system is designed for. In addition, the transition from the original building to a newer addition had to be mended as the traffic of vehicles passing through had taken a toll. The overall scope of a project this size can present many challenges, but once it was determined that the moisture and hardness levels met the threshold, the size simply meant that we were going to have to get creative! Only a Distefano Brothers (Penntek) Concrete Coating was going to be the acceptable solution. We were thrilled at the prospect of a creative challenge and the promise of a beautiful, new, floor!

Challenges come in many shapes and sizes and the same can be said for the solutions to them. There was no doubt that we could mend any cracking or imperfections. There was even less doubt that our flooring system would hold up and remain beautiful. After all, the durability is unmatched and oil, gas, and chemical cleanup is a breeze, better than epoxy and better than paint. The challenge that required the most creativity, however, was how to provide customer service that would allow Saccucci Honda to continue to provide their own customers with service. The solution was a six phase plan that allowed us to install sections of the service area, while allowing other sections to remain operational.

With Mike as the point person, George as the lead installer, and three different crews made up of Tony, Devon, Matt, Jamie, Sol, Cory, Ed, Luis, Anthony, and Jason, this mammoth project was ready to roll!

• Phase 1: Customer “Drive In” Area – A pretty straight forward installation. The area provides a first impression as it is the area that customers enter to drop off their vehicle. We ground a thin layer off of the concrete to expose the pores while also removing the remnants of the old, failing, coating. This allows for maximum bonding between the concrete and our application. We mended the cracks and after a thorough clean up we applied “Honda Blue” to part of the shop and a basic gray to the other. Grit was applied to stem off any slipping and the area was transformed. It became a bright, vibrant welcoming area; a place where customers immediately get the sense they’ll be taken care of.
• Phase 2: The Detail/Wash Area – A challenge faced in this phase was that not only did the area have a failing coating, but the floor was also stained from years of cleaning supplies and chemicals. Our grinders did their thing, again allowing for maximum bonding and the removal of unsightly blemishes. We mended, cleaned, and applied “Honda Blue” throughout the entire area. Being an area where water and chemicals are always in use, it was finished with grit and looked clean and classy unto itself. Those stains became a thing of the past as our floors stem off chemicals from penetrating the concrete underneath.
• Phase 3: The Body Shop – The body shop spans between the original structure and new addition. The transition had to be addressed as we wanted to make the floor as uniform as possible. It is always our goal for the floor to be as close to “perfect” as possible before mending. We did just that! Again, “Honda Blue” was applied.
• The final three phases consisted of the Service Bay Area. This is where the majority of the action happens. From oil changes and tire rotations, to parts replacement and everything in between, there’s a lot of work and movement that takes place here. Simply put, we wanted to break the area into sections, complete one section at a time, and allow for other sections to be used for service. The plan worked phenomenally! We were able to work around all of the lifts, hoses, and machinery. We cordoned off the area we were working on while the Saccucci service workers stayed up and running. As expected, the area was oil stained and there were few remnants of the once gray, painted concrete. We installed our gray coating to match the floors that had been done previously, while also knowing it would hold up against oil and gas spills as well as to the demands of the hard working professionals that the service area houses.

As the saying in sports goes – “Look good, feel good, play good.” Saccucci Honda wanted just that. They were looking to upgrade their service area so that it would provide a great first impression to their customers, could withstand the physical demands a bustling shop creates, and provide their service professionals a place to work they could be proud of. 18,000 square feet. Six phases that spanned six months. Our goal? Provide customer service to allow our customer to provide customer service. Our mission, “Customer Delight,” mission accomplished.