Excel Dental Studios is a full-service dental laboratory located near Minneapolis, Minn. The company manufactures a complete line of dental products including full metal crowns, implants, temporary bridges, allceramic and composite restorations, as well as traditional full and partial denture services.

The company’s 6,000-square-foot facility previously had a tile flooring system with grout lines. Due to the nature of the manufacturing process, workers in the laboratory where dentures are made tend to generate a considerable amount of plaster debris, making the floors difficult to keep clean. The company wanted a replacement floor system that not only was easily cleaned, but aesthetically pleasing as well.

After consulting with Tnemec coating consultant Randy Bartz and contractor Diversified Coatings, the company chose to install a decorative flake flooring system to replace the tile in the manufacturing areas. First, a prime coat of Series 237 Power-Tread was applied, providing protection against impact, abrasion and mild chemicals. Next, Series 224 Deco-Fleck was applied with decorative flake broadcasted to refusal. This customized, decorative floor topping protects against abrasion and mild chemicals with an aesthetically pleasing speckled appearance.

Thanks to the skill of the applicator, Diversified was able to install the floor with an integral cove base, making for a seamless transition from the floor to the wall. Bartz reports, “the floor looks great and the owner has been very pleased with its cleanability.”