Static Talks

Three types of conductive adhesives are typically used to install ESD floors: epoxy, acrylic, and pressure-sensitive. Each adhesive has advantages and disadvantages. Dave explains the differences, details pros and cons, and discusses why – and in what circumstances – one adhesive might be preferable over another. The fourth option is to choose a glue-free installation, such as interlocking ESD tiles. Interlocking tiles are chemical-free, have no fumes or mess, and can be installed in a functional workspace without disrupting operations.

ESD carpet can be an ideal floor for many different spaces, particularly for critical 24/7 operations where a soft walking surface and/or sound attenuation is necessary or desired. Carpet is also attractive and, compared to certain higher-cost materials, reasonably priced. There are, however, hidden costs buyers should be aware of before selecting ESD carpeting. In this episode, Dave and Rick discuss the reasons carpet construction, fiber geometry, modification ratio and carpet design are crucial for understanding the real cost of ESD carpet.

In this episode, Dave and Rick discuss ESD floors and electrical safety. At some point when discussing grounded conductive floors, the question of safety always arises, along with whether or not grounding a conductive floor puts people in harm’s way. Referring to an actual case study, Dave talks about a situation in which a floor installed for the FAA was too conductive to meet the FAA safety standards. The client had been told that drying the pressure-sensitive adhesive would solve the problem, making the entire floor less conductive. Dave talks about why this is not true, and why it’s extremely important to adhere to electrical standards as they are written.

ESD Epoxy coatings have evolved over the years to meet the needs of different industries. Generation 1 coatings, consisting of a single layer of black paint, were cheap, easy to repair and ugly. Today’s Generation 3 epoxy coatings are attractive, easy to install and repair, and offer significant improvements in ESD performance. In this podcast, Dave and Rick discuss the history and evolution of ESD epoxy coatings – from their introduction in the 1950s, through improvements in Gen 2 coatings, to the high-performance Gen 3 coatings available today.

How do you calculate the actual (full) cost of an ESD floor? Upfront costs for material and installation are only part of the total expenditure. To evaluate the actual, long-term cost of an ESD floor, it’s important to consider the costs of maintenance and repair. In this episode of Static Talks, Dave and Rick discuss maintenance and repair of ESD epoxy, vinyl, carpet and rubber flooring and what you can expect from each flooring material.

Moisture or vapor in the concrete subfloor can cause your floor to fail, resulting in serious costs down the line – in some cases, vacating the premises and installing a new floor. People often assume, falsely, that in arid climates, moisture is non-existent. In this podcast, Dave and Rick discuss what happens when people fail to do their due diligence (perform moisture tests or ignore readings), and offers advice on how to avoid costly problems.

New floors are typically installed over the following pre-existing surfaces: VCT (vinyl composition tile), VAT (vinyl asbestos tile), or coatings over concrete. While it is possible and sometimes preferable to install a new floor directly over an old surface, a number of steps should be taken to ensure that the new floor does not fail. The steps including destructive testing to determine whether the bond between the existing surface and subfloor (or existing surfaces) is intact and exactly what lies below the current surface - subfloor? Old tile or coating? Layers of tiles? – as well as testing for asbestos and other regulated chemicals. Dave Long and Rick Frauton discuss situations in which companies have run into trouble, installing new flooring over old, and explain the steps necessary to avoid similar problems.

How can you predict whether an ESD flooring material will perform in your workspace? What tests should you do to qualify the floor & why does it matter how the tests are performed? In 2014, ESD standard S20.20 changed to include point-to-point and system resistance tests as well as walking body voltage tests. Learn why these tests matter, what they entail, how to perform the tests properly, and why it’s crucial to evaluate the flooring-footwear combination. Dave Long, president of Staticworx, discusses a process called the Qualification Phase – i.e., the tests that should be performed on flooring materials under consideration, before you select an ESD floor.

Have you ever wondered why we recommend static-dissipative flooring for some applications and conductive for others? Shouldn't both types of flooring work for any application? No, because electrical standards vary by industry.In episode 2 of Static Talks, Dave and Rick discuss the technical difference between static-dissipative and conductive floors. Standards for flight towers, communications facilities and other end-user applications require flooring with electrical resistance measuring between 1.0 x 10E6 and 1.0 x 10E9. Standards for electronics manufacturing, however, allow for any floor measuring below 1.0 x 10E9. Dave explains why it's important to know and follow industry standards for the specific application where the ESD floor will be installed.

Moisture problems are the #1 cause of failed flooring installations. Often the result of aquifers or other environmental conditions, moisture may be invisible. So how do you know if you have a moisture problem? How do you fix the problem? What happens if you choose to ignore moisture readings? If you’re in a 24/7 operational facility, such as a call or data center, a police station, a flight tower or other critical space, how do you solve a moisture problem – adhesive breakdown, for example – without shutting down or compromising your core mission? Dave Long, president of Staticworx, Inc., discusses these and other issues related to mitigating moisture in new construction, renovations, and occupied workspaces.