January 2, 2020
In the United States, industry standard cove sizes are 4” or 6” cove with 3/4” radius. The radius plays an important role in floor maintenance. It creates a surface area that can be easily cleaned and it moves cleaning solutions and water onto the horizontal surface where it can be removed from the floor.
When installing systems greater than 1/8” against a 3/4” radius cove, chances are that the radius will start to look more like a 90° angle, making the intersection between floor and wall much harder to maintain.
There are two possible solutions to ensure the radius is still functional:
First, increasing the radius size is a simple way to ensure there is enough radius available to function correctly. In pharmaceutical applications, it is typically greater than 1”. It should be noted that increasing radius will also increase the material needed to form the cove.
The second solution is to install the floor first, followed by the cove. Measure ½” away from the wall and install a tape line (for SLB and MDB install on the open broadcast). Trowel the cove and pull the tape (always pull the tape before the cove is cured). The next day use a rub stone to smooth the face, top and bottom edge of the cove (be careful not to stone the broadcast). Then apply grout coats and topcoats according to the Dur-A-Flex Application Instructions.
Dan Riestenberg
Applicator Development – Technical Service Rep.