Sherwin-Williams Poly-Crete HF

Specify HF where impact, thermal attack, and chemical exposure exceed what the 1/8–1/4 inch self-leveling grades are built for. Heavy food processing, aggressive chemical service, and floors taking real mechanical abuse are its home. The 1/4–3/8 inch trowel-applied build carries impact loads and thermal mass that thinner systems transmit to the substrate. HF can also form containment berms and build slope-to-drain by blending thickness, mortar-grade versatility the slurries lack. Being self-priming, it consolidates the system stack and the installation schedule. Where finish and flatness matter more than mass, MD and SL cover the lighter duty at lower cost. Craftsman Concrete Floors matches the grade to measured service conditions and installs the full line.

HF is a trowel-method installation. The mortar is placed with a screed box to thickness, then steel-troweled at roughly a 60-degree angle to level and close the surface. The finished floor follows the contour of the substrate, so slab planing and prep set the final flatness. Joint lines show in the finished surface, which means placement is laid out in sections the crew can finish inside the working time. UV exposure ambers the aromatic chemistry without affecting performance; a Color-Fast topcoat prevents it where color stability matters. Mixing discipline matters as well. Resinous-mortar power mixers, full units only, and controlled temperatures keep the batch workable. Craftsman Concrete Floors self-performs HF installation with crews trained on the trowel-applied Poly-Crete systems.

HF installs over structurally sound, shot-blasted concrete and tolerates the Poly-Crete family’s moisture limits: up to 20 lbs/1,000 sq ft/24 hours by calcium chloride or 99% relative humidity in-situ. Surfaces must be clean, sound, and free of oil, sealers, and curing compounds, with keyed edges cut at terminations, drains, and perimeter walls per the guidelines. That moisture headroom lets HF go onto slabs that would force an epoxy specification into moisture-barrier add-ons. Keyed-edge detailing protects the mortar’s termination points from chipping under traffic and impact. Substrate contour matters more than with self-leveling grades, since the trowel finish follows the slab. Craftsman Concrete Floors verifies substrate and moisture on-site and executes the keying and joint details the data sheet requires.