KeyForm

Liquid-applied, seamless floor coatings are popular in food/beverage facilities because they prevent bacterial harborage and simplify cleaning. However, cracks can form at the intersection of the floor coating and the floor drains if installation is not performed correctly.

The correct method for applying liquid floor coatings around drains involves creating a keyway (channel) along the edge of the drain. This channel allows for more liquid coating to accumulate around the drain’s edge, stabilizing the applied coating and increasing the bond strength between the coating and the drain, preventing degradation and cracking.

The traditional method of keyway creation involves manually chiseling a channel along the edge of the drain after the concrete has been poured. This is a labor intensive and time consuming process that risks irregularities in the channel and damage to the drain.

The FoodSafe Drains Keyform System is an efficient and uniform alternative to manual keyway creation. The KeyForm is a painted aluminum cover that snaps onto the drain to form the concrete during pouring. Once removed, it leaves a perfectly uniform keyway engineered to maximize the bond between liquid floor coatings and drains.

The KeyForm System also includes FoodSafe Drains’ proprietary nano-oxygen layer removal process. Stainless steel carries a nano oxygen layer on its surface. Making it easy to clean but difficult to bond to. FoodSafe Drains removes the nano-oxygen layer along the edge of drain on the point of contact with the finished floor. This process is performed on drains sold as part of the KeyForm system. This process, combined with the KeyForm cover, has been shown to increase bond strength between floor coating and drain by up to 80%. Preventing cracking of the floor coating and protecting the drain.

Risks of improperly installed floor coatings

Contamination
Cracks in the floor coating of food and beverage plants can allow harmful pathogens like Listeria to penetrate the concrete. Pathogens like Listeria inhabit the pores of the concrete and cannot be eliminated with chemical cleaning agents. These bacteria remain a risk forever unless the concrete is physically removed. This bacterial harbourage creates an unsanitary floor environment and increases contamination risk in food and beverage plants.

Decreased lifespan
Exposed concrete is more prone to wear and degradation. This means that cracks and chips in the floor coating can compromise the integrity of the concrete. Drains must be concrete-encased for structural soundness in load-rated applications. Cracked concrete reduces the load rating, which can lead to bending or cracking of the floor drain. Improper floor coating application can lead to damaged drains and premature drain replacement.

The KeyForm system is intended to be used in conjunction with FoodSafe Drains products. Each drain has its own unique KeyForm profile that should be included during the sale of the drain.  Every Drain sold with the KeyForm system undergoes our proprietary nano-oxygen layer pretreatment.

Available for: 
6000 PLUS Series Slot Drain
10,000 Series Slot Drain