• Posted by: Ecospill Spill Kits

Simple (But Useful) Guidance For Floor Bunding

Do you need bunding for your facility or latest project? While there are many forms of bunding, their purpose remains essentially the same. These floor-based retaining walls, also called bund walls, act as a barrier to prevent liquids and oils from mixing or spreading elsewhere in your facility or into the outdoors. 

Many bund walls are fixed and hold their shape, even when stepped on or driven over. As a result, these types of bunding are highly effective and robust, and each one generates greater containment capacity.

However, this bunding can also become a hazard for workplace safety. For example, a solid, fixed bunding across a doorway is a trip hazard, and it can be difficult for drivers to navigate over when placed over a road. Thankfully, flexible bund wall options can be squashed down and will flex back into their usual position when stepped on or driven over. 

This post will explore everything there is to know about flexible floor bunding, how to install it, and some of the typical applications involved. 

What Is Flexible Floor Bunding? 

Flexible floor bunding is a type of retaining wall that you can step on or drive over without worrying about damaging the product. That’s because it returns to its original shape afterwards. Typically made from memory foam, high-density flexible floor bunding works with heavy-duty PVC adhesive that secures it to the ground. 

Thanks to a triangular wedge-shaped profile and high-density memory foam, the bunding squashes down and springs back to shape. The product retains this essential quality whether a heavy vehicles pass over or you step on it.

The flexible material also means that the bunding has very good chemical resistance and generates greater containment capacity. 

Flexible floor bunding, like all bunding, is an effective spill containment solution that helps prevent the spread of liquids, whether internally in your facility or from internal spills spreading to the outdoors. 

Installing Flexible Floor Bunding? 

Now that you know what flexible floor bunding is, let’s discover how to install it.

Step 1

Pre-drill the holes in which you’ll fix the bunding. These holes are typically around 25mm with a depth of 15mm. 

Step 2

Measure the containment area and determine precisely how much bunding you need for the area to be contained. 

Step 3 

Apply heavy-duty PVC adhesive across the entire length to secure the bunding to the floor. Heavy-duty PVC adhesive is essential as it is the only type of adhesive adequate for this purpose. As well, while the bunding already has its fixed points at the bolts, the concrete and the adhesive create a complete seal.

Step 4

The bunding is now ready. Check for any gaps and ensure that the bunding is secure to the ground before vehicles drive over or team members move across it. 

Applications of Flexible Floor Bunding 

All the best floor bunding suppliers will provide this type of bunding, but let’s look at some of the most useful applications for flexible floor bunding. 

Warehouses 

Bund walls are crucial if your warehouse handles chemicals, oils, or liquids. While traditional floor bunding is suitable for spill containment, a more flexible solution will help you reduce trip hazards and create a safer workplace. 

Consider an example: You have a large warehouse that handles different chemicals for manufacturing a wide variety of products. Some chemicals can be extremely hazardous when mixed or stored in the same space. If a spill, leak, or mixing were to occur, it could easily result in disaster. 

This is where bunding comes in. You can install the bund walls around the perimeter of specific chemicals and in front of warehouse doors and thresholds leading to other chemical storage areas. Bunding serves as a robust double layer of protection in the event of a spill.

Across Doorways & Access Points 

If your facility has rooms that handle hazardous liquids and chemicals, widespread spills simply cannot be tolerated. Floor bund walls can be a superb solution that keeps spills contained. 

Hazardous Liquid Storage Areas 

A facility that stores hazardous liquids can’t risk them mixing with other materials or spreading into other facility areas. Luckily, flexible bunding can create a springy barrier between liquid storage areas that must remain separate. 

It goes without saying that materials considered hazardous to the environment, people, or facilities need a backup solution during a spill event. Bunding is an exceptional barrier product for preventing the spread of hazardous materials. 

Workshops 

In the workshop, you’ll be working with many types of liquids and materials that need to be stored separately and safely. Bund walls with their flexible, triangular wedge-shaped profile help you prevent widespread spills without introducing trip hazards.

Wash Bays 

If you’re washing something, especially a product containing hazardous material, you don’t want this chemical or liquid solution to spread to other facility areas. Placing a flexible bund wall around the perimeter helps contain the washing area and any chemicals/materials involved. It also acts as a risk-averse containment solution (not a trip hazard). 

Summary 

So there we have it, everything you need to know about flexible floor bunding. You now know that if you need a more flexible and pliable spill containment solution, you have many flexible bunding options available.  

The triangular profile and high-density memory foam are perfect for sustaining and springing back into shape when a vehicle passes over them. Plus, the material from which they are manufactured offers very good chemical resistance.

You also know how to install bund walls and where you can use the bunding in standard applications. Remember, bunding is crucial for many applications and has numerous uses for many industries. So, no matter what industry you’re involved in or what project you’re working on, you’ll appreciate the high-quality performance of flexible floor bunding. 

Contact Ecospill today if you need any help with purchasing, installing, and learning more about flexible floor bunding and the best floor bunding suppliers. Our professional team can help you find the spill containment solutions you need.