Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/1044116
WINERY & VINEYARD EQUIPMENT 34 WINES&VINES November 2018 R egular splashes of acidic solution, constant foot traffic, the weight and movement of heavy equipment and the repetitive use of cleaning chemi- cals — these are just some of the high de- mands literally placed on top of a winery's floor. Whether reconstructing an existing space or designing a new build, the choice of flooring is one that impacts safety, sanitation and aesthetics. Eric Kuhn, architect, LEED AP, at BAR Ar- chitects in San Francisco, whose firm has planned and designed more than 30 wineries ranging from 5,000 to 500,000 cases, said that when renovating a space specifically intended for fermentation and/or barrel storage, evalu- ating the existing flooring is important. "The main things to consider are the conditions of the existing floor and its cleanability, in addi- tion to existing slopes and drainage," he said. Kuhn said that, while there are epoxy coat- ings available on the market that "may be appropriate in some circumstances," he warns that in most spaces — especially in buildings not originally designed for winemaking pur- poses — a winery's best answer is to opt for all-new flooring. "The need for locating ap- propriate trench drains and floor drains, in addition to ensuring proper slopes to these drains, make it difficult to simply adapt exist- ing flooring," he said. This proved to be the case for Sean Thomp- son, director of winemaking for Schramsberg Vineyards and Davies Vineyards, when, back in 2012, a former car dealership was trans- formed into a fully operational winery for the Davies Vineyards still red wine program. Thompson said the original space came with an unfinished concrete floor that lacked a water barrier to assist with pud- dling. Their simple "first pass" solution when turning the area into the winery's tank room was to coat the existing floor with painted epoxy. Though this may have as- sisted with puddling, because the existing floor wasn't at all sloped, Thompson said, the draining system was "useless." Slope is particularly important because, in addition to drainage, it can affect barrel stack- ing. Kuhn warned that a slope that is too steep may cause stacks to "be out of plane," increas- ing the risk of tipping. "Floor slopes that are too steep or have many transitions can also make it difficult or unsafe to operate forklifts," he said, recommending one-eighth inch per foot as the ideal slope measurement. Thompson and team once again turned to epoxy to build up the flooring to add the ap- propriate slopes angled toward the draining system. This time around, they chose a mixture with a higher volume of sand for added grip. "It's like 60-grit sandpaper," Thompson said. "The first coat was also too slippery, and there was a lot of falling." Thompson said the difference between the two epoxy coatings was dramatically different. "It's like a dream come true," he said. "It grips the shoes quite a bit better; there's very little wear. We've had it down for three or four years, and it looks and feels like new, and there haven't been any slips or falls." Despite the successful and quick fix to his drainage and slippage issues, Thompson isn't completely satisfied with the choice of floor- ing. And, as the winery is currently in the process of renovating the barrel room, Forming a Solid Foundation What wineries should know before renovating or installing new cellar floors and drains Trench drain solution for winery flooring by Aco Drains. PRODUCT FOCUS By Stacy Briscoe KEY POINTS An all-new floor, not a renovation, may be a winery's best solution. Experts call concrete the most reliable ma- terial for cellar floors. The degree of slope affects both cleanli- ness and safety.