Yes, an unsuitable cleaning method can damage a parkade’s traffic coating or waterproofing system. There isn’t one pressure setting that is safe for every coated floor. At City Wide, we offer parkade cleaning services; send us the surface details and maintenance instructions so you can discuss the proposed cleaning work before booking.
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Identify the system before choosing the method
A painted-looking surface does not tell you which products are underneath it. Ask for the installed system’s name, the applicator’s records, any repair history and the current maintenance instructions. If those records are missing, ask the coating specialist or manufacturer how to identify the system rather than choosing a method from its appearance.
| Surface or situation | What to establish first |
|---|---|
| Traffic coating over waterproofing | The complete installed system, its wear layer and its cleaning requirements. |
| Sealed or painted concrete | The product and its maintenance instructions; don’t substitute another coating’s guidance. |
| Bare-looking concrete | Whether a treatment or previous coating remains and what condition the surface is in. |
| Patched or recently recoated areas | Which products were used and whether the applicator has released them for cleaning. |
What a manufacturer’s instructions actually cover
Sika Canada’s May 2024 Sikalastic Park Deck System guide treats the flexible membrane and protective wear course as a system. Its cleaning section specifies mild detergents and soft-bristle equipment, gives product-specific power-washing limits and calls for chemical compatibility testing. It also warns that solvents can damage the system. Those directions are not permission to use the same method on a different brand or an unidentified floor. Read Sika Canada’s maintenance guide, pages 1–2.
For your job, ask for the proposed equipment, cleaning product, method and any test area to be recorded against the installed system’s instructions. A number on a pressure washer alone does not describe the whole proposed method.
Separate cleaning from condition assessment
Before accepting a cleaning quote, ask who will review the floor’s condition and document areas that need attention. Sika’s inspection guidance includes coating bond loss, bubbles, worn areas, joint details and evidence of standing water. It directs structural repairs to a licensed structural engineer and recommends consulting the coating applicator about system repairs. See the inspection and repair sections of the guide.
For the planning walk-through, mark the areas that the appropriate specialist needs to assess. Don’t ask the cleaning crew to resolve an unidentified coating failure by increasing pressure or changing chemicals.
A short pre-cleaning record
- Surface record: identify the installed product, available instructions and the contact who can answer technical questions.
- Condition record: photograph and mark existing areas of concern before work starts.
- Method record: agree the proposed equipment, products, test area and any exclusions.
- Handover record: keep the accepted scope, site photos and follow-up items with the building’s maintenance files.
If the required surface guidance is missing, agree what needs to be resolved before cleaning that area. You can discuss the remaining accessible surfaces separately. Repairs, recoating and cleaning should be clearly distinguished in the written request.
Questions about coated parkade floors
Is there a safe PSI for every waterproofing membrane?
No universal setting is established by the sources in this guide. Use the instructions for the installed system and a method reviewed for its condition. Don’t transfer a pressure limit from an unrelated product or assume a lower machine setting resolves every concern.
Will cleaning repair a worn coating?
Cleaning and repair are different jobs. If the surface needs a condition assessment, repair or recoating, have that work scoped separately by the appropriate specialist. A cleaning quote should identify any affected areas that are excluded or awaiting review.
What if we cannot find the coating records?
Ask the property manager, original applicator and coating supplier for the system documents. If the system remains uncertain, arrange specialist advice before approving a cleaning method for it. Photos help explain the question but do not establish the product identity.
Ask us about the cleaning work you need
Send the surface records, site photos, approximate area and access details with your request. For general budgeting questions, read our parkade cleaning cost and quote guide.
