Once you’ve determined how many permanent containment pads you need and their general sizes, you still need to choose a liner material. Selecting the wrong liner could lead to a large leak or high costs to replace the material after it degrades due to chemical exposure. Oil, lubricants, cleaning products, and fertilizers are all reactive and corrosive, especially if any of them combine. This means that you’ll need a containment liner that can handle the corrosive effects of the chemicals that might spill, in addition to the durability to handle vehicles and cleaning equipment. Learn how to choose the right liner material for your custom containment pad for long-term performance and easy installation.
Impervious Surface
The first feature to look for in a containment liner is an impermeable surface. This means the material must be solid enough to keep fluid from leaking through it, even over time. Impermeability, along with flexibility, is the reason you’ll find most chemical-resistant liners are made from various types of rubber and plastics. These materials are watertight, even when they’re holding something other than water. Of course, not every watertight plastic or rubber sheeting will work as a liner. The best liners for secondary containment pads will include all of the following features as well in one complete package.
Durability and Toughness
If you’re planning to build a drive on/off pad, a loading pad, or a containment area that will be cleaned with large scale extraction equipment, you’ll definitely need a tough and durable liner. Most spray-on and clay liners are too fragile to handle this kind of daily use without cracking. Even tiny cracks that are nearly invisible to the eye can let a surprising amount of hazardous materials leak out. Since geomembrane liners can be tested with vacuum equipment to ensure a sound seal, there’s no need to worry about the durability of your containment pad when these liners are used.
Chemical Resistance
Some products, such as ArmorPro from BTLiners, are superiorly designed with chemical resistance and corrosive use in mind. Other liners, without adequate chemical resistance, will break down quickly. They may look intact but will develop tiny pinholes and cracks that leak out the fluid you want to contain. Always check the specifications on the liner you’re interested in using before assuming it will work for chemical containment. The liner material must have a specific resistance listed to last for years under occasional or routine exposure. ArmorPro has an EIA coating that offers enhanced chemical containment for these specific purposes.
Size of Rolls
Wide rolls of liner material reduce the number of seams needed to create a monolithic base for the containment pad. Each manufacturer has a maximum width they produce, and finding a company selling over-sized liner is worth the effort to simplify installation. The process goes smoother and takes less time when using extra wide rolls of liner. BTL Liners offers ArmorPro in a wide range of widths and customizable sizes to help speed up your containment projects and minimize the number of seams per pad.
Seam Sealing Requirements
While checking into the features and specifications of the liners you’re considering, determine what kind of seam sealing is required for each material. Seam welding is the most reliable method for creating a watertight seal.
Availability
BTLiners ships ArmorPro liners all over the country and to many international locations, making it a great choice regardless of the location of your project.
