ESD Floor coatings

[jpyeron]

Installing new wood, not vinyl, flooring. It is a lab space (computers, equipment, and a few desks).

Does anyone have thoughts on https://www.amazon.com/ACL-Staticide-4600-5-Finish-Gallon/dp/B005T978KW or similar floor "waxes" to increase the ESD safety?

It is about 4x the price of normal floor finishes (e.g. https://www.homedepot.com/p/ZEP-5-Gal-High-Traffic-Floor-Polish-ZUHTFF5G/100619264 )

[jpanhalt]

That's basically quaternary ammonium salts in some carrier and perhaps an acrylic "wax".

MSDS:https://www.aclstaticide.com/assets/datasheets/20022005-SDS_20.pdf

I would not use it on wood.  Have you considered just covering the wood with very low tack sacrificial ESD plastic sheeting?  Then redo as needed. 

[richnormand]

Do the best wood flooring.

Wait until it is stable and put esd flooring where needed on top (properly grounded of course).

I did that for my bench, 3D printer and computer area. Since it was carpeted I used 3/8" plywood and stapled the eds flooring on top.
That way it will be easy to remove or relocate later.

I also found that on eBay two companies (both selling in the USA and Canada) were selling remnants esd flooring meant for factories at really good prices compared to the usual commercial rates.
These were larger than I needed actually

[Berni]

Wood is not all that prone to static buildup in the first place unless you live in a very very dry area.

Even then having a ESD safe floor doesn't protect you from static build up from clothes. Wearing a ESD strap is the best way to keep static away, but takes effort to put on. In my opinion the best way to get rid of static is simply a antistatic mat on the bench. You often touch the desk when sitting down(be it leaning your arms on it or using it to pull your chair closer) so by touching the grounded antistatic mat you already discharge yourself.

You have to have a habit of putting on a ESD strap anyway, so i find it easier to just make a habit of touching the ESD mat before working on stuff. I also like to touch something grounded after taking off clothes (At work there is a shielded EMI chamber conveniently close to my coathanger)

[SeanB]

For plain wood easiest and cheapest is to get liquid fabric softener, dilute with water, and use a mop to wipe over the clean floor. Will leave a thin film behind which is static dissipative, which will slowly bleed charge away. Cheap, leaves a nice scent, and you just reapply when you wash the floor. The polymers are more meant for vinyl sheet, which can, when clean, actually hold a charge.

[jpyeron]

For plain wood easiest and cheapest is to get liquid fabric softener, dilute with water, and use a mop to wipe over the clean floor. Will leave a thin film behind which is static dissipative, which will slowly bleed charge away. Cheap, leaves a nice scent, and you just reapply when you wash the floor. The polymers are more meant for vinyl sheet, which can, when clean, actually hold a charge.

We are doing some other ESD testing, going to add this in to the backlog and will post results.