Industrial spaces require flooring that can withstand heavy machinery, harsh chemicals, and extreme temperatures. Epoxy is the ideal choice for these spaces, as it is water-resistant and easy to clean.
Epoxy is also highly customizable. This means facilities can incorporate logos, wayfinding symbols, and safety signage into the floors to create a truly unique space.
When choosing an epoxy it’s important to read the product specifications to ensure you are purchasing an industrial grade epoxy. This will save your floor from failure years from now. 
1. Durability
Epoxy is one of the most durable flooring solutions available, withstanding impacts and abrasions. This durability makes it a great choice for warehouses and other industrial settings, where heavy machinery is often in use. It also resists corrosion and chemical spills better than other types of flooring, making it a cost-effective choice.
There are several different types of epoxy, each with its own unique properties and advantages. For example, a metallic epoxy is popular for commercial and retail applications, as it can create a sense of movement and depth on the floor, while being extremely durable. Other types of epoxy offer more traditional colors and finishes, which can be useful for defining zones or creating visual impact.
The durability of epoxy can be measured by its tensile and flexural strengths. The tensile strength is the amount of force required to break the material, while the flexural strength is the ability to bend before breaking. An epoxy with higher tensile and flexural strength will be able to withstand more pressure before it breaks, which is important for areas where heavy machinery is often in use.
A lot can affect the lifespan of an epoxy floor, including its initial installation and maintenance routine. It’s important to hire a concrete contractor with experience in installing and maintaining epoxy floors, as they will know how to prepare the surface properly, mix the resin correctly, and apply it evenly for maximum durability. It’s also a good idea to minimize exposure to extreme temperatures, as this can cause the epoxy to crack and lose its durability over time. In addition, it’s essential to address any cracks immediately, as they can lead to moisture penetration and mold growth or create tripping hazards.
2. Chemical Resistance
Epoxy floors are able to resist corrosion from many types of chemicals, making them ideal for use in facilities where chemical spills occur. In addition, epoxy can withstand extreme heat levels without degrading or warping, making it perfect for environments where temperature fluctuations are common.
Epoxies are also tough enough to withstand heavy machinery, with some having a flexural strength of more than 10,000 psi. This means that an epoxy floor can withstand the weight of vehicles and machinery without denting or scratching. It’s important to note that the overall durability of an epoxy floor depends on the substrate underneath, so proper surface preparation is essential.
Because of their high resistance to abrasion, scratches and corrosion, epoxy floors are ideal for areas where there’s frequent vehicle and equipment movement. This makes them a great choice for car parks, warehouses and factories. When it comes to maintenance, it’s best to vacuum your epoxy floor on a regular basis, using a soft brush attachment to remove any dirt and grit that may be embedded in the coating. This can help prevent small scratches from becoming deeper gouges that could damage your equipment and increase the amount of time you spend cleaning your floors.
It’s also recommended to scrub your floors on a regular basis, depending on the amount of soilage that builds up. High-traffic areas may require daily scrubbing with a soft bristle brush and detergent to ensure that your floor maintains its resilience. In addition, it’s a good idea to regularly check your flooring for any large gouges or holes, as these can allow moisture to seep under the coating and cause damage to the substrate below.
3. Stain Resistance
Epoxy floor coatings are highly durable and resist stains, chemicals and other types of damage from heavy equipment. This is because the same bond and seal that transforms standard concrete into a nonporous flooring surface also prevents harsh chemicals, acids, oils and other liquids from penetrating the concrete and damaging it. As a result, spills are easy to clean up and the concrete underneath remains unharmed. This makes epoxy floors an ideal choice for commercial settings that deal with a variety of chemicals and substances.
Additionally, epoxy floors are stain resistant, which means they won’t require any special treatment or cleaning products to keep them looking clean and fresh. Simply sweep or vacuum the floor on a regular basis to remove dirt, debris and other abrasive particles that can scratch or scrape the epoxy.
While epoxy is tough and can withstand impacts from heavy machinery, it is important to note that it is not impervious to impact. As a result, it is important to take precautions in areas where heavy machinery is often used, such as installing bumpers to stop equipment from making contact with the flooring. It is also important to repair any scratches or gouges in the floor surface as soon as they occur to avoid further damage and to prevent moisture from seeping under the flooring.
To determine how well a specific epoxy floor coating will hold up to impacts, the flooring can be subjected to a series of tests. One test involves immersing the floor in various chemicals for a set amount of time and then inspecting it for signs of discoloration or degradation. Another test involves exposing the flooring to hot and cold temperatures, cycling between them for extended periods of time to simulate real-world conditions.
4. Water Resistance
Industrial epoxy floor coatings are not only highly durable, they are also completely waterproof. This is especially important for areas of a commercial or industrial building where water is often present. Even if you don’t expect to be working in a wet storage room, there are many ways water can get into your facility. From a broken water pipe to a backed-up toilet, flooded floors can cause damage to the concrete beneath as well as your equipment and inventory. Waterproof epoxy floors and flooring systems prevent liquids from seeping through the floor to the lower level of your facility, protecting whatever is stored there.
Aside from the obvious benefits of a protective waterproof layer, epoxy flooring can make your facility look cleaner and brighter. The sheen of the epoxy will help reflect light and improve lighting, which can be a huge benefit for large facilities that don’t get much natural light. This is especially true for areas where heavy machinery and trucks are used on a daily basis, such as repair shops or body shops.
If you want your epoxy floor to be as water resistant as possible, it is essential that the surface is properly prepared prior to installation. Any excessive moisture in the substrate can lead to issues with the bonding of the epoxy. Using a Calcium Chloride Concrete Moisture Test (you can purchase these online) can give you an indication of whether or not your floor is ready to be coated. If you are not sure about the moisture level of your floor, it is best to consult a professional. They can perform a professional moisture test and provide you with the results so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not to proceed with your epoxy floor project.
5. Slip Resistance
Some people are concerned that epoxy floors are slippery and that walking on them in flat bottom shoes or bare feet will lead to an accident. While an epoxy floor can be slick, advancements in formulation and application techniques have significantly increased their slip resistance.
To improve the slip resistance of an epoxy floor, aggregates are added to the resin mixture. Aggregates can be a variety of things like colored quartz, silica sand, aluminum oxide, plastic media, glass spheres or polypropylene spheres. The type of aggregate chosen will depend on the environment where the floor is being used. For example, a commercial warehouse or machine shop environment would require an aggregate that offers positive traction where aggressive oils and lubricants may be spilled.
Another factor to consider is the condition of the underlying concrete slab where the epoxy coating will be applied. A thinner system may be sufficient if the concrete is free of gouges, pitting and deep cracks. However, if the flooring needs to be durable enough to withstand heavy machinery and vehicle traffic, a thicker coating is required.
To help prevent abrasions, mats and rugs can be placed in areas where heavy machinery is used to minimize the amount of debris that will be tracked onto the floor coating. Additionally, mopping the floor frequently with a hard foam brush and a mixture of 2 to 3 ounces of clear ammonia per gallon of water will keep the surface clean. These measures will also extend the life of the floor coating.
