The Science Behind Epoxy Floor Coatings
It’s likely that you’ve never heard of epoxy flooring, and that’s okay; most people haven’t, but we can almost guarantee that you’ve seen it!
What is Epoxy Floor Coating?
According to Merriam-Webster, epoxy is an adhesive, plastic, paint, or other material made from a class of synthetic thermosetting polymers containing epoxide groups.
Put more simply, epoxy is made up of two main substances—resins and hardeners. When these two components mix, they chemically react to form a durable and rigid plastic material that is strong, resistant to degradation, and that bonds extremely well to the floor’s substrate, which is typically concrete.
The epoxy coating offers a durable and dependable surface for commercial and industrial flooring. Generally, epoxy coatings are applied to concrete floors to create a smooth finish that can last several years while withstanding heavy loads and high traffic.
For the floor coating to adhere, the surface to which it is applied must be slightly porous and thoroughly cleaned. All major cracks and chips must be repaired before applying the epoxy floor coating. However, extremely smooth concrete floor finishes make epoxy adhesion difficult.
How is an Epoxy Floor Coating Applied?
Before applying the high-performance coating, the concrete needs to be prepped to ensure proper adhesion. This is done via a process known as shot-blasting and/or diamond grinding. Lakeside Painting utilizes both methods, sometimes in tandem, to prepare concrete floors for coating.
By properly preparing the substrate, deteriorated and latent concrete as well as contaminants (such as grease, oil, bacteria, and fungus) and foreign materials are removed from the floor’s surface. Well-cleaned and prepared concrete allow the epoxy coating to penetrate deep into the concrete, ensuring a strong and long-lasting bond.
After the substrate is properly prepped, Lakeside’s professional painters then apply the epoxy floor coating. An application typically requires multiple layers of epoxy. While thinner coatings are more cost-efficient, they will likely be smoother and, consequently, slippery, potentially compromising employee and customer safety.
Is Epoxy Floor Coating Right for Me?
Epoxy floor systems are highly durable and long-lasting. They can take the punishment of variable temperatures, chemical abrasion, heavy machinery traffic, and constant cleaning and maintenance.
Epoxy flooring is very popular in commercial and industrial settings. They are often used in car dealerships, universities, hospitals, warehouses, and airports, to name a few. Since epoxy floors are non-porous, contaminants like dirt and mold won’t be able to absorb into your flooring and cause issues in the future.
Additionally, the fact that they are not slippery adds to their appeal. To create an even more slip-proof floor, aggregates such as flakes, quartz, and silica flour can be added to the epoxy floor.
In addition to its safety features, epoxy flooring is easy to maintain. Minor spills can be wiped up with a paper towel or soft cloth. Routine maintenance cleaning is best achieved with a soft bristle broom or commercial dust mop, while heavy-duty cleaning can be easily done by sweeping away debris and mopping the floor with hot water and clear ammonia.
As if all of this wasn’t enough to convince you of epoxy flooring’s value, it is also beautiful. A coating of epoxy can be applied to a variety of commercial floors including hardwood, tile, VCT (vinyl composition tile), and other substrates.
The professional painters at Lakeside Painting are here to handle all of your commercial and industrial flooring needs. From epoxy floor coatings to concrete floor polishing to concrete joint and crack repair—we’ve got you covered.
Call today or fill out our form to request a free estimate.