Advantages And Disadvantages Of Epoxy Flooring

Are you looking for a affordable, durable and long-lasting floor for your commercial property, industrial building or factory? Then epoxy flooring is an excellent choice. It is made up of resins and hardeners to create a solid, durable floor. It has many advantages and very few disadvantages making it a popular choice across the commercial and industrial sectors.

This hard-wearing flooring solution is often located in warehouses, chemical processing plants, pharmaceutical production, and printing houses. Many food processing plants, bakeries, dairies, abattoirs and breweries also utilise epoxy resin flooring solutions for the health and safety benefits. So, let’s take look at the advantages and disadvantages of epoxy flooring:

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Epoxy Resin Floor Coating Advantages

Epoxy flooring / epoxy resin floor coating makes a great choice because:

Epoxy Floors are durable

How durable is epoxy flooring I hear you ask? It’s long-lasting and highly durable. Furthermore, it is five times thicker than normal paint, it is waterproof and has excellent abrasion and chemical resistance which extends its life and durability. This means epoxy resin flooring can cope with heavy traffic and with heavy equipment and products being moved around which is perfect for commercial settings. Its longevity depends on the type of epoxy flooring used, how many resin coats are applied and how the floor is used. However, when applied correctly epoxy floor durability is a high performer.

Ease of application

Epoxy resin floor coating is very easy to apply over a correctly prepared floor. It is best applied by a specialist team who are experienced in applying the products and have all of the right equipment and training.

Epoxy has excellent adhesion

Epoxy resin flooring has excellent adhesion to concrete, wood and other surfaces, creating a hard-wearing finish providing the underlying surface has been prepared correctly. It will also protect it from moisture, stains, grease and cracks.

You won’t slip over

Epoxy flooring is made anti-slip when an aggregate is added. Making it an excellent choice for areas that can become wet, such as food processing plants, bakeries, commercial kitchens, dairies, abattoirs and breweries. This slip resistance property means that you can feel confident that your staff or customers are safe in all conditions.

Epoxy resin floors are very hygienic

Epoxy floor coating is extremely hygienic. Not much sticks to epoxy resin flooring, and it’s easy to clean and sweep. It is resistant to bacteria and germs which makes it easy to sanitise. It has a low odour and it doesn’t taint, making it the perfect choice for food processing plants or industrial kitchens.

Many Epoxy and Resin colours and finishes

Epoxy and resin flooring has good colour stability and is available in a wide range of standard and bespoke colours and finishes, such as gloss. Most colours can be manufactured in RAL and BS 4800 colours.

Epoxy Flooring Disadvantages

The underlying surface must be prepared correctly

Correct floor preparation of the underlying surface is key to an excellent finish. Specialist equipment such as a diamond-headed vacuum-assisted grinder is essential and is best done by a specialist team. Any cracks need to be filled, and the underlying surface must be clean and free of any grease, oil, solvents or dust before the epoxy flooring is applied. Failure to get the preparation right will reduce the epoxy flooring effectiveness, adding to the cost and time taken to complete it.

Epoxy must be applied correctly

Epoxy flooring must be applied exactly according to the manufacturer’s instructions and preferably by a specialist team. If not done correctly then it may not be as durable and long-lasting as it should be. Each coat must dry completely before the next coat is added. Failure to apply it correctly could lead to a costly replacement.

Epoxy resin floors must be maintained properly

If epoxy flooring is not maintained properly then cracks and chipping may occur. Large areas may start peeling off and then the floor will need to be repaired or replaced.

The main disadvantage is it can be difficult to remove

Once the epoxy flooring has been applied, it can be labour-intensive and costly to change it. So make sure you are happy with the colour and design you have chosen before it has been applied.

We think we have covered all of the advantages and disadvantages of epoxy flooring, however if you still have questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

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