Contributed by Clayton Allison
Commercial and industrial spaces present unique needs for organization, safety, durability, and longevity when it comes to flooring. Epoxy is one of the most versatile flooring systems available for commercial, industrial, and even residential spaces. No other type of flooring offers the variety of options you get with epoxy. When choosing a new flooring system for commercial or industrial use, carefully consider the reasons below.
Durability & Strength – Epoxy flooring offers unparalleled resistance to impacts, shocks, abrasions, extreme temperatures, acids, and chemicals. Epoxy’s strong chemical bonds make it ideal for high-traffic spaces and facilities with heavy lifting, machinery, or vehicles. Epoxy floor coatings are popular due to their ability to resist breakdown caused by prolonged exposure to harsh chemicals.
Longevity – The lifespan of your flooring is extended after being coated with epoxy. Many floors can last an additional 10 to 20 years after being coated. Most industries can expect 5 to 10 years of use before the coating needs to be touched up. Epoxy is by far one of the longest-lasting floor coatings available, but its longevity depends heavily on the selection of appropriate epoxy products and proper installation.
Affordability – The per-square-foot cost of epoxy flooring is very comparable to other flooring systems. In fact, they are often the same or significantly lower than other systems when you include labor costs. Fast-curing installation options result in savings in construction downtime for your facility. Epoxy flooring is cost-effective because it can reduce lighting, floor maintenance, and cleaning costs. Easy-to-clean, seamless floors prevent bacteria from growing while making cleanup more manageable for staff—saving time and money. Over time, the flooring will pay for itself with its longevity compared to other flooring options.
Aesthetics – Epoxy floors come in a wide variety of colors and patterns to match any environment and company branding. They are highly customizable to any design scheme and leave a sleek, smooth, seamless surface. From safety floor striping to company logos, colors can be applied in any pattern. Decorative flake or quartz can be added to enhance texture and provide anti-slip properties. High gloss options are also available and improve lighting conditions, to a large extent because of reflection.
Enhanced Safety – Epoxy flooring can increase workplace safety by adding impact, slip, chemical, and fire resistance. It also improves safety in a work area by improving brightness by 300% and outlining safety zones. Two key options to consider are epoxy floor striping and an anti-slip topcoat. Particularly helpful in warehouses, floor striping is a popular organization and safety feature. In an environment where employees are sharing space with forklifts and other heavy machinery, striping keeps everyone in their own lane and helps traffic flow more efficiently. Another important safety feature to consider is slip-resistance through a combination of textured coatings and anti-slip additives. Some epoxy surfaces can become slippery when wet, so slip-resistant additives help protect your business from workplace injuries.
Sanitary Properties – Commercial epoxy flooring supports hygiene and infection control programs by eliminating spaces and seams where bacteria can grow. Anti-microbial epoxy coatings can prevent viruses, bacteria, mold, and germs from growing in your flooring. This is a huge benefit for hospitals and medical facilities as well as food and beverage production and retail facilities which are subject to strict health and safety standards. Epoxy flooring is easily cleaned and maintained to prevent viruses and bacteria from spreading. Epoxy flooring is available in USDA- & FDA-approved options that are environmentally friendly and make “going GREEN” affordable and easy.
Electrostatic Dissipative (ESD) Options for Conductivity & Static Control – ESD conductive epoxy floors offer protection against electrostatic discharge in areas like high-tech test labs and automated assembly. These epoxy coatings are best for environments where there are electronics, technology, or volatile chemicals where static electricity would pose a risk of injury or damage. These coatings prevent and reduce the effect of static discharges, thereby protecting equipment and workers. These floors are highly recommended for spaces that contain flammable materials.
Solutions for Moisture Vapor Transmission (MVT) – Controlling moisture vapor transmission is critical to the long-term durability of any slab-on-grade flooring. When moisture is present in concrete, it can cause the failure of any floor coatings. Whatever the source, MVT can be both problematic and expensive. The solution is a properly installed epoxy moisture vapor barrier. Not all coatings offer the protection that you need to fight moisture-vapor-related damage. Having a moisture vapor system can be the solution to create a barrier for concrete slabs to keep your floors safe and dry. On-site moisture testing is extremely important to identify the correct product system to install. Unfortunately, not everyone is experienced or has the proper product to moisture-proof their commercial or industrial concrete.
To select the right epoxy products for your company’s needs and get your job done right, you can depend on our team of experts at GH Alaska. For more information, please call (907) 414-4941 or visit us online at AlaskaResin.com/GH-Alaska.