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What is epoxy flooring?
An epoxy floor is a popular type of floor coating that is made up of two components. The epoxy flooring is made up of a hardener and a resin. These two components come together to form a strong bond that boasts chemical resistance and physical durability.
Epoxy floor coatings are very common in commercial rooms and buildings, and even industrial settings. This is because they can withstand lots of heavy machinery and heavy traffic, and are much more equipped to handle moisture build up than other flooring solutions.
More recently, though, it is becoming popular to get an epoxy floor coating installed in residential properties. There are plenty of reasons that people are opting for epoxy flooring over a concrete floor, carpet or wood flooring, but how good is it? Epoxy Gang have the following insights:
Epoxy flooring pros
Epoxy coatings are durable
Epoxy flooring first became popular because of its durability and low maintenance. It is a great option for anyone who needs a durable floor. The strong bond that the two components of resin floor coating form gives it a very strong surface, especially if it is added on top of an existing concrete floor. This will provide the resin flooring with even more durability.
An epoxy resin floor is inexpensive
While no flooring solutions are necessarily cheap, the installation of epoxy flooring shows to be less expensive than other flooring options when it comes to cost per square foot. This is in part because the epoxy floor is a coating, and it does not harm the flooring beneath it. So if you have concrete floors beneath your resin flooring and decide to remove the resin, your concrete floors will be just fine.
Epoxy floors are damage resistant
As well as being generally durable, epoxy flooring is resistant to damage. It has a high chemical resistance and can withstand high temperatures very well.
Epoxy resin flooring is anti slip
When you are having epoxy floors installed, you can opt for an additional component to be added to the resin flooring to ensure that it is risk free by making it anti slip. This can be really beneficial in households with speedy children who have a tendency to run and fall when they’re excited.
There are lots of styles of epoxy floor coatings
Just like resin, epoxy coating can come in a vast array of styles. Not only can you add anti-slip properties to your resin floor coating but you can also choose from a great range of styles, designs and even under floor heating. You may go for colourful, matte, glossy finish… whatever your flooring needs are, there’s an epoxy flooring style to match it!
An epoxy floor is easy to maintain
We all want a house that’s easy to maintain and keep clean, and epoxy flooring makes that even more attainable. Epoxy floors are super easy to maintain, as they don’t have any partitions, meaning that they can just be cleaned quickly and using minimal cleaning equipment!
Epoxy floor coating is known to be hygienic
Since epoxy floors are seamless, they do not harbour bacteria or germs, making resin flooring much more hygienic than wood flooring or carpet.
Epoxy flooring cons
The concrete floor must be properly prepared
In order for epoxy flooring to last as well as it should and to look seamless, the (usually) concrete floor beneath it must be completely prepared. Failing to prepare the surface beneath the epoxy coating can lead to it failing to harden, lumps, and even cracks in the epoxy resin flooring.
Epoxy flooring takes time to harden
When installing an epoxy floor, there is a period of waiting involved. Epoxy flooring takes up to 30 days to harden completely. There are some curing products and additional hardening chemical ingredients that can speed this up, but they do add to the cost of the epoxy resin flooring.
The epoxy installation process is elaborate
While the costs are low, the epoxy flooring installation process is not particularly simple. The existing floor must be cleaned thoroughly to ensure it is free of dirt, oil, grease and debris, and only then can the epoxy coating be poured over. If there are damages to the flooring these must be fixed first too, which can take time.
Once the floor is prepared, the actual installation of an epoxy coating requires certain conditions like a certain level of humidity and the time to dry. It must be kept dry when being installed, otherwise an offensive smell like ammonia will appear, and this can be detrimental to people with lung conditions like asthma.
Epoxy floors are slippery when wet
While epoxy flooring can be made to be anti-slip, when wet it can be incredibly slippery. This can be a risk in places like kitchens or bathrooms, and should be considered carefully before an epoxy floor is installed.
Epoxy floors can become discoloured
Over time, epoxy resin flooring can lose its colour. This is no different to most flooring solutions and building materials. When this does happen, the epoxy resin flooring will need to be replaced.
Should you have resin flooring installed in your home?
In rooms that need to be easy to clean, and that you want an interesting, inviting floor in, epoxy resin flooring is certainly a solid choice. It is easy to maintain and clean, and if you hire specialists to install it, you’ll be able to trust that it will be durable and beautiful.
