Epoxy Flooring

Long-lasting, Attractive Floors for Industrial or Commercial Use

Epoxy flooring systems resurface concrete floors and add colour to designate walkways or other markings. They are able to provide a number of performance functions such as slip resistance, chemical resistance, and abrasion resistance. Epoxy floors are also used to provide waterproofing and pitch for water drainage and are seamless solutions for hygienic protection. From an aesthetic standpoint, epoxy floors can add decorative finishes and designs to both commercial and industrial spaces, with unlimited colour options. Continue reading to learn more specific information about the benefits of epoxy flooring as well as the environment to which they are applicable.

BENEFITS OF EPOXY FLOORING:

Durability: When evaluating flooring materials, wear resistance refers to the life of the floor. How will it hold up under foot and mechanical traffic? Will continuous use of the surface cause scuff and scratch marks? Some surfaces hold up better than others. Wear-resistant epoxy floors are specially formulated to stand up to harsh conditions and heavy traffic. They also stand up to dirt, grime and routine cleanings.

Conductivity and static control: As a person walks across a standard epoxy floor, it is very easy to build up static charge through friction because epoxy acts as an insulative material. Where there is static, there is electro-static discharge. This can cause mayhem in certain industries. ESD floors, also known as static dissipative floors (1 Mohm to 1000 Mohms) or conductive floors (.025 Mohms to 1 Mohms), provide superior static control, inhibiting static electricity on a person or from reaching sensitive equipment.

Decorative options: Public areas and showrooms can achieve their desired appearance while enjoying the strong and durable qualities of epoxy.

Chemical resistance: Chemical attack can destroy floors quickly. Chemical-resistant epoxy flooring systems contain properties that protect these areas from spills and splashes from acids, alkalis, solvents and other corrosive elements.

Low-maintenance: Easy-to-clean floors and walls have properties that resist the absorption of material into the surface, making for less laborious processes during cleanup. In addition, floors that do not have seams or joints will not trap material and are therefore, easier to clean.

Light reflectivity: Different gloss levels provide different finishes to floors and can provide better lighting within the space. Epoxy floors are available in gloss, semi-gloss and matte finishes.

Seamless: Seamless floors are floors without seams, ridges, or joints. Seamless epoxy formulations become a natural part of a building’s very structure. This type of flooring can also be referred to as weldless flooring, poured flooring, or poured-in-place flooring.

INDUSTRIES THAT BENEFIT FROM EPOXY FLOORING:

Healthcare:Infection control is of the utmost importance in healthcare facilities. Floors, too, must be included in infection control practices. Seamless epoxy floors are highly durable, stain resistant and easy to clean. They are long-lasting alternatives to VCT and vinyl tile and are effective in several areas of hospitals and medical facilities. For operating rooms and other sensitive areas, urethane floors are often recommended.

Pharmaceutical: Pharma Processing, packaging, labs and vivariums require high-performance floors. Epoxy flooring systems can be chemical, impact and abrasion-resistant to meet these demands and at the same time offer high design options. One of the most important factors is hygienic protection. Seamless flooring along with other protective measures like prefabricated curbs and seamless wall systems can provide this.

Auto Dealerships: Epoxy floors offer decorative and contemporary options for showrooms and service bays while protecting them from impact, chemicals, and wear due to heavy traffic.

Retail: Retail floors need to stand up to heavy traffic, spills, impact, and continuous cleaning. Seamless epoxy flooring is the perfect solution for retail environments. In addition, with endless colors, textures, and finishes to choose from, an epoxy floor can help a retail store stand out from its competition. Rapid installation is often available, a benefit for 24-7 retail locations.

Manufacturing: Processing, packaging, warehouses, traffic aisles, and battery storage areas in manufacturing facilities all benefit from impact, chemical, and abrasion-resistant epoxy flooring.

Education: College campuses and schools have specific flooring requirements such as noise reduction, wear resistance, and the ability to stand up to stains and spills. Epoxy floors meet these requirements from classrooms to cafeterias and science labs to corridors. They also come in a wide range of textures, colors, and patterns and may even be matched to school colors and include school logos and mascots.

Automotive: The automotive manufacturing industry requires heavy-duty flooring to stand up to chemicals, impact, abrasion, and heavy traffic. In areas like high-tech test labs and automated assembly, conductive floors may be required. Seamless epoxy floors are a perfect fit for automotive and available in required textures as well as preferred colors and finishes.

Aerospace: Known for their chemical-resistant properties, seamless and durable epoxy flooring is used in the aerospace industry because they are beneficial in areas of maintenance of aircraft, parts, missles, and rockets. In addition, they are commonly used in design areas, assembly, and labs and may come in ESD formulations when needed for static control.

EPOXY FLOORING INSTALLATION:

Stonhard is responsible for manufacturing and installing the materials to provide a finished floor. The details are important for a successful epoxy floor installation. The area is inspected prior to installation to determine the right system required for the area and what testing is required. Based on the condition of the slab, use of the space, or age of the building, different tests may be required, such as Calcium Chloride or Relative Humidity testing to determine the moisture content of the slab or contamination. Based on the information found from these tests and onsite visits, the proper preparation procedure is determined. This may include mechanical preparation with media blasting, diamond grinding, and removal by jack hammers and chipping guns. If slabs are determined to be contaminated with oils, de-greasing may be necessary to achieve proper adhesion. Preparation is the most important process to ensure there is a proper bond to the substrate. Installation of the system will vary depending on the specific system (broadcast, mortar, self leveler). The common installation procedures vary from screeding and troweling the material, squeegeeing and rolling the material, and broadcasting the material. All details, including waterproofing, cove base, penetrations, drains, etc., are discussed prior to installation. These will be handled properly to ensure a good quality epoxy floor installation with professionally trained installation teams.

CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE FOR EPOXY FLOORING:

Seamless epoxy floors are known for their easy cleaning and maintenance procedures, however each environment has its own specific requirements and standards to meet. Stonhard Territory Managers work with customers directly to provide the right cleaning solution for the specific environment.

STONHARD EPOXY FLOORING PRODUCTS:

Stonclad - Available in several formulations to meet your needs, Stonclad epoxy mortar systems and ESD formulations provide serious protection for heavy-duty environments.

Stonshield - Textured and slip-resistant, Stonshield epoxy floors are decorative and easy to clean, perfect in light manufacturing environments, food service preparation, education, and retail.

Stonblend - These troweled, color quartz, epoxy flooring systems are stain and wear resistant. They are offered in sophisticated patterns and color blends to meet your design preference.

Stontec - A dense, stain-resistant flake system with an extensive range of finishes and color options. Available in epoxy systems that work well in education, lab, and pharma environments.

Stonlux - This self-leveling epoxy flooring system offers static control and a low-friction surface. Clean rooms, electronics manufacturing, research and development areas benefit from Stonlux's ultra-smooth, chemical and impact-resistant formulation.