Epoxy Flooring
Epoxy flooring is a strong flooring that continues to grow in popularity in many homes and businesses. This flooring has many great benefits that make it the perfect flooring solution for anywhere in your home and countless businesses. Epoxy floors can be personalized to you with your favorite colors, scenes of nature, marble looks, decorative flakes, and more. When looking at everything epoxy flooring has to offer, it is no wonder it has become one of the most popular flooring types above traditional flooring.
Types of Epoxy Flooring
One of the greatest things about epoxy flooring is there are many options to choose from. There are three main types of epoxy flooring and they are standard epoxy, metallic epoxy, and decorative flake epoxy flooring. All of these each have something that makes them special and unique giving you great options for a personalized flooring solution.
Standard Epoxy Floors
Standard epoxy floors can come in many different shapes and sizes, literally! This flooring can cover small areas like bathrooms to larger areas like industrial plant floors. This flooring comes in a variety of colors that can also be used together. This flooring can be done in geometric patterns like tile to mimic the look of an actual tile floor. With standard epoxy flooring, you can also choose a level of sheen. This means you can pick to have a high-gloss shine or more of a matte look to your flooring to really personalize it the way you want.
Metallic Epoxy Floors
Metallic epoxy floors are one of the most popular epoxy floor styles on the market. This floor has many different color options and can be done to imitate the look of marble or even recreate scenes of nature such as rushing water and molten lava. Metallix epoxy floors have metallic pigments in them that give a fantastic shine and because of the installation process, no two floors will be identical. This flooring is perfect for homes and businesses that want to add a look of luxury at a fraction of the cost.
Decorative Flake Epoxy Floors
Decorative Flake Epoxy is unique in its style and added benefits. This flooring is achieved by a base epoxy with a color of your choosing and then acrylic flakes are then sprinkled giving it its unique look and texture. These flakes can come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors that can give you the ultimate personalization. With these flakes being added it gives more texture, which can provide added safety and slip-resistance.
Benefits of Epoxy Flooring
There are many benefits to epoxy flooring that make it the perfect flooring solution for anywhere you can imagine. These benefits are what make this flooring incredibly diverse and perfect for any area.
Personalization
One of the biggest advantages of epoxy flooring is how it can be personalized to you! There are many different color and styles options to choose from that can go with any theme or décor. These floors can be made to look like other materials such as tile, marble, and even hardwood without the price tag of those materials and more strength. Epoxy flooring can also be used to incorporate logos in places like businesses, medical facilities, schools, and even garage floors. When it comes to ways to personalize these floors, the possibilities are endless!
Eco Friendly
Epoxy flooring is one of the most eco-friendly floors there are on the market. This flooring is mixed with exact amounts to ensure no types of waste will end up in landfills like that of hardwood or tile. This flooring is also environmentally friendly in that it already uses the flooring there, and minimal prep work goes into the surface to install the epoxy flooring.
Easy Maintenance
Epoxy flooring has effortless maintenance that makes it perfect for any area. One great benefit of this flooring is the seamless design that repels dirt and dust, making it even better for cleanup. This flooring is stain resistant to even some of the most corrosive materials such as gas, bleach, and motor oil. Simply wiping away these spills keeps this flooring looking great For regular cleaning a simple dust mop and broom can be used to clear away debris. For an extra step, when mopping a soft mop and pH neutral cleaner can be used.
Cost
This flooring costs much less than its hardwood counterpart and will last much longer. Pricing of this flooring is one of the immediate advantages of this flooring and where it can be installed directly over the existing concrete, it saves money in prep work.
Strength and Durability
Epoxy floors are incredibly strong and with proper maintenance can last for 20 years or more. This flooring can withstand the weight of heavy loads from anything whether it is your car or the heavy machines in a factory. These floors are impact-resistant, so there’s never a worry of the floor cracking or chipping if you drop any tools or other heavy materials. Epoxy floors are also resistant to stains and spills, being able to be wiped away without leaving a single stain or spot to be found. These floors show their strength daily, and no heavy foot traffic will ever wear down their shine.
Safety
Epoxy floors are incredibly safe for many different reasons. The reflectivity of these floors is high, which means less energy usage and being able to see things better, which can prevent fall-related accidents. Spills can be more easily seen on this flooring because of how reflective it is, and with it added to the easy cleanup, this floor is top-rated for safety. Epoxy flooring can also have additives added that make it slip-resistant to prevent slips and falls, creating an incredibly safe area.
Cost of Epoxy Flooring
There are many factors that go into the cost of an epoxy flooring solution—first, the prep work of the floor. If your flooring is sound and not filled with cracks and chips, then the cost of your epoxy flooring system won’t be as much as it would be if there is more damage that needs to be fixed. Concrete that has many cracks, chipping, and flaking that need more work done to create a smooth and sound surface will run the cost up a little higher than a ready-to-go flooring. Each epoxy flooring style is different, and the price depends on the personalization and the area you want to cover. Standard epoxy may cost less than metallic epoxy on larger areas, but the price can be higher if you add multiple colors or designs like a logo. Typically the best way to find the cost of the epoxy flooring is knowing the type you want and the square footage of the area you want to cover. The prices generally run $3-$12 per square foot on average, with it being more the more intricate the design options.
How to Maintain Epoxy Flooring
Maintaining your epoxy flooring is an important step in making sure it lasts as long as possible and is durable as possible. One of the main ways to maintain your epoxy flooring is to keep it clean and clear of any dirt and debris. This can be done by simply using a dust mop or broom and sweeping the area regularly. Another way to ensure you’re maintaining your epoxy properly is by using the right cleaners. Now, there aren’t specialty cleaners required for this flooring, but others are safer than others. When using a cleaner on your floors, be sure that it is a pH-neutral cleaner and a soft mop so that you don’t damage the flooring over time. While this flooring is stain resistant, there are rules to spills. Be sure that when a spill occurs that it is wiped up immediately, and the area is cleaned. If there are rust spots from tools or machinery, then you can use warm water and a soft deck brush to scrub the area gently.
Epoxy Flooring Installation
When having epoxy flooring installed, the first steps are some of the most crucial. This step includes the preparation of the flooring. This needs to be done to ensure the superior bond that epoxy has. All the strength and durability of this flooring depend on the preparation that goes into the surface, including fixing any cracks or chipping. These blemishes are filled with a special material to make a smooth surface ready for epoxy. Once all blemishes are fixed, the floor is then ground down with a diamond wheel blade. Once the surface is ground down and smooth, any dirt and debris are swept away for a clean surface. After the surface is clean, an epoxy primer is then applied to prepare the floor for the epoxy to be installed. Now is the time the epoxy is mixed and prepped to be installed onto the floor. Once the mixture is finished, and all holes and imperfections are fixed, it is time to apply the epoxy. This is done using squeegees to ensure an even coat starting from the perimeter and working in. After this coat is applied, it is allowed to dry before other coats are applied, depending on the thickness desired. Once the final coat is applied, the epoxy is left to cure for 48-72 hours.
Where Epoxy Flooring Can Be Installed
Residential
Many residential places have epoxy flooring because this flooring is so unique yet strong. You can find epoxy in basements, kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and living spaces in homes. Many designs are great for home and with a variety of colors to choose from; epoxy goes with any decor.
Commercial
Commercial areas are the perfect opportunity to have epoxy flooring. This flooring is strong, durable, and budget-friendly. In addition, epoxy floors can keep your business safe with anti-slip additives as well as high reflectivity. These eco-friendly floors are sure to boost any business.
Industrial
In industrial settings, it’s important to have great flooring to keep your employees safe. Not only is this flooring safe, but it is strong and resistant to things like spills and impacts that can ruin industrial floors. This epoxy flooring system is made for heavy weights and can withstand high foot traffic areas commonly found in industrial plants without ruin.