You’re looking for a new flooring solution for your kitchen, bathroom or garage? Flexible, resistant and timeless, epoxy might be just what you need. In this article, you’ll learn about the advantages of an epoxy floor, and why Surfacex often recommend this kind of floor coating.
The advantages of epoxy are valid for all kinds of floor : residential, industrial and commercial, as well as for every kind of surfaces like countertops.
About Epoxy
Epoxy or “ polyepoxide ” is a floor coating composed of two elements : a resin and a hardener. When these two component come into contact with each other, a chemical reaction happens. The mixture then turns into a solid and resistant product, the epoxy. This compound is also frequently used in construction as a glue or paint.
8 Advantages of an Epoxy Floor
1.Resistant
The first advantage of an epoxy floor is its resistance to almost everything :
- Wear, abrasion, vibrations and shocks
- Oils and gasoline
- Chemicals
- Water, humidity and mold
- Fire
So it’s obvious that epoxy is an excellent choice for commercial and industrial projects, as well as for hospitals and health clinics. If your concrete floor is cracked, epoxy can be used to fill the cracks and to protect your floor and foundations. Its installation doesn’t require joints, which decrease the risks of leaks.
2. Easy to clean
When it hardens, epoxy becomes a non-porous material, which means that it doesn’t absorb water, dust or dirt. An epoxy floor is extremely easy to clean. You can easily use just a brush or broom, or disinfectant products. Because it doesn’t have joints and because it is non-porous, water and humidity can’t accumulate, and mold and fungus can’t are less likely to develop.
3. Easy to install
Another advantage of an epoxy floor would be the speed in which it can be installed and ready to go. For your home, it allows you to go back to your daily routine without the inconveniences of long renovations. For your office, it ensures a rapid return to productive activities.
4. Customisable
Epoxy is a highly customisable product. You can choose between dozens of colours combinations to fit any of your design. You can also add a motive or a logo if accepted by your contractor. You can also choose between 3 differents finishes :
- Solid : only one color
- Flaky : a coat of vinyl flakes is applied before the hardener
- Metallic : a coat of metallic epoxy is applied before the hardener. This type of finish provides a unique product for each application.
Contact one of our teams to discuss your project and the possibilities.
5. Responsible
Generally, after the hardener is applied, epoxy is considered free of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC). This means that once it’s applied, you, your family or your employees won’t be disturbed by any dangerous emanations. This is why the product earned the Eco-Friendly mention.
Make sure that the contractor you choose to work with uses 100% solid products (no solvent) and without VOC.
6.Polyvalent
One of the advantages of an epoxy floor is its polyvalence. Even if epoxy is more often than not applied on a concrete floor, it is also possible to apply it on another type of floor. In order to do that, you’ll have to remove the existing flooring and to install a plywood canva. Make sure your floor is leveled.
7. Aesthetic
Because you can customize the color and finish of your floor coating, you can decide on making your floor a central element of your design. Its shiny finish will attract your customers or guests attention.
8. Health and Protection
In a industrial, commercial or institutional environment, health and security must be your top priority. That is why you have to decide on a secure floor coating for the safety of your employees and clients. A safe floor need to prevent the users from slipping and be highly and easily cleanable with strong disinfectant (especially for hospitals and health clinics). Also, it’s important that your floor coating can’t come off easy with abrasion and shocks. Epoxy can provide all these advantages for your space. Furthermore, epoxy is approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, so it’s safe to use in restaurants and kindergartens.
Where to Use Epoxy
The advantages of an epoxy floor are multiple and allow a wide range of uses : honestly, you can apply an epoxy coating almost everywhere.
- Kitchens and bathrooms
- Garages and basement*
- Schools and kindergartens
- Offices and waiting rooms
- Parking lots and warehouses
- Restaurants, hospitals and labs
For garage and basement, we often recommend polyurea instead.
Contact us now to get a free quotation for your floor.