Epoxy Floor

Nowadays, epoxy flooring is one of the materials commonly used to cover pavements in all kinds of industries.

Mainly due to its waterproof, anti-dust, and self-levelling properties, epoxy flooring is one of the most preferred pharmaceutical flooring solutions and food grade flooring options, making it ideal for both the pharmaceutical and food industries.

Although epoxy resin floors for concrete are one of the references in industrial floors, the conditions offered by materials such as these must be well known.

Wrong procedures, or using them in poorly prepared spaces, can make choosing an epoxy floor counterproductive.

What is epoxy floor coating?

The epoxy floor covering is that which is formed mainly by the so-called epoxy resin and by a catalyst that are applied on the surface of the floor. 

This causes the mixture to harden once it has been applied uniformly, acquiring a glossy and resistant final finish.

Since the finish is uniform and waterproof, it simplifies cleaning, as no liquids or dust particles accumulate between joints.

In spite of the benefits it offers, one must always consider the large amount of time and money invested in all applications and then in maintenance works.

Epoxy Floor Images

Advantages and disadvantages of epoxy flooring

Although epoxy concrete floors are widely used in industrial buildings, one should always have a broad and objective perspective about any material to be used when selecting the best flooring. Therefore, to have an idea of whether the price m2 of epoxy floor offered to us is in the right band, we must first know the advantages and disadvantages of this type of flooring.

Advantages of epoxy flooring

The reasons for trusting this material are many:

• Resistance: in industrial floors, resistance is fundamental, not only against different loads, but also against the exposure of chemicals and abrasive substances. It also offers good capacity for supporting heavy machinery and large storage structures.
• Self-levelling: important for the comfort of those who transit through it.
• Waterproof: eliminates one of the main weaknesses of concrete, the absorption of liquids that are poured on the surface, but fails to withstand moisture.
• Continuous: it is known that one of the most vulnerable points of a floor is where its joints are, both by the filtration of water and by the accumulation of dirt. On epoxy resin floors, there is no need to worry about it.

Disadvantages of epoxy flooring

Sometimes, we may find ourselves blinded by the apparent benefits of a material, but we do not always consider the disadvantages or conditions present at the time of choosing the best industrial flooring.

• Time required: once the epoxy floor has been laid, it takes about a week to carry out activities on it, as the drying process gives off a strong smell and vapours that are potentially harmful to the person inhaling them.
• Demanding application: these floors require the underside substrate to have as clean and uniform a surface as possible, otherwise it may affect the integrity of the finish.
• Specialised labour: since much of this process is done by hand and requires constant control, not just anyone can carry out these jobs, so their implementation is usually somewhat costly.
• Difficult to remove: when it is desired to make renovations or repairs to the epoxy floor, the procedure for removing all the material is complicated, so if future modifications are planned, this factor should be considered.

Can the epoxy floor be removed?

It could be thought that being a material with homogeneous composition, epoxy floors would be permanent, nothing further from reality.

The truth is that although they are resistant and durable, they must be roughened when there are errors in their application or when some repair is desired on the surface.

In this link we show you the best alternative to epoxy flooring.

In this link we show you the best alternative to epoxy flooring.

How to remove the epoxy floor?

It should be noted beforehand that repairing scratches on an epoxy floor is neither simple nor very economical, as it requires specialised equipment capable of completely removing the most superficial layer of the pavement, which is achieved by totally sanding the concrete floor screed.

There are several ways to grind resin pavement, all of them will depend on the conditions and of course, the budget available.

• Sanding, this procedure is usually implemented in floors with numerous imperfections, should be used protective equipment against dust that is generated during sanding.
• Shot blasting, consists of equipment that by means of small grains of a resistant material, impact and remove the most superficial layer of a soil, requires an experienced operator. experimentado.
• Scarifier, if you do not want to leave room for doubt, by means of using the scarifier you ensure the total elimination of the epoxy soil from the concrete, the serrated discs that use this equipment leave a rough texture ideal for placing new materials on the treated substrate.

That said, a concerned manager would evaluate all possible options before opting for an epoxy floor, so the BECOSAN® industrial floor treatment offers a real, high-performance and durable alternative for the industrial sector.