Warehouse and factory floors take a beating daily, so how can you ensure they stay fit for purpose? Epoxy warehouse flooring stands out as a durable coating solution that is not only easy to maintain but also aesthetically pleasing. Its seamless surface is designed to withstand heavy traffic, resist stains and most chemicals, and significantly enhance the overall appearance of the warehouse.
But epoxy flooring is more than just functional. It offers a wide range of colours, patterns, and textures, allowing for complete customisation to match specific design preferences and safety requirements.
What is epoxy?
Epoxy typically comprises four ingredients: a monomeric resin, a hardener, an accelerator, and a plasticiser. When combined, the chemical reaction hardens the once-syrupy liquid into a durable hard coating in a process known as curing.
While epoxy is a popular choice, it’s worth considering polyaspartic polyurea. This alternative, though more expensive, offers a hard and UV-stable floor coating that is often preferred for home use due to its lower fumes and VOCs during application.
Epoxy isn’t suitable for wood or metal floors—any surface that’s flexible or expands and contracts in the weather will eventually crack the epoxy. It should be applied to surfaces of equal hardness and tensile strength, meaning concrete or stone is your best bet.
Benefits of epoxy flooring in a warehouse
If your business prides itself on professionalism, it should look the part. Epoxy flooring’s seamless, polished appearance imbues a sense of order and quality to any space, whether for customers in a warehouse-type shopping experience or an active logistics centre.
One of the key benefits of epoxy flooring is its ability to enhance safety. By including a slip-resistant element in the coating, you can significantly reduce the risk of workplace injuries from slips, trips, and falls.
It creates an environment that supports employee well-being and productivity. Epoxy feels softer underfoot than bare concrete, so for businesses with production lines or pick-pack employees, this means happier staff and less fatigue.
Lastly, epoxy flooring provides some sound-dampening compared with unfinished concrete, reducing acoustic chaos in a warehouse’s cavernous space.
What to consider before installing a warehouse flooring solution
If you’re comparing providers to find the best quote for epoxy factory floor coating, you’ll want to compare apples with apples by asking your tradesperson:
- What precoat and surface materials are you using, and can it be customised?
- How will you prepare the floor? Will you infill cracks and/or grind the surface?
- How long will the installation take, and when can I start using the floor?
- How will you help to minimise disruption to my workplace?
- What’s included in the price, and are there any extra costs I should know about?
- Can you show me examples of your past work or provide references?
- Do you guarantee your work or offer any warranties?
Best epoxy floor design options
Our customers are usually most interested in how the finished result will look. So, should you choose clear, tinted, or flake floor coating? Each has its own aesthetic, benefits, and drawbacks.
Using clear epoxy maintains that minimalist warehouse chic. Assuming your floor is in reasonably good condition, perhaps with an attractive stone aggregate, clear epoxy provides additional protection against spills soaking into the concrete, making it a great choice. One potential drawback of clear epoxy coatings is that regular direct sunlight can cause gradual yellowing over the years.
Opting for tinted epoxy or flake floors looks fantastic, especially in cases where an old warehouse or factory floor has pitting or cracks that need repair. They cover up the repairs to the concrete to leave a beautiful, consistent finish. You also have many colour choices, so it can be used to reinforce company brand colours or as a background for clear line marking to industry standards.
Where required, you may also opt for a slip-resistant, anti-static, thermal shock-resistant, static dissipative or chemical-resistant coating.
Preparing concrete for warehouse epoxy flooring
Up to six types of preparation may be required for the best epoxy warehouse floor results. It’s unlikely your floor will need to undergo all of them. Still, it may need degreasing, acid etching, pitting repair, crack repair, grinding, and cleaning before applying the epoxy primer and topcoat. In many cases, simply cleaning the floor will be enough to allow for solid epoxy bonding.
For example, degreasing may be needed if the space has been used regularly for parking vehicles or machinery. Depending on how deep the oil or grease has permeated into the substrate, your Kleenit professional will use a caustic agent and high-pressure cleaning.
Commonly epoxy flooring questions answered
When is the best time to upgrade warehouse flooring?
The ideal relative humidity for epoxy curing is at or below 60%, with a temperature somewhere north of 23°C. That means upgrading your warehouse floor in late spring through autumn. Typically, drier and warmer weather facilitates faster curing of the flooring materials and reduces disruptions from rain or humidity.
Coating before moving into a new property allows for a fresh start and seamless transition while avoiding interruptions to daily operations.
Will I need to disassemble pallet racking to apply epoxy flooring?
Ideally, all floor surfaces will be completely free of obstructions before an epoxy floor coating is applied.
Do epoxy floors require a primer?
In many cases, epoxy floors require a primer to ensure proper adhesion and durability. The primer acts as a bonding agent between the substrate and the epoxy coating, improving its performance and longevity.
A primer is especially important in damp environments, where moisture can inhibit bonding and lead to premature failure.
What are the common causes of epoxy floor failures?
Proper surface preparation, including cleaning and repairing imperfections, is essential before the primer and epoxy coating are applied. Epoxy is strong, but when poured onto low-quality, weak cement, it can lift away due to a failure in the concrete rather than poor chemical bonding.
Epoxy floor failures can occur due to several factors, including:
- incorrect surface preparation,
- inadequate cleaning,
- poor quality (weak) concrete,
- high humidity or
- concrete dampness.
Solvent-based products do not bond well in damp environments. Coating onto an old surface without addressing issues like rising dampness or moisture can compromise the longevity of epoxy flooring as it inhibits bonding with the substrate, leading to delamination (aka, ugly peeling) over time.
If there are water sources in the area, such as taps, hoses, and sinks, or drainage areas around sewer grates, these need to be adequately dry for the epoxy coating to take hold.
Damp in concrete is usually visible as a darker area or the presence of a white powder, known as efflorescence, which is a crystalline deposit of salts.
If your building has an issue with rising damp (water migrating through the concrete substrate), that should ideally be remedied before applying an epoxy warehouse floor.
Can epoxy flooring be installed without disrupting operations?
Planning and communicating effectively with staff is essential to reduce disruptions to daily operations during epoxy factory flooring installation.
Scheduling the work during off-peak hours, weekends, or holidays can reduce the impact on productivity. Additionally, dividing the installation process into manageable phases and coordinating activities around the renovation process can help maintain workflow and reduce downtime.
Are epoxy floors environmentally friendly?
Yes, epoxy floors are considered environmentally friendly due to their low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and reduced waste production during installation. Compared to traditional flooring materials, epoxy coatings have a lower environmental impact and contribute to sustainability efforts.
It’s worth noting that in its liquid form while curing, epoxy resin is classified as a mild irritant. When this epoxy reacts with the hardening agent, the reaction emits fumes that have a strong ‘paint-like’ odour that should not be inhaled.
As such, any area where epoxy is installed will require adequate ventilation while curing, and those entering the treated area during this time are encouraged to wear an N95 mask.
Not all formulations are created the same way, and traditional, cheaper epoxy formulations may contain chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA) which, while curing, can trigger asthma attacks in some people. Kleenit always takes safety precautions to minimise exposure of fumes to our people, your employees and customers.
Is epoxy flooring slippery when wet?
For warehouse and factory flooring, with all its pedestrian and forklift traffic, we recommend a skid-resistant additive to the top coat, as epoxy flooring can become very slippery with oil and water spills without it.
Can you remove epoxy from a floor?
Yes. Removal is possible mechanically using a floor grinder or chemically with an epoxy paint thinner. Acetone will soften hardened epoxy, which can then be removed with a scraper or other suitable tool. Adequate PPE should be worn, and care should be taken to prevent the inhalation of sanding dust.
How long does epoxy flooring last?
Given proper surface preparation, environmental conditions, installation and maintenance, epoxy flooring can last several decades.
How can businesses mitigate the risks of epoxy floor failures?
Businesses should prioritise proper surface preparation and address potential issues before installation to mitigate the risks of epoxy floor failures.
Preparation includes cleaning, repairing imperfections, and ensuring the substrate is dry and moisture-free. Choosing high-quality epoxy products and working with experienced professionals will help ensure a successful installation. By taking these precautions, businesses can reduce the risk of premature failure and enjoy the benefits of durable, long-lasting epoxy flooring.
So, is it worth upgrading factory and warehouse flooring with epoxy?
Concrete coating is an investment in your business and building; upgrading warehouse flooring to epoxy offers numerous benefits, making it a worthwhile investment for businesses looking to enhance functionality, aesthetics, and safety.
Considering the long lifespan of epoxy flooring when properly installed and maintained, along with the mitigation of potential risks through proper surface preparation and product selection, upgrading warehouse flooring to epoxy proves to be a prudent investment for businesses seeking to improve their workspace environment and operational efficiency.
If you’re a warehouse manager or commercial building owner, one of the most cost-effective ways to improve your business and property may just be right under your feet.