Epoxy coatings and epoxy floors are being quite popular for industrial and commercial flooring. There happens to be a variety of epoxy coatings that may be used on floors which include self-dispersing coatings, graveled coatings, self-leveling coatings, mortar coatings, vapor barrier coatings, terrazzo coatings, and antistatic coatings. Each type of these coatings will offer a distinct advantage and disadvantage when it is compared to others.

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Epoxy Coating Options For Your Flooring:

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Self-dispersing Coating Floor Epoxy:

This type of coating is normally used in areas that will receive a lot of forklift activity or heavy truck traffic because it has great mechanical strength. Another type of coating is made with quartz sand. That coating is used in food processing plants or locations that have liquids present because it has great anti-slip qualities.

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Self-leveling Coating Floor Epoxy:

These coatings are easy to install over old and new concrete floors as they can create a seamless and smooth surface. Self-leveling epoxy coating can be used in storage facilities, office buildings, warehouses, kitchens, garages, dining rooms, and so much more.

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Mortar Coating Floor Epoxy:

This is the strongest coating of all epoxy floors. This type of coating is normally used in heavy industrial areas and can be used to repair the cracks to other epoxy floors before laying different epoxy coatings.

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Gravel Coating Floor Epoxy:

This type of epoxy coating is the most decorative choices and can be used to add brand marks, decorative details, and even logotypes to the floor.

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Terrazzo Coating Floor Epoxy:

This type of coating is quite decorative and simple to clean. Terrazzo coatings are normally used in large areas such as entrances and hallways in schools, office buildings, and commercial buildings.

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Antistatic Coating Floor Epoxy:

This type of coating is used in static sensitive areas where electronic components are in permanent use and having a static-free environment is vital for places like hospitals, electronic manufacturing plants, and laboratories.

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Vapor Barrier Coating Floor Epoxy:

Liquid vapor barrier epoxy is applied on top of concrete floors to give it an impenetrable surface that reduces vapor transmission to almost zero. This coating is normally added before the final flooring surface is added such as hardwood floors, carpet, tile, and sheet vinyl.

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Flaked Coating Floor Epoxy:

This isn’t really a type of epoxy flooring, but a style of applying the coating. This type of technique adds multicolored chips or flakes into the coating while it is wet to give it a decorative look when finished.

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100% Solids Coating Floor Epoxy:

This happens to be the most durable type of epoxy material, which a professional installer will recommend and use. This coating will last around 20 years, especially when it is used for heavy human traffic areas where surfaces need protection from possible abrasions, chemical reactions of chemical substances and hot tire marks. These installers will use hardeners that allow the coating to dry into a solid form, while it bonds with the concrete.

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Water-Based Coating Floor Epoxy:

This type of coating is more of a primer and sealer because it spreads thinly and doesn’t possess the same resistance and durability as 100% solid coating does. This is the type of coating that is included in a DIY kit that is considered user-friendly than the others. Because of the ability to penetrate a porous surface, it is normally used as a sealer or primer over degreased concrete surfaces. It does give concrete a smooth and glossy surface as well as protective qualities against abrasions, chemical reactions, and stains.

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Solvent Based Coating Floor Epoxy:

Just like the name has implied, this type of coating uses solvents when it is used as a floor primer and sealer, just like the water-based type. Solvent-based epoxies will contain solids that range from 30% to 70%, which gives you a really thin layer. Because its nature is a solvent-based floor coating it makes it a less favorable choice, as the type or amount of solvent that is used is normally noncompliant with the VOC or Volatile Organic Compound regulations. Out of these coatings, DIY and Chicago installers will hardly ever include a solvent-based coating as a primer or sealer in epoxy floors.

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