Floor coatings are tough, protective layers used in applications where heavy surface wear or corrosion is expected. Typical applications include warehouses, chemical plants, and manufacturing floors. Floor coatings can also be used to:

• brighten or define areas of facilities
• mark traffic aisles
• route traffic
• cover stained concrete

A floor coating such as epoxy is suitable for resurfacing applications and patching exposed surfaces. Epoxies require clean surfaces and exhibit high strength and low shrinkage during curing. Setting styles include single-component, dual-component, thermosetting, and radiation curing. Polyurethane floor coatings can be thermoplastic or thermosetting. Ceramic floor coatings consist of oxides, carbides, nitrides, carbon, and other non-metals with high melting points. Ceramics are suitable for applications requiring wear resistance, refractoriness, low electrical resistivity, or other specialized characteristics.

Features

Floor coatings differ in terms of features. Many products include sealers and sealants. A sealer is used to protect a surface from oxidation and wear. A sealant is a semi-solid substance that hardens to prevent the ingress of moisture and dirt. Some sealers contain putty, asphalt, and wax. Others include varnish, shellac, lacquer, urethane, and polyurethane. Floor coatings that provide static control are also available.

Materials

Some materials of construction can include:

• conductive and dissipative rubber
• vinyl tile
• antistatic conductive carpeting and carpet tiles
• conductive epoxy coatings for resinous flooring applications
• antistatic floor runners
• conductive sheet flooring 

Slip protection floor coatings can be applied to porcelain, fiberglass, ceramic, or metal to create non-slip surfaces and enhance worker safety.

Specifications

Selecting floor coatings requires an analysis of specifications. Factors to consider include chemical exposure, abrasion, impact, and thermal shock. Other considerations include appearance, installation time, total project cost, and life expectancy. For best results, resurfaced floors must be inspected periodically by a facilities manager or qualified contractor. Periodic inspections are especially important with concrete floors, which are porous and tend to create dust from abrasion and wear.

Related Information

CR4 Community—Epoxy Floor Coatings

CR4 Community—Acid Resistant Flooring for Battery Industry

CR4 Community—Scratch Resistant Clear Coating for PVC

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Multiblast122 / CC BY-SA 4.0