Hard wearing Epoxy flooring is ideal for industrial use.

There is no one type of epoxy flooring for all uses. There is a range of different finishes and types for use in a wide range of settings. When you are considering laying this kind of floor, you will need to discuss with a flooring engineer the kind of actions that will be carried out on it and whether this will be infrequent or frequent use. A simple question to answer before we discuss the various uses: what is epoxy? Epoxy is a coating to a surface where a hardening agent and petroleum resin is mixed together. Once the mixture is formed, a chemical reaction takes place that hardens the floor. You might have already come across this kind of material as a resin based glue used at home where two tubes are provided, and you have to mix the two together to create a fast-setting bond. One kind of coating that is regularly used in industrial locations is a ‘self dispersing’ epoxy floor. It provides a strong and hard-wearing surface that provides a good base for operating heavy machinery. This kind of floor is perfect for operating fork-lift trucks and pallet trucks. If there is a chance of the floor becoming wet or greasy, because of the goods being handled, then a gripping agent can be mixed in with the resin as it is laid. This agent is usually a kind of quartz sand. It will provide excellent grip for footwear and can prevent slips and trips in the workplace. If you operate a car showroom, and need to give a certain sparkle and shine to a product, then you can choose a shinier surface. A white or cream coloured epoxy floor can be laid down to reflect back the shine of a car’s paintwork. It can also be laid in a wide range of other shades too. One of the more popular finishes is a granite, onyx or quartz effect. This is called ‘terrazzo flooring’ and gives a classical feel to a location and suits entrance lobbies for grand hotels and plush company head-quarters. It was first used in ancient Roman and Greek buildings and was constructed by using scraps of stone from statues – a classical version of recycling if you like! A common use for terrazzo effect floors is in public spaces such as shopping malls, railway concourses, airport terminals and convention halls. This kind of usage is not meant to be heavy duty (ie: it is not a weight baring floor) and thus can be laid very thinly. A concourse made up to this specification is usually about ten millimetres thick. If you are looking for a surface for outdoor use then you need a breathable mixture. Epoxy floors are traditionally laid over concrete to form a solid base. However, the strongest epoxy floor of all is a mortar epoxy. It can also be used in the repair of cracked surfaces. Another use for epoxy floors is in laboratories and offices with a lot of electronic equipment about. A low-static agent can be added to the mix to cut the effect on computers. This type of finish can often be found on the floors of television studies and control centres. As you can see, the material is incredibly versatile for business uses and provides a highly polished and good-looking finish. When designing your premises, contact an epoxy engineer to give you a quote and specification for your exact needs. The earlier this is planned in your architectural process, the better. If an expert has input at the earliest stages, then we can be sure that the end result will suit your expectations – and give a great impression to customers and clients.

Hytech Flooring are a small Devon based company who offer high quality Epoxy flooring at a cost which is usually cheaper than most larger companies. They will happily work around you schedule to get the flooring applied and you cannot go wrong with the excellent service they provide.