Industrial businesses have a lot to consider when choosing flooring. They want to keep workers safe, lower their overhead costs, and choose a flooring system that can resist the damage that can be caused by chemicals, heavy machines, and other hazards present in industrial settings.
An epoxy floor can help with all of the above—and more.
Let’s dig deeper into why epoxy is such an excellent coating for industrial settings. We’re going to touch on:
- Affordability
- Maintenance
- Durability and strength
- Longevity
- Safety concerns
- And more
Affordability
Cost is a major factor most factories, warehouses, and other industrial businesses look at when installing flooring. When it comes to installation, epoxy coating is one of the more affordable flooring options available.
When properly maintained, an epoxy coating can be highly reflective. The reflective coating increases the brightness of a room, reducing the need for additional lighting. This leads to lower energy costs.
All in all, epoxy is a highly affordable solution for industrial businesses.
Low Maintenance
One of the things that makes epoxy so affordable is how simple it is to clean and maintain. Epoxy coatings can be cleaned using water, a mop or autoscrubber, and a mild detergent. Regular sweeping is also essential, to keep off general debris.
Compared to unfinished concrete that always “dusts” and deteriorates, epoxy will not. Sealed concrete also needs to be re-sealed as it wears off.
With how little is needed to maintain epoxy floors, you can reduce labour costs without sacrificing functionality or longevity.
Durability and Strength
Durability and strength are key factors to consider when choosing a floor coating. In industrial environments, heavy machinery, corrosive chemicals, and impacts from falling objects can all threaten to damage flooring.
An industrial epoxy coating can help with all of these potential hazards. The polymer resins used in epoxy flooring can be chemical-resistant and impact resistant. They also have a compressive strength that’s greater than that of concrete flooring, helping them absorb heavy loads and impact without cracking or breaking.
Epoxy coatings can be moisture-resistant. This makes them useful in industrial settings where moisture is commonly found, like in industrial kitchens.
Longevity
Having considered the low maintenance requirements, durability, and strength of epoxy coatings, it’s easy to understand why it’s a long-lasting flooring option. Repairs are rarely needed, and with proper maintenance, epoxy can last a long time.
The lifespan of an industrial epoxy floor coating is pretty remarkable—they typically last anywhere from 10 to 20 years. With proper maintenance, your epoxy floor may last even longer—it’s not rare for an epoxy floor to last 25 years or more.
The overall longevity of epoxy flooring systems is another reason they’re one of the most affordable industrial floors available. Replacement costs can be substantial for any type of flooring—with an epoxy coating, you won’t have to worry about replacement costs for a decade or more. This long lifespan also means epoxy floors can increase your property value, as they maintain their like-new appearance and don’t require frequent replacement.
Safety
Safety is a primary concern in industrial spaces. Slip and trip accidents are all too common, low visibility can cause collisions and other accidents, and uncoordinated traffic can lead to all kinds of safety problems.
An epoxy floor coating can help with all of these issues. By using additives like aggregates, your floor coating can be made slip-resistant, even when wet or oily. The overall resistance of epoxy coatings to wear and tear also reduces the chances of an uneven surface, contributing to its slip resistance.
We’ve already discussed how epoxy can improve lighting—its reflective surface brightens the areas it’s in. This can help prevent low visibility.
Finally, epoxy coatings can be painted a variety of different colours to help coordinate traffic within an industrial space. Markings can be used to create pedestrian walkways, safety zones, traffic lanes, loading zones, and other areas. Colour-coding can also be used to segment the space.
An epoxy coating used for industrial applications can drastically improve worker safety and reduce the chances of costly accidents.
Chemical Resistance
Many epoxes have remarkable chemical resistance, making it an excellent choice for a wide variety of industrial settings. A non-exhaustive list of epoxies resistances includes:
- Acids, including hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and nitric acid. This makes it an excellent option in chemical labs, food and beverage facilities, battery charging facilities, and more.
- Alkalis, including sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide. Alkalis are present in laboratories and food and beverage facilities—they’re also present in a variety of industrial-strength cleaners.
- Solvents, including gasoline, diesel fuel, and oil. This makes epoxy an excellent option for aircraft hangars, machine shops, industrial maintenance shops, and more. Additionally, this helps the floors resist spills from heavy machines.
The corrosion resistance and chemical resistance of epoxy floor coatings make them an excellent choice for all kinds of industrial applications. It’s important to choose the correct epoxy material for the right application for the end use. Not all epoxy floors are equivalent.
Industrial Applications of Epoxy Flooring
Given how cost-effective, durable, strong, and long-lasting epoxy is, it’s no surprise that an epoxy floor is an excellent choice for a wide variety of industries. These include:
- Pharmaceutical manufacturing: Epoxy is easy to clean and keep sterile, two essential qualities in any healthcare manufacturing space. Its resistance to a wide variety of chemicals also makes it an excellent choice.
- Food and beverage manufacturing: Chemical resistance is key in the food and beverage industry, where both alkalis and acids are routinely used. Additionally, the ease with which industrial epoxy can be cleaned drastically decreases the risk of bacterial contamination. Additionally, an epoxy coating is seamless—there are no gaps for bacteria to hide in.
- Warehouses and distribution centres: The colour-coding and markings made possible by epoxy make it an excellent choice for warehouses and distribution centres, where logistics are of the utmost importance. It’s durability helps to resist the weight of heavy machinery and dropped objects, making it a long-lasting option
- Vehicle maintenance facilities: Automotive, aircraft, and heavy machinery maintenance are all simplified with epoxy, which resists the solvents used by these machines as fuel. Its excellent resistance to weight makes it a long-lasting option.
These are just a few of the many industries that can benefit from epoxy floor coatings.
Getting Epoxy Flooring With TCF West
Our facility is happy to install epoxy flooring in industrial settings throughout Winnipeg and Toronto and the surrounding areas. Set your business apart with a durable, low-cost floor that’s built to withstand the hazards of industry, all while keeping workers safe.
Interested in an epoxy floor coating? Call us today.
