Is an Epoxy Flooring or Urethane Flooring a Fit for My Facility?

In a commercial setting, your floors will see lots of traffic, whether it's from the movement of customers, staff, equipment, product, or all of the above. The best way to maintain your floors and keep them free of scuffs and stains is to treat them. Epoxy and polyurethane coats are the two most common treatments to choose from. Whichever product you use is dependent upon your budget and what your floors need.

Epoxy Vs. Urethane

Epoxy and polyurethane are both thermosetting polymers, which means they permanently set when mixed and cured. When applied correctly, they are also both extremely durable and shock-absorbing.

Their differences are where you need to settle on what your facility needs most. For instance, epoxy flooring:

• Takes longer in terms of preparing your surfaces and letting the treatment set. However, it adheres more tightly to surfaces as a result and is thicker, taking to cracks and imperfections in the floor with greater ease.
• Is seamless and easier to keep clean and hygienic, great for industrial kitchens.
• Is better for areas with less direct sunlight, which can cause it to deteriorate faster and even discolor.

On the other hand, urethane flooring:

• Is more resistant to dings and abrasions, as well as UV lighting, making it suitable for facility floors that get a lot of direct sunlight, so your floors look new even longer.
• Applies and sets faster than epoxy, important if you have a limited window of time to apply the treatment and get workers and equipment back on the floor.
• Is thinner than epoxy, which means it won't bond to cracks as easily, so it might be a better choice for smoother floors, which is why it's often used with polished concrete.

A number of factors will play into what treatment is best for your facility. Does your facility interior get lots of sunlight? What is your time frame? What is your budget?

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