Industrial Floor Coatings and Your Garage
When building a new commercial property or remodeling an existing facility, one of the biggest investments you can make is in the concrete floor coating you choose to use on your floors. Your commercial or industrial floors will likely contain at least two to several of these different industrial-grade coatings materials, and often, the entire floor will be layered in multiple thin layers to achieve the best look, feel and functionality for your particular floors and your specific budget. In order to select the right coating for your particular floors, you must first understand the two types available and the benefits each offers your business. Once you have this information, you will be better prepared to make the decision about which coating to use and how much of it to apply.
A popular option that most builders and remodelers choose for their concrete floors is a high-gloss polyurea coatings. This option provides the most accurate representation of what the concrete surface will look like when completely smooth, including all flaws, bumps and stains. High-gloss enhancers are applied in either powder or liquid forms. Typically, these enhancers are water-based and are applied with a brush or roller application. The enhancers will provide a luminous appearance that makes your garage or shop appear much larger and more inviting.
In addition to providing an accurate color match, a high-gloss polyaspartic coatings also requires minimal preparation time, as it will not need to be stained or roughened by hand. Instead, it should just be swept or vacuumed to remove any loose dirt and dust before being applied with a brush or roller. After application, the top coat or primer will be applied to seal and protect the coating.
In addition to enhancing the appearance and appeal of your floors, some of these coatings can also help reduce sound and vibration while driving or walking on them. Most concrete sealers are highly effective at reducing the noise caused by the passing pressure of vehicles and people walking on the floors. To achieve this level of sound reduction, concrete sealers will be applied in thin layers. In addition to reducing noise, these coatings are also effective at reducing the absorption of sound within the space itself. As a result, you may notice that some areas of your garage or shop seem louder than others. These sealers are able to significantly reduce this effect through the materials used and the thickness of the coating.
One of the most popular concrete floor coating systems for use in industrial settings is epoxy systems. Typically sold in bulk forms for sale, these epoxy coatings can provide many years of low-maintenance protection for concrete floors that are also appealing and striking. Depending upon the application and manufacturer, epoxy coatings can provide a variety of different looks, including a raised appearance and textured surfaces, which can make your floor look much like wood. While these epoxy coatings can resist stains from moisture, they are not so effective at resisting stains from oil, grease, and other liquids. If you are interested in protecting your concrete floor with an epoxy coating, you may want to look into purchasing commercial flooring grade epoxy systems rather than using the more generic premixed systems that are available for home and commercial use.
In terms of durability and cost, polyaspartic floor coatings are much more expensive than epoxy coatings, although they tend to last much longer. As an industrial coating, polyaspartic materials tend to have a higher density than many polyurethane coatings, which can make them heavier and more expensive to apply. For this reason, many manufacturers have begun to use polyaspartic materials as flooring alternatives for warehouses, storage facilities, and plant facilities, due to their increased durability and low cost per square foot. However, polyaspartic floor coatings are not recommended for foot traffic because of the increased friction caused by movement, especially when heavy trucks are involved. Learn more about coating at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial.
A popular option that most builders and remodelers choose for their concrete floors is a high-gloss polyurea coatings. This option provides the most accurate representation of what the concrete surface will look like when completely smooth, including all flaws, bumps and stains. High-gloss enhancers are applied in either powder or liquid forms. Typically, these enhancers are water-based and are applied with a brush or roller application. The enhancers will provide a luminous appearance that makes your garage or shop appear much larger and more inviting.
In addition to providing an accurate color match, a high-gloss polyaspartic coatings also requires minimal preparation time, as it will not need to be stained or roughened by hand. Instead, it should just be swept or vacuumed to remove any loose dirt and dust before being applied with a brush or roller. After application, the top coat or primer will be applied to seal and protect the coating.
In addition to enhancing the appearance and appeal of your floors, some of these coatings can also help reduce sound and vibration while driving or walking on them. Most concrete sealers are highly effective at reducing the noise caused by the passing pressure of vehicles and people walking on the floors. To achieve this level of sound reduction, concrete sealers will be applied in thin layers. In addition to reducing noise, these coatings are also effective at reducing the absorption of sound within the space itself. As a result, you may notice that some areas of your garage or shop seem louder than others. These sealers are able to significantly reduce this effect through the materials used and the thickness of the coating.
One of the most popular concrete floor coating systems for use in industrial settings is epoxy systems. Typically sold in bulk forms for sale, these epoxy coatings can provide many years of low-maintenance protection for concrete floors that are also appealing and striking. Depending upon the application and manufacturer, epoxy coatings can provide a variety of different looks, including a raised appearance and textured surfaces, which can make your floor look much like wood. While these epoxy coatings can resist stains from moisture, they are not so effective at resisting stains from oil, grease, and other liquids. If you are interested in protecting your concrete floor with an epoxy coating, you may want to look into purchasing commercial flooring grade epoxy systems rather than using the more generic premixed systems that are available for home and commercial use.
In terms of durability and cost, polyaspartic floor coatings are much more expensive than epoxy coatings, although they tend to last much longer. As an industrial coating, polyaspartic materials tend to have a higher density than many polyurethane coatings, which can make them heavier and more expensive to apply. For this reason, many manufacturers have begun to use polyaspartic materials as flooring alternatives for warehouses, storage facilities, and plant facilities, due to their increased durability and low cost per square foot. However, polyaspartic floor coatings are not recommended for foot traffic because of the increased friction caused by movement, especially when heavy trucks are involved. Learn more about coating at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial.