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Epoxy Flooring
Epoxy flooring, also known as epoxy resin flooring, has industrial and home applications. It can be used to protect flooring, or fix flawed flooring, in warehouses, shipping and receiving, or showrooms. Think about how great an epoxy stone, aggregate, or pebble flooring would be in your entry, laundry, or even kitchen to provide a durable that looks great too.
If you have a hard concrete surface that you want to protect, then epoxy flooring can be the answer to your prayers. Not only is it an inexpensive way to mask any flaws, but it also creates a safe and durable surface for your chosen area.
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Epoxy itself was first used in aerospace facilities back in the 1950s. With all of the advantages to this DGEB A/F Epoxy Resin, Polyoxyalkyleneamine, and silica sand blend, the uses have multiplied over into the electronics industry and flooring.
Epoxy flooring has these advantages:
- Strong adhesive properties
- Chemical resistance
- Water-resistance
- Doesn't shrink
- Durable
- Tough
- Non-flammable
- Easy to use
But there can be disadvantages as well, this being one:
- Does require that the area be unused for at least twelve hours after application
- Chemical compounds may cause irritant and/or allergic contact reactions
One of the greatest advantages to decorative epoxy flooring is that it is applied as you would apply paint to the floor. The epoxy is brushed on (after a primer coat, of course) and left to dry. The initial hardness can be felt at twelve hours after application, and at twenty four hours, you're able to feel the real strength. Over the course of the week, the total strength and firmness will be evident.
Because epoxy floor covering works well to resist water and other materials, it is most often seen as industrial/garage epoxy flooring. Easy to keep clean and tough under pressure, this floor covering is non-flammable, which is a great advantage when working in extreme conditions. Some manufacturers have found ways to incorporate epoxy into wood flooring as well -- to ensure that fires are limited should they start.
Don't let the idea of industry scare you off though, decorative epoxy covering is available, with the ability to create aggregate, pebble and resin flooring with the epoxy fillers. Since it's such a good adhesive, these mixtures perform quite well in home decoratingdurable and attractive.
But it's the length of time that creates the attraction of epoxy. For the day of sacrifice, you have a surface that can handle truck traffic and chemical spills. And in the industrial arena, these are well worth any initial investment.
And here are some other technical facts: The bond strength (ASTM C-882) is 2110 p.s.i., which is much stronger than any other floor covering. Its flexural strength, or ability to move without breaking, (ASTM C-580-68) is 6,075 seven days after application. The compressive strength (ASTM D-695) is 9,910 p.s.i. -- extraordinarily high, and though it shouldn't be a shock, the hardness, Shore D, is 65 in the 24 hours after application and goes up to 75 in the 7 days after applying.
Even if you don't know what all these numbers mean, you should be able to understand that epoxy is well worth the time that you can't walk on it. Most traffic needs to be curtailed for at least twelve hours after application. The longer you wait the better.
If you have an area that needs to stay tough, like a garage, driveway, or carport, seamless epoxy flooring is one great way to go. For durability, attractiveness, and easy of application, decorative epoxy flooring is a very interesting option.
Comments
We have a kitchen floor done in Armstrong Impact in 1998. The surface is still good, but the image is worn off under the table and in front of the sink and refrigerator. Is it possible and realistic to put a epoxy floor over the laminate?? What type would you recommend.
Phil at September 9, 2009 10:15 PM
Phil,
From what I've read and understand, no, you can not put an epoxy floor over laminate. To install you would have to prep the surface, normally concrete. There is also the base coat, color coat, texture, and clear top coat. There are many colors vailable as well as textures! The standard finishes are smooth, glossy, and totally seamless. It looks great, and is very clean and modern!
The Flooring Lady at September 11, 2009 12:07 PM
Hello, I was wondering if epoxy can be put over sub wood flooring. Would it be the same kind you use in a garage?
Marilyn at September 13, 2009 06:25 AM
Marilyn,
No, epoxy should be applied to clean,debris free concrete that has a moisture content below 4%. Yes, it is the same type of epoxy flooring used to cover garage floors.
The Flooring Lady at September 15, 2009 07:46 PM
We just purchased a home that has 1000sq ft of pebble tech flooring and we want to put down tile instead....Do we leave the pebble tech and install over or do we have to remove it and how is the best way to do that?
ty at September 21, 2009 06:28 PM
Ty,
That would depend on if you want to retain the epoxy pebble tech flooring for future use. Floor height is another consideration. It will surely be easier to leave it than rip it up. I assume the pebble is in good shape.
I would contact a local professional and or the manufacturer to determine the installation needs of your tile flooring.
The Flooring Lady at September 23, 2009 01:55 PM
I have heard others say they put Expoxy over subfloor without issue. You say this cannot be done. I do not understand why not. You;d think it would adhere to subfloor better than concrete being more pourous especially when clean and dry.
Jeff at September 26, 2009 09:16 PM
Jeff,
I don't know that I would agree that concrete is more porous than wood. I think there are a lot of different factors there that could vary.
If the joists are too far apart and/or the plywood is thin, floor flexing could cause any flooring surface installed on top to have problems. Where this would not occur with concrete.
I would read through this thread and see what others are saying.
The Flooring Lady at September 29, 2009 09:52 AM
I have exposed aggregate decking in my backyard around my pool. It has large aggregate rock that is very hard on the feet. I am looking at some kind of epoxy coating or epoxy aggregate that can be installed over this that is inexpensive to cover a large area. Any ideas? What kind of epoxy is used with the aggregate?
Aaron at November 2, 2009 07:59 AM
Aaron,
Hi. I do not have experience with this process. Normally exposed aggregate is created with concrete, and the top is left exposed by wetting the top of the concrete before it is completely dry.
I would suggest calling a local concrete mason, and asking what type of epoxy would work well to cover the top of this, or if there is better solution.
The Flooring Lady at November 4, 2009 09:10 AM
