You can choose from many different flooring options for your garage, kitchen, or any other place of business. Each flooring option has its particular advantages and disadvantages and all of them are available at RFC. No flooring solution is perfect and each one will always have some kind of disadvantage over the other, both in the short term and the long term. The information in this article serves the purpose of helping you decide which flooring option will provide the optimal solution based on your requirements.

What Is Epoxy Flooring?

It is important to understand what is epoxy flooring to get an idea of the physical properties of epoxy flooring. Epoxy is a thermoset polymer that is available in three different formulations - water-based, solvent-based, or 100% solids. You can achieve different levels of thickness with these compositions starting from 3 mils up to 10 mils for a single coat. You can use epoxy to refurbish old or worn-out concrete to give it a completely fresh floor surface look all over.

Pierre Castan, from Switzerland, was one of the first to introduce epoxy resins in 1936 as a result of integrating epoxy polymers. Another name for epoxy flooring is resinous flooring. Epoxy flooring is often applied to concrete surfaces to give them a durable, smooth surface, and add to the floor's load-bearing capacity. It also makes it easier to maintain hygienic conditions with epoxy flooring because of the smooth finish of the flooring.

Pros Of Epoxy Flooring

An advantage of epoxy flooring is that the brightness of the interior area increases due to the reflection of light from its surface by transforming it into a shiny high-gloss surface. Epoxy flooring is a strong surface that can easily bear heavy loads for long durations. Epoxy flooring can be easily installed without the need for special tools or equipment. Epoxy floors are exceptionally liquid and chemical resistant because they can withstand many different chemicals, this makes them ideal for use in warehouses and industries.

Epoxy flooring protects the underlying layer of concrete from wear and tear. Since they are water-resistant, this makes epoxy floors easy to clean. Epoxy floors provide a good grip and become slip-resistant when combined with slip-resistant reinforcements. You can easily apply different colors and patterns on epoxy floors to create an aesthetic appeal and these floors require little or no maintenance.

Cons of Epoxy Flooring

One of the main disadvantages of epoxy flooring is that it is a time-consuming install because the floor needs to be cleaned and prepared before the epoxy can be applied. Another concern is that the first coat must dry before the second coat can be applied. Being water-resistant means that the surface will be slippery when wet. An epoxy floor will make noise upon contact while someone is walking or running.

The color of the floor will begin to lighten or yellow with prolonged exposure to sunlight if it is not treated with the proper chemicals. In cooler environments, the floor will be cold to touch without underfloor heating. Regardless of how good the floor looks, in the long run, it is inevitably a temporary flooring solution because it will need to be replaced at some point in time.

What Is Polyurethane Flooring?

Polyurethane (also referred to as urethane) flooring has established its shine and durability as a highly flexible and abrasion-resistant coating for floors. Polyurethane floors are created with the help of elastomers, rigid foam, and gum rubbers. They were first developed by I G Farben in 1937 and these substances were also used in some of the aircraft employed in WWII. Scientifically, polyurethane is a resin aka synthetic polymer which is the product of condensation treatment done on organic compounds.

Polyurethane exists in two different types of molecular structure that is, thermosetting resins and thermoplastic resins. Both of these polyurethanes can be classified as plastic substances that can be used as thermal insulators. The difference in the properties of the two materials also exists in their degree of fluidity. Polyurethane thermoset is used to auditorily insulate any particular area. Polyurethane thermoplastic is an elastomer that is used to enhance the finish and strength of a concrete floor.

Pros Of Polyurethane Flooring

Polyurethane is a form of a coating that is laid on an existing floor, mostly concrete but not always. Polyurethane can be easily cleaned since it is waterproof and non-porous, standard cleansers can be used to maintain hygienic conditions. Polyurethane is an easy way to achieve thermal and acoustic insulation. Polyurethane is highly tolerant of freezing temperatures.

A polyurethane floor has UV stability, this means that it does not lighten or become yellow on prolonged exposure to sunlight. A polyurethane floor is a more flexible option of flooring which still provides a high tolerance to temperature changes. A polyurethane floor is also substantially robust because it can easily stand heavy loads and traffic this is why it is used in car parking spaces. A polyurethane floor only requires minimal maintenance and at the same time provides resistance to sudden temperature changes, this is why it is often used in spacious kitchens.

Cons Of Polyurethane Flooring

One of the biggest drawbacks of a polyurethane flooring application is that you will need to wait several hours or in some cases days between applying coats. Each coat must be set and dry before the next coat can be applied. Once all the coats are applied and dry, there will be a strong smell coming from the vicinity of the application of polyurethane. Polyurethane flooring will always be increasingly susceptible to humidity.

Exposing the polyurethane to prolonged humidity will decrease its thermal resistance. Since polyurethane flooring is flexible, there is a chance that there will be scratching, grazing, and scraping. Polyurethane flooring does not have a long life and it needs to be intermittently renewed and replaced. The application process requires experienced professionals to complete the process successfully.

Overview

Every situation is unique and presents an unrivaled set of circumstances for the most productive flooring option in that position. There is no harm in getting more than one professional opinion from experienced individuals to find out which option will be most effective in your situation. It is important to remember that this is not a comprehensive list of the advantages and disadvantages.