When diving into the realm of traditional flooring alternatives for your home, industrial space, or commercial building, epoxy coatings and polished concrete are the two biggest contenders for most scenarios. Although, choosing the right solution for your space can be a tricky thing. This article will lay out the pros and cons of both flooring solutions and hopefully shed some light to aid in your decision making process.
To be able to make the right decision regarding your flooring, we first need to look at the details of what these two solutions are.
What is epoxy flooring?
Epoxy coatings are a resinous material that is applied directly on top of concrete that has been prepared to a CSP suitable for a resinous coating. It has incredible durability and versatility, with limitless color designs that let your imagination truly soar. Epoxy coatings can withstand the heaviest of machinery without any damage to the surface. They are extremely easy to clean and maintain, giving you peace of mind after a hefty investment.
What is polished concrete?
Polished concrete is the mechanical polishing of the naked concrete substrate. This can bring out the natural beauty that would be covered up if you chose the epoxy coating method. Since these surfaces are mechanically polished, clients can choose a variety of shine levels; ranging from incredibly high shine to a more subdued shine.
Polished concrete floors are extremely cost effective, unlike epoxy coatings, and require minimal maintenance after they have been sealed. This makes them perfect for commercial and industrial applications. If you want to have these surfaces inside a residential space, staining the concrete can be a great addition to craft a surface with a color that matches the vibe of your existing space.
Additionally, in light of the growing concern for environmentally conscious application methods, polished concrete surfaces are installed with no harsh chemicals or solvents that will harm the environment. Additionally, these surfaces are extremely light reflective which cuts electrical cost by eliminating the need for additional lighting within a space.
So, what’s the better choice for me?
Frankly, it all depends on personal preference and budget. Both of these flooring solutions will produce stunning results that will last a lifetime. Epoxy will have more customization options while polished concrete heavily relies on the natural color of the surface; unless stained with a chemical stainer.
When deciding between these two flooring solutions, you will assess what kind of traffic this surface is going to endure on a regular basis. Epoxy floors are better in high traffic areas with heavy machinery, but are a greater investment upfront. Concrete floors are just slightly less durable but at a much more economical price point.
Conclusion
Regardless of which flooring solution you choose, it will be a stunning and durable floor that will last a lifetime. Epoxy ETC has every product in stock and ready to ship to create either one of the floor systems described above. If you have any questions about products or applications, feel free to reach out to one of our epoxy specialists at (954)-799-6359.
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