If you’re looking for an easy fix and have concrete you do not want to replace, good news, you don’t have to! Install a self-leveling epoxy flooring coating and create a flawlessly seamless smooth surface. These coatings are fantastic for commercial buildings of all kinds because they are extremely low maintenance. You can use these epoxy floors in more places than you would think!
Tips of Self-leveling Epoxy Flooring
Do not skimp (or cheat) on the required product quantity or thickness. I’ve seen applicators do 1mm floors and sell them as self-levelling, but if you want a great level finish, you need at least 2mm, but preferably 3mm. The thinner the floor the more waves and trowel marks there will be everywhere
If you want a smooth finish like the one in the picture, you need a flat floor substrate to start with. I know it sounds contradicting. The product is meant to be “self-levelling” therefore shouldn’t it level an uneven floor?
Unfortunately, that is not the case. If you want to level an uneven floor you can try using a cementitious self-levelling compound, but resin floors don’t work that way. A thin floor of a few millimetres will not smoothen out an uneven surface. And don’t even think of just adding more products to fill in the gaps. Your consumption (and costs!) could spiral out of control with no results to show for.
You can read more about the Concrete Slump Test
Do not use notched trowels… whose notches seem to be disappearing. And do not use spiked shoes that seem to have lumps of debris attached to each spike. Don’t just assume that the epoxy will magically close and fill up any problem with the floor caused by the tools displacing the epoxy. Clean tools = clean job. Make it a habit of cleaning those tools thoroughly after using them
These floors have major operational advantages for industries. The smooth and seamless surface makes them ideal for the movement of forklift trucks and other vehicles that are shifting heavy loads on a continuous basis. Also, the seamless structure makes the floors easier for cleaning and does not allow the accumulation of dirt and bacteria.
Self-levelling epoxy floors also provide a very aesthetic appeal since the glossy seamless look makes space look bigger and far more attractive. This why architects love them and often specify them for commercial and retail spaces.
You can read more about Epoxy Flooring for Club Bars
Why are self-levelling epoxy floors so much more expensive than roller-applied epoxy systems?
The amount of epoxy consumed in self-levelling systems is several times higher than in roller (or squeegee) applied systems. A two-coat roller applied epoxy system may consume 500-600 gr/m2 whereas a 3mm self-levelling system can easily reach 3 kg/m2 of epoxy. Furthermore self-levelling epoxy is usually more expensive than standard epoxy paint since the product needs to be formulated differently. Another very important factor is that for such systems you need to use qualified and trained workers who have experience in self-levelling epoxy systems, so you should expect a much higher cost of labour.