Considering an epoxy floor for your home or business? There’s plenty of reasons why epoxy is a great choice. Easy to maintain, inexpensive compared to other flooring options, and decorative, customizable finishes can make epoxy attractive to homeowners and businesses alike.
However, it’s important to consider that epoxy does have pros and cons. No flooring will be perfect for every circumstance. Read on to learn:
- What is epoxy flooring?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of epoxy flooring?
- When to consider epoxy flooring?
What is Epoxy Flooring?
Epoxy flooring is a synthetic flooring system made from resin and hardeners, applied as a coating to a subfloor and concrete substrate. It dries to a hard, smooth, durable material that’s strong and chemical resistant. This makes it an excellent choice for flooring in areas with high traffic from heavy machinery, like garages and industrial settings.
In addition, epoxy flooring is endlessly customizable, meaning it can be a great addition to a residential space or a business.
Disadvantages of Epoxy Flooring
Epoxy has many benefits: easy to care for, aesthetically pleasing, and durable. However, it may not be the right choice for every space. Learn more about potential drawbacks to find out if epoxy flooring is what you are looking for:
Disadvantage: Epoxy Floors Can Be Slippery
Epoxy cures to a smooth, hard finish. However, this means surfaces don’t offer much traction and can be slippery, especially when wet. If you need flooring in a high-traffic area where slippage may be a concern, epoxy might not be the ideal choice unless you opt for custom coatings or additives to increase traction.
Disadvantage: Epoxy Yellows in Sunlight
Epoxy is a resin, and if subjected to constant, direct sunlight, can yellow over time as many resinous or polyurethane finishes do. If you have a south facing space with large windows, and aesthetics are a high priority, epoxy may not be the ideal choice.
Disadvantage: Epoxy Can Show Cracks and Imperfections
Epoxy flooring, while smooth when cured, is only as even and level as the surface you apply it on. That means if the substrate is lumpy or has cracks, or the floor underneath is compromised your epoxy floor may show those imperfections.
Disadvantage: Removal and Repair Are Challenging
Epoxy can chip, crack or peel, especially if it’s not installed correctly. While there are many patch kits and commercial products that claim to easily repair epoxy, a small issue can easily turn into a larger issue if it’s not done properly. Especially if you expect your epoxy to stand up to vehicle traffic or corrosive materials, sometimes the best repair option is to re-do the entire floor.
Additionally, removal is challenging and usually best done by a professional. Removal requires extremely strong solvents and often isn’t safe as a DIY project. Don’t install epoxy if you think you’ll change your mind in the future!
Make sure you know all about epoxy flooring before you choose to install. While it does have disadvantages, it also has a lot of features and benefits that make it a great choice:
Advantages of Epoxy Floors
Advantage: Customizable Coatings Offer A Variety of Finishes and Colors
The good news about epoxy is that it’s available in nearly limitless colors, as well as finishes from custom coatings. This means you can use additives that increase traction, or tint your floors to a color where UV exposure won’t be an issue.
Advantage: Epoxy is Chemical Resistant
Epoxy offers a massive benefit over other flooring types: it’s chemical-resistant, meaning it can hold up well against leaks in a garage or automotive shop, take spills in a kitchen or lab, and be easy to clean after any sort of mess.
Advantage: It’s Applied Over Existing Floors
The good news is that epoxy can be applied over existing floors, so demo and removal of materials is generally not needed. If your floors are in good shape, epoxy can be applied right over them. For best results, seal cracks and make minor fixes ahead of installation for a long-lasting, durable, flawless finish.
Advantage: Install is Efficient with a Professional
The good news — installing epoxy with a professional is fast and easy. If you need a new floor quickly, epoxy is a great choice. Generally, the longest part of the process is the curing time, which can be up to three days. Unlike hardwood or tile, epoxy is generally readily available, without long lead times from suppliers.
When to Consider Epoxy Flooring
Epoxy flooring is ideal for a few scenarios and projects:
Garages and industrial floors. Any surfaces that may be subject to heavy wear and tear, particularly from solvents and acids, are good candidates for epoxy flooring. Commercial epoxy is ideal for businesses, since it’s tough enough to handle heavy foot traffic and vehicles.
Branded spaces or custom color schemes. Flooring where you want to match a specific color palette works well because epoxy can be mixed to custom tints! You can even add metallic or speckled effects, and marbled epoxy is popular in residential epoxy.
Areas with underfloor heating. While epoxy can be a cold surface, it’s highly compatible with underfloor heating systems that can make locker rooms, spas, or bathrooms more comfortable.
The sky is truly the limit with epoxy flooring. For every disadvantage, there’s an upside to installing these customizable and durable floors.
Call Your Local Epoxy Pros to Learn More
Epoxy flooring is versatile, beautiful, and durable — and it typically makes a great choice for many spaces, even with its few disadvantages. To learn more about epoxy flooring and installation, get in touch with the experts at Cape Epoxy.
Cape Epoxy serves Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire with gorgeous epoxy flooring. Our locally-owned, locally-operated business has completed projects across Cape Cod and beyond – explore our portfolio today and see for yourself how great epoxy can look in your space.
