Metallic epoxy floor coatings for commercial and industrial spaces are the perfect marriage of beauty and durability. This type of coating is an ideal choice for many different areas of a single business – allowing for reliability and customization. Continue reading to learn where to use metallic epoxy flooring at your business.
Metallic epoxy floors have become a popular commercial flooring option, because of their exotic, yet durable, beauty and the ability to design a floor pattern that is uniquely yours. While from a creative standpoint, there is no right or wrong result, it is important for you to follow certain guidelines and metallic epoxy techniques for a successful installation. Continue reading to learn how to install metallic epoxy floors for commercial use.
HOW TO INSTALL METALLIC EPOXY FLOORS:
How to Install Metallic Epoxy Floors: GETTING STARTED
The principles for preparing to install a metallic epoxy floor are similar to that for any other epoxy floor. You need to start with a clean, flat, ground surface, preferably concrete. After prepping your foundation by diamond grinding or similar process, the first thing you apply is an epoxy primer. Due to the sensitivity of metallic coatings to dust, you will need to constantly wipe away any dust from the floor throughout the entire primer application process.
“What are the best industrial floors for my facility?” Unfortunately, there is no single answer to that question. The “right” answer depends on the industry and operating requirements for your specific facility. When Black Bear Coatings & Concrete meets with clients to discuss industrial flooring projects, we usually start by asking a series of questions to determine the industrial floor specifications needed. Once we know the answers to these questions, then we can make a recommendation for which type of industrial floors are needed. Read on below to learn the top 6 considerations you need to keep in mind when choosing an industrial flooring solution.
Polished concrete has gained in popularity, to the point where it’s one of the most common floors found in commercial real estate, as well as restaurant dining spaces, and hallways and corridors in educational facilities to name a few of its uses. Polished concrete is a highly affordable option, known for being a distinctive and functional floor, while also giving you a low-maintenance surface that is easily cleaned and maintained.
When facility managers are contemplating installing polished concrete floors in a commercial space, there are a number of “typical” polished concrete frequently asked questions that come up in the initial conversation that we address.
Answering Your Top Five Polished Concrete Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Can any concrete be polished?
Almost. Usually, yes, this can be achieved. However, there are a few situations where polishing new or existing isn’t ideal. For example:
- Floors made of lightweight concrete isn’t the best candidate for polishing
- Concrete which has been damaged by caustic chemicals
- Outdoor concrete made with a freeze/thaw mix shouldn’t be polished
2. Does the polishing process disrupt business and how long will cleanup be once it’s complete?
In most cases, there is very little cause for concern during installation. We can work around your schedule, during downtime periods and off hours, and we ensure that your space is left as it was found (with the addition of an enhanced flooring solution.) We prefer a dry-grind polish procedure, in which all the resulting dust is immediately vacuumed up by a system within the polishing machinery. However, occasionally a wet-grind polish may be called for, which will result in a sort of rock-slush that will need to be disposed of. However, Black Bear crews will handle waste materials resulting from construction.
3. Is polished concrete eco-friendly?
Absolutely! In fact, polished concrete is arguably the most eco-friendly commercial flooring solution you could install. Concrete is a natural surface comprised of rock and water. Plus, it’s frequently recycled, reducing your carbon footprint. The durability of polished concrete means it lasts longer than most products and results in less waste overall which is why it’s sought after for green-building requirements. Its reflective surface saves on energy costs and is compliant with all LEED standards.
4. How stain-resistant is polished concrete?
One of the disadvantages of polished concrete is that it’s not as stain-resistant as epoxy or urethane coatings. While additional sealants protect the surface, unfortunately, the porous nature of concrete will mean it’s always somewhat susceptible to staining or other damage from spills – particularly if they are left standing. To prevent staining, clean any moisture or spillage immediately after it happens.
5. How slippery is polished concrete?
You might be surprised to learn that while shiny in appearance, polished concrete isn’t a very slippery surface at all. It only looks slippery because of its high reflectivity. In reality, the concrete still has a very bumpy surface, at the microscopic level. This gives it superior friction coefficient even when wet. It’s actually less slippery than many other common flooring options which is why it’s so popular for corporate lobbies and entryways.
Black Bear is the Leading Contractor for Polished Concrete Solutions
From performance to design, Black Bear Coatings & Concrete ensures that each client’s individual needs are recognized and reflected in the product we provide for optimal results. Check out our portfolio, including samples of polished concrete finished products for brands, and our client list to learn why more businesses and general contractors trust Black Bear to engineer longer-lasting concrete, epoxy, urethane, and MMA solutions. The above list of polished concrete frequently asked questions is just a sample of the insight our team can offer you during your commercial flooring buying decision process. Request a free, on-site assessment to learn how Black Bear can provide compliant, visually appealing, and durable polished concrete floors for your business.
It’s easy for employees and the general public to take the flooring beneath their feet for granted, but for facilities managers, commercial and industrial flooring is another matter. Proper floor surfaces are an absolute necessity for productive day-to-day operations. Compliance and OSHA health & safety inspections aside, the floor in a commercial or manufacturing facility must be able to protect the workforce from accidents, while being resilient enough to withstand abuse from everyday stressors in the environment. For many facilities managers, urethane floor solutions are so often the solution of choice for warehouses, factories, and other production spaces. Concrete flooring with urethane topcoats and applications can easily fulfill the requirements a facility manager looks for in a new solution or during a renovation.
Installing the wrong flooring solution can have long-term repercussions. And, with the abundance of options, it’s difficult to know which commercial flooring product will provide the safety and durability you need. When your decision is between epoxy vs. vinyl flooring, however, epoxy tends to reign supreme.
Our crews have been busy working around the clock to complete projects for new, and existing clients in the Northeast and throughout the US. As the leading partner for commercial and industrial floors, Black Bear’s unique approach is the key to our success, and how we engineer the right solution and ensure flawless installations every time. The result – more durable, longer-lasting products. Take a look at some recent restaurant flooring images including epoxy and urethane coatings, decorative flake designs, and polished concrete.
Depending on your industry, many businesses require chemical resistant flooring. From manufacturing plants with caustic substances, or needing to maintain FDA and government compliance regulations, chemical-resistant flooring offers the protection companies need to withstand corrosive elements. Most chemical-resistant commercial and industrial solutions are epoxy-based floors. In this niche industry, an experienced coatings contractor will assess your space and how it is to be used and create custom epoxy mixes which are resistant to the specific chemicals it will be exposed to. Prior to installation, you should, however, be aware of chemical resistant flooring pros and cons.
If you’re looking for industrial or commercial flooring solutions, there are several options that tend to stand out. These include polished concrete, epoxy coatings, and urethane coatings, to name a few. All are viable options depending on your needs. However, urethane coatings are an “all around” solution that offers numerous advantages for a variety of spaces. While the positives of urethane coatings outweigh the negatives, it is important to look at the urethane coating pros and cons during the decision process.
When designing a space, you have more options in flooring today than ever before. Many are purely functional, but if you want a flooring which is extremely functional and has a lot of “wow” factor, one of the best options you could look into is metallic epoxy coatings. While the positives of metallic epoxy flooring far outweigh the negatives, it is important to look at the metallic epoxy pros and cons during the decision process.
Metallic epoxy is a form of solid epoxy that has metallic, glitter-like particles embedded in it. When properly mixed and applied, the result is an extremely distinctive and eye-catching effect with what appear to be three-dimensional shimmering swirls throughout the flooring. Plus, it’s reflective, which makes it look even more interesting.
