There are numerou
s reasons to choose epoxy-coated concrete for the flooring of your commercial or industrial business. Epoxy is exceptionally strong, long-lasting, easy to clean, and can even come in numerous eye-pleasing colors. However, one of the less obvious benefits of epoxy flooring is that the epoxy blend can be tailored to your needs. This means your flooring contractor can formulate the coatings for added protection against the elements of the space.
For many businesses, a tantamount consideration when engineering the right industrial floors are anti-static properties. If your work involves electronics, flammable materials, or anything else which might be susceptible to sparks, ESD flooring solutions like anti-static epoxy will end up paying for itself in the long run.
How Anti-Static Epoxy Flooring Protects Your Products and Workers
For many commercial and industrial operations, buildup of static discharge is a major hazard. As your workers move around the building, they build up an electrical charge which is held within their bodies. This, then, can discharge when they touch something metal or otherwise conductive. It’s fine if that happens with a metal doorknob but should that spark hit a sensitive electronic component – or a flammable object – it could be disastrous. That’s where anti-static epoxy flooring comes in. It can greatly reduce the chances of such occurrences.
Simply put, the epoxy can have conductive elements embedded in the mixture which allow it to capture any built-up static charge your workers might have, as they move around the floor. There are two basic ways to do this, Electrostatic Dissipative (ESD) or Electrostatic Conductive (ESC) depending on your needs:
- Electrostatic Dissipative (ESD) Epoxy
This is the more basic form of anti-static epoxy. It has a higher level of resistance than ESC flooring, with a relatively small number of electrically conductive particles in the epoxy mix. Then, copper tubing or strips are installed along with the flooring, to provide grounding. The electric charge travels through the floor, and discharges through that grounding material. This is most commonly used in settings where work is being done on electronic components.
- Electrostatic Conductive (ESC) Epoxy
ESC flooring systems have a lower level of resistance and have the grounding material built into the floor itself. This is more expensive but allows them to very quickly dissipate even minor static buildup. ESC floors are typically found in situations where there would be fire hazards from sparks, such as working with volatile chemicals.
Black Bear Commercial & Industrial Floors
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 engineered coatings for maximum protection; and check our client list to learn why more businesses and general contractors trust Black Bear to engineer and install longer lasting concrete, epoxy, urethane, and MMA solutions.
