Epoxy Flooring Toronto: 5 Things You Need to Know
Pierre Castan introduced epoxy resins in 1936. Castan synthesized the epoxy by curing it with a phthalic acid anhydride. This initial chemical synthesis paved the way for the epoxy we know and use today.
Epoxy resins were only offered commercially from 1946, but from there, epoxy took the world by storm. Today epoxy is used in various industries and has made a mark in the building and construction industries. Epoxy is incredibly versatile, but it truly shines when used for flooring.
Keep reading to find out more about the five things you need to know about getting epoxy flooring in Toronto.
1. Keep Your Floors Clean and Safe
Epoxy floors are designed to help you keep your floors clean and safe. Epoxy coatings decrease the risk of slip and fall incidents as the coating keeps your floors from being slippery.
Epoxy floors are also extremely durable and meant to last for a long time. Depending on your flooring needs, a flexible or rigid type of epoxy flooring will be applied. Since these floors are so durable, you don’t need to worry about their safety.
Keeping epoxy floors clean is incredibly easy. The main thing you need to do regularly is sweep or vacuum. Dirt and debris can scratch your epoxy floors if you aren’t careful, so you simply need to regularly sweep up any dirt that gets left on your floors.
Epoxy floors should be spot cleaned after vacuuming, not washed with soap-based cleaners. The cleaners can leave a hazy layer on the floors that build up over time. A quick mop with some warm water every now and again is more than enough to get your floors clean.
2. The Difference Between Epoxy Flooring and Floor Coatings
When it comes to epoxy floors and epoxy floor coatings, there are three main differences you need to know about:
- Thickness
- Layers of paint
- Color and style
The thickness of the materials is probably the biggest difference when you’re comparing epoxy flooring and epoxy floor coatings. Epoxy flooring usually consists of at least 2 millimeters of epoxy paint, whereas epoxy floor coating measures less than 2 millimeters.
The layers of paint used and needed to create the epoxy surface also differ between epoxy flooring and epoxy floor coatings. Epoxy flooring is made up of various layers of epoxy that create a durable flooring surface that is great for high-traffic areas. In comparison, an epoxy floor coating is applied to a preexisting floor surface to simply coat the surface in epoxy.
The color and style of these two types of flooring will also differ. Epoxy floors can be completely customized based on your needs; you can even add unique features like glitter or flakes to them. While you can still customize an epoxy floor coating, depending on the number of layers added, the preexisting floor surface might change the look of the epoxy.
3. Surface Prep Matters
You can’t simply apply epoxy and expect it to work. When it comes to epoxy floors, surface prep is one of the most important steps to ensure your floors don’t fail.
Moisture will be your biggest enemy when it comes to epoxy. High humidity can cause moisture to permeate the preexisting floor surface. The moisture will either severely slow down the curing time or even cause the adhesive bonds to fail completely.
This is why a professional team will ensure your surface area is properly prepped before they start applying the epoxy.
4. Curing Takes Time
Getting an epoxy installation takes more time than most people realize. Once the epoxy is applied to the surface, it appears to set quickly and can even seem hard to the touch. Unfortunately, epoxy doesn’t set as quickly as it seems to, and if you don’t give it time to properly cure, then the floors won’t be safe to use.
It can take anywhere between 18-24 hours for an epoxy floor to be set, but it can potentially take up to 30 days to fully set, depending on the climate and weather the epoxy is being used in. Epoxy generally needs temperatures above 60° F to properly cure and to ensure problems don’t pop up. Your contractor will be able to give you an estimate of how long it will take before you can use your floors.
5. Epoxy Can Be Used Outdoors
Epoxy isn’t just used indoors anymore; it has also infiltrated the outdoor sphere. If you combine a gravel-like aggregate with your epoxy, then you can use epoxy flooring to create outdoor surfaces. You will have an attractive and durable outdoor surface with all the benefits of epoxy flooring.
The only thing you need to be aware of is that overexposure to sunlight can cause the flooring to take on a slightly chalky shade. This is due to the chemical reactions that the sunlight triggers. This issue is easy to avoid; you simply need to opt for a final UV-resistant coating to stop your floors from changing color.
Get Epoxy Flooring in Toronto
If you’re looking to get epoxy flooring in Toronto, you need to consider these five things to ensure you get the best epoxy installation for your money. Understanding the difference between epoxy floor coatings and epoxy flooring will also help you make the right decision depending on your needs.
If you’re looking for epoxy flooring in Toronto, feel free to connect with a team member at Concrete Epoxy 101 today. Depending upon the wear, tear, and foot traffic your flooring must withstand, we’ll determine the right solution for you.