How To Choose The Right Flooring System

How To Choose The Right Flooring System

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Resinous flooring is a type of flooring that uses resins to create a hard, durable and seamless surface. Resinous floors are most often used in industrial settings, but they can also be found in commercial and residential applications as well.

Resin floors offer many benefits over traditional concrete surfaces: they're easier to clean, more resistant to damage from chemicals and other harsh substances (including oils), long-lasting, more comfortable underfoot (especially when compared with hard concrete), and they’re also able to be non-slip when wet--all while still being cost-effective!
 
 
 

Types of Resinous Flooring

  • Epoxy: Epoxies are one of the most popular flooring systems for industrial applications. They're durable and easy to maintain, but they can be expensive and require specialized training to install properly.
  • Polyurethane (PU): Polyurethanes are another common choice for industrial floors because they're able to withstand to high temperatures and can be very long-lasting as well.
  • Acrylic: Acrylic floor coatings are usually used in areas that are subject to foot traffic only. In terms of abrasion resistance, they may not perform as well as epoxy or PU-based materials, but their ease of application and lower cost makes them a good choice for areas such as walkways and corridors. 
 
 
 

Advantages of Resinous Flooring

Resinous flooring has many advantages over traditional materials, including:
  • Durability: Resinous floors are extremely durable and can withstand heavy loads, making them ideal for industrial applications.
  • Chemical resistance: In factories and other industrial settings where there may be hazardous materials present or spills might occur regularly, a seamless resinous flooring would be beneficial to protect your floor and to control the spillage.
  • Impact resistance: Resin floors provide excellent impact resistance so you don't have to worry about damage from heavy machinery or forklifts driving over them
  • Seamless & non-porous surface: Bacteria and other contaminants seep into the pores of concrete or cementitious materials (including the cement-based tile grouts!). Choosing the right resinous flooring system allows you to prevent bacteria build-up and stains on your floor.  
 

Application of Resinous Flooring

Resinous flooring systems are used to protect industrial floors from heavy traffic, moisture and chemicals. They can be applied over concrete surfaces and provide excellent abrasion resistance for high-traffic areas. Special primers can also be used to apply these floor coatings over existing ceramic tiles, as seen in the Bukit Jalil LRT Station project here!

Resin-based products are typically applied using a sprayer, roller or brush. During application works, applicators usually wear spike shoes to move around the floor area while the floor coating is still wet.
Epoxy and PU flooring are commonly used in commercial and industrial spaces. Both types of resinous flooring can be used on their own or as an overlay over existing epoxy or PU coatings.
Acrylic flooring is usually used in areas where only foot traffic is present. While it does not have superior chemical and stain resistance compared to epoxy and PU coatings, it is easy to apply and less sensitive to uprising moisture in comparison to the other resinous flooring systems. 
 
 
 

Flooring Considerations

When choosing the right flooring system for your industrial facility, there are several factors to consider. 

The first is industry standards. In some industries, such as food processing or pharmaceuticals, it is critical that you use a flooring system that meets certain standards. These organizations have strict requirements for safety and cleanliness and must ensure that their floors meet those standards in order to maintain their licenses.

Another important consideration when choosing an industrial flooring material is environmental impact: how much waste does it produce? Does it emit harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs)? Epoxy and acrylic floor coatings are available in solvent-free and water-based options, which eliminate the emission of these harmful VOCs. For example, Dri-Floor EP 1550 is a solvent-free epoxy floor coating that passes the SIRIM Eco-Labelling Criteria for Paints and Coatings
 
 

Choosing the Right System for Your Facility

Choosing the right flooring system for your facility is important, but it can be a bit overwhelming. There are so many factors to consider and each one has a significant impact on how well your floor performs over time. 
Here are some of the most important things you should consider when choosing a resin-based system:
  • Chemical Resistance - How well will this flooring hold up in an environment where there are harsh chemicals?
  • Impact Resistance - Will people be walking on this floor regularly and dropping heavy objects onto it? If so, then impact resistance should be one of your top priorities!
  • Thermal Resistance - Is this area going to be subjected to extreme temperatures, such as steam cleaning? 
  • UV-Resistance – If your space is outdoors or exposed to sunlight, consider using a UV-resistant top coat over your flooring system.

The figure below provides a brief overview on the performance of each type of resinous flooring: 

(Psst! Check out some of the successful projects we’ve carried out, such as MRT stations, Biomed Global lab, Tasco Berhad’s warehouse)
 
 

Conclusion

Resinous flooring systems can be a great choice for your flooring needs. They offer many benefits that you won't find with traditional concrete or asphalt floors, including increased safety, durability and long-term benefits.

If you're looking for more information about how to choose the right type of resinous flooring system for your space, feel free to contact us.

 
Dritech Chemicals Sdn. Bhd.
F-8-3, Jalan SS 7/13A, Plaza Kelana Jaya, 47301, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. 
Contact: info@dritechchemicals.com 
 
Written by Elyse Kymberly Teoh
[23 March 2023]

23 Mar 2023