Decorative Flake Epoxy Flooring
Decorative flake epoxy flooring is a popular choice for home and business owners looking to add some texture to their space. These floors are made by layering acrylic chips over the base layer of epoxy and finishing the floor with a thin, clear epoxy topcoat.
These chips give the floor its texture and come in many different shapes, colors, and sizes, ranging from 1/16 to 1 inch. The flakes can also be broadcast over the floor in varying densities, from sparse to dense.
In this article, we’ll examine decorative flake epoxy flooring, its installation process, and more! Continue reading to learn more!
Slip Resistance
Decorative flake epoxy flooring increases the slip resistance in your home or business. This epoxy flooring style creates texture over your floor that aids with traction. The additional traction it provides will help prevent slip-and-fall injuries that would occur due to a slick floor, making your home or business a safer, more accessible environment.
Durability
Decorative flake epoxy floors are remarkably durable floor coatings. This epoxy floor coating can withstand hard impacts, rough abrasions, and high foot and vehicle traffic volumes without being significantly damaged in the process. This durability will save home and business owners from dealing with frequent repairs.
Chemical and Water Resistance
This epoxy floor coating can resist the damaging effects of water and chemical spills. Decorative flake epoxy flooring is installed seamlessly and has a non-porous surface that repels most liquids. As a result, home and business owners will see a reduction in water and chemical damage and staining.
Longevity
This style of epoxy floor can last twice as long as most conventional flooring systems. When properly installed by a professional and maintained, decorative flake epoxy flooring can last for 25 years or more before needing significant repairs or total replacement.
Low Maintenance Requirements
Decorative flake epoxy flooring is a low-maintenance flooring solution that will save your household or business time, money, and effort. These flooring systems only require daily sweeping or dust mopping, weekly wet mopping with a pH-neutral floor cleaner, and spot mopping as needed to keep them clean and long-lasting.
Installing decorative flake epoxy flooring is a process that requires the skilled hand of a licensed epoxy flooring contractor. If you want to ensure quality results and a long-lasting floor, always hire a professional.
Step 1: Cleaning, Inspecting, and Repairing the Concrete
The first step is to clean and inspect the existing concrete for damage. If any damage is found, such as cracking, chipping, or flaking, it’ll need repairing. Typically, cracks are fixed with an injectable epoxy filler and chipping, or flaking areas are repaired with a powdered concrete patch.
Step 2: Surface Preparation
The next step is to prepare the concrete’s surface for the epoxy. This step involves using a floor grinder fitted with a coarse diamond grinding wheel or shot blaster to remove the surface layer of concrete. Removing the outer layer opens the concrete’s pores to ensure proper adhesion between the concrete and epoxy.
Step 3: Mixing and Pouring the Epoxy
Once the surface is prepped, the epoxy resin is mixed with the chemical hardener and poured over the concrete. Several layers are poured to reach the desired floor thickness, accounting for the flakes and topcoat. Once these base layers have been applied, the decorative chips are broadcast over the floor. This can be performed at your preferred density, from sparsely spread over the floor to densely covering it. After the flakes have been broadcast, a thin, clear epoxy topcoat is applied to seal them in place.
Step 4: Curing the Floor
The last step is to allow the floor time to cure. Curing time is essential because using the floor prior to it being cured can potentially ruin it. After 24 hours, the floor is 90% cured and ready for foot traffic. After 72 hours, the floor is 100% cured and prepared for full use.
This epoxy flooring style can be used in many different locations. Whether it’s chosen for its slip-resistant, textured properties or for its unique look, decorative flake epoxy can be found in residential, commercial, and industrial applications. You can see some of the most popular applications below:
- Garages
- Kitchens
- Basements
- Home Offices
- Commercial Offices
- Hotels
- Retail Stores
- Restaurants
- Warehouses
- Factories
- Distribution Centers