Difference Between Paint Floor And Epoxy Flooring

Epoxy paint is a resin polymer that has been used to protect concrete garage flooring for decades.

Difference between paint floor and epoxy flooring.

Epoxy floor coatings are two component materials consisting of epoxy resin and a polyamine hardener. Generally a polyurethane floor coating is highly flexible and elastic while epoxy flooring is harder and more brittle. This is why they are the preferred choice for heavy duty industries warehouses and logistics centers with heavy forklift traffic. Epoxy floor coating is a much more technical process that requires the expertise of a flooring professional to properly install.

These are differences that affect the end user of the floor. They are also resistant to staining and are chemical and abrasion resistant. It is even resistant to hot tire peel and tire marks. The exact materials used vary depending on the type of flooring system required.

Usually you just open a can of paint and paint away. Here is a chart you can quickly glance at to obtain the main differences between epoxy and acrylic sealers. As a general rule of thumb epoxy works best indoors so this chemical resistant and slip free surface is perfect for the garage environment where spills and puddles can create a challenge. Epoxy paint is essentially latex paint with a small amount of added epoxy for increased durability.

To exemplify this some epoxy coatings are heat resistant to temperatures up to 65 c whereas pu systems are available that can tolerate 120 c. Wait there s a difference. Differences between epoxy and acrylic sealers. Your epoxy coating s percentage of solids is what determines the durability and performance of the floor coating.

Most epoxy paints that are available in your average building supply store have a low percentage of solids. Here are some qualities to look for in an epoxy floor coating. Prior to applying epoxy floor coatings the two parts must be mixed together. In fact only an expert contractor might be able to tell the difference.

Polyurethane floors are usually softer and more elastic which makes them more resistant to scratching as their elasticity tends to absorb some of the impact. This means that floors that can stand up to chemical attack from organic acids as well as sugar malt caustic and powerful cleaning agents are required. Epoxy floors are harder more durable and have a much higher compression strength than polyurethanes. The superior chemical resistance of pu floors has made them popular in the food beverage industry where corrosive acids and by products are found in large quantities.

This has a minimum thickness of 2 millimeters of epoxy floor coat. Unlike paint epoxy floor coatings cure rather than dry. While epoxy paint can enhance the color of the garage floor just like most paints it is prone to scratch off peel away and fade. Yes there is but not a big one.

This type of product is best left for diy home garage projects and is never an appropriate choice in industrial settings. What is the difference between floor paint and floor coating. An epoxy coating however is tried and tested to stay intact and durable for a very long time. This thickness is ideal for high traffic areas or floors that are always exposed to heavy impact extreme temperature and chemicals.