Epoxy flooring might not be the first choice you think of, especially for a residential home, but that doesn’t make it any less useful. But what exactly does it offer compared to similar material, such as regular concrete?
What is Epoxy?
Not many people know what an epoxy floor is made from, often mistaking it for concrete. Epoxy flooring is made with concrete that has been smoothed down and prepped in a specific way, then covered with a mixture of resin and hardening chemicals. The idea behind this is to turn the resin into hard plastic over the concrete across multiple layers, building up a strong and damage-resistant surface with a solid concrete base.
Although originally used for places like garages and hospitals, epoxy has become increasingly popular as a residential flooring type, especially in kitchens. A combination of different colors and patterns has also made them much more versatile over the years.
Why is Epoxy Good?
Epoxy flooring might just seem like a regular type of flooring at first, but there are numerous benefits that can make it a perfect choice for finishing off a certain room. The most notable point is the fact that it isn’t all that expensive, making it an easy investment for people who really need good flooring on a simple budget.
Another big positive of epoxy comes from the material itself: it is very stain-resistant and takes almost no effort to clean up, which is made even easier by the glossy surface that stops messes from seeping through to the surfaces beneath. Probably the biggest reason to use epoxy, though, is the number of design options you can choose from: the materials are easy to get in a variety of colors, and you can create unique designs or patterns that aren’t easy to handle with most other flooring methods.
How Much Does It Cost?
When you are looking into an epoxy floor, there are two prices that you will have to consider: the price of the installation and the price of whichever materials that are going to be installed. It is easy to end up skewing the cost of the whole process by making changes to the materials you will be using, so having a good plan in place can help you stick to your own budget well.
Epoxy flooring is generally purchased by the gallon since it starts as a liquid before being poured out. Because of this, you can end up paying anywhere between $150 or as low as $30 for a gallon, depending on how much epoxy is actually in the mixture. More epoxy usually means a higher price, but not always.
After that, you need to look into the cost of the installation. Doing it yourself can be pricey and take a lot of time, especially if you haven’t had practice, so doing a full search for professionals that can help might be the best idea.
What is Epoxy Resin?
Many people confuse Epoxy Resin with Epoxy, but the two are different enough to make the distinction important. Epoxy floors are made with Epoxy, and while Epoxy Resin can be used in flooring, it is more often used as a sealant between two pieces of concrete. Both of them might be needed for fixing or updating your flooring, but this isn’t always the case, so make sure that you know which materials you are working with.
What Types of Epoxy Flooring Are There?
There are a few alternative types of epoxy flooring that you might have seen before. Not all of them are major, but they all have slight differences.
Epoxy Flake
Epoxy flake flooring is designed with colored flakes to create a very vibrant look, using multiple colors in a seamless way that can also reduce the slipperiness of the top surface.
Anti-Static Epoxy Floors
This kind of epoxy floor prevents static hazards, making it ideal for places where you might store flammable materials, electronics, or other items that could be damaged through static electricity.
Epoxy Mortar Floors
Epoxy mortar flooring is one of the strongest types of epoxy floors available, handling strong impacts and chemical damage almost perfectly. This can also be used to replace cracks in existing flooring, making it suitable for almost any kind of food-handling area or manufacturing-focused space.
