Best Uses For Epoxy Floor Coatings

You're thinking of having an epoxy coating installed on some concrete. You'd like some visual interest and something easy to clean. But there are so many options to choose from. Which epoxy coating is best for your project?

Elite Floor Coatings has coated more than two million square feet of concrete. Every type of concrete coating has a different ideal application. This article will walk you through the best uses for every type of concrete coating we offer.

When you've finished reading, you'll understand which concrete coating is best for you.

Paint Chip Epoxy: Best For Indoor Use

Paint chip epoxy is a system designed for indoor use. Of all the epoxy coatings we offer, paint chip is one of the most popular.

When comparing cost and longevity, paint chip delivers the best deal. These floors are durable and long-lasting in indoor applications, while also offering a lower price tag than other coatings.

Let's take a look at the best uses for paint chip epoxy.

Garage Floors

The most common indoor application for paint chip epoxy is a garage. Homeowners love to refresh their garage look with paint chip epoxy.

These spaces are also more cost-effective because the large equipment we work with can easily get in and out. We have to grind the concrete before we can install any concrete coating. With a garage door, getting these grinders into the garage is not a concern at all.

Commercial Kitchens & Bathrooms

You may know the paint chip epoxy look because you've seen it in a public restroom or on the floor of a commercial kitchen. Since these systems balance cost and longevity well, they're popular for commercial spaces.

Paint chip is easy to clean, and can withstand the frequent cleaning going on in these areas.

Basements

People love paint chip for their basements. With a small flake size, paint chip gives the visual appearance of carpet. However, as an epoxy coating, paint chip is much easier to clean. If you're looking for a refresh for your basement, paint chip epoxy might be the perfect choice.

Accessibility is the one caveat when choosing paint chip for a basement. The large grinders needed to prep the concrete can be difficult to get into a basement. With sufficient access, paint chip epoxy is easy to install in a basement. Smaller grinding tools must be used if the grinders don't fit down the stairs. The timeline for the job and the overall cost both increase when there's poor accessibility.

Quartz Epoxy: Best For Commercial Applications

While paint chip is most commonly used for residential applications, quartz epoxy is popular with commercial spaces. Paint chip and quartz are often compared. Quartz is more expensive but offers more durability and longevity than vinyl paint chips.

Quartz epoxy is an anti-skid coating. Some commercial spaces prefer the natural anti-skid offered by quartz, in addition to its durability and longevity.

Let's take a look at the best uses for quartz epoxy.

Recreation Areas

Recreation areas, like campground multipurpose rooms, see a lot of foot traffic and hard use. A quartz epoxy floor can take all of the different traffic and uses. Whether the space is set up with tables and chairs, used as a gymnasium, or hosting a dance, quartz epoxy offers grip for any shoe.

Nursing Homes

Nursing homes are always concerned with preventing the elderly from slipping. Since quartz epoxy is a naturally non-slip coating, it makes a great option for floors in nursing homes. The coating will also last for many years, which helps to prevent the disruption of repairs, maintenance, and replacement.

Mechanic Garages

Mechanics often have something in their garage they could slip on. Motor oil is a simple example. These professionals frequently choose quartz epoxy to limit their risk of slipping.

Airplane Hangars

Quartz epoxy is the concrete coating of choice for spaces like airplane hangars. These floors need a solution that will last a long time. Despite an airplane hangar seeing hard use every day, a quartz epoxy coating on its floor can last for over 50 years.

Metallic Epoxy: Best For Showrooms

Metallic epoxy is not as common as paint chip or quartz. Metallic is not as durable or long-lasting as these other epoxies but is still on the pricier end of epoxy coatings. Why would someone select a coating that doesn't last as long but costs the same? In short, metallic is cool-looking.

Metallic is chosen for specialty uses where the floor's visual appeal is essential. These locations don't see more than foot traffic, so the durability of the floor isn't a concern.

Let's take a look at the best uses for metallic epoxy.

Dance Floors

A dance floor is an excellent use of a metallic epoxy floor coating. These floors only see foot traffic. When people visit the dance floor, they're expecting a pleasant visual. The marbled effect of metallic epoxy delivers just the right aesthetic for a dance floor.

Event Centers

Event centers are another popular destination for metallic epoxy. Anywhere that special events are hosted, you want an incredible visual. Metallic epoxy offers a shiny and eye-catching floor for event centers.

Laundromats

While you might not initially think of a laundromat as needing a showy floor, metallic epoxy can really set a laundromat apart. Like dance floors and event centers, laundromats generally only see foot traffic. There's no reason for a laundromat not to enjoy the cool visual effect of a metallic epoxy floor.

Basements

Paint chip epoxy is the most popular floor for basements. However, if you have some extra money in your renovation budget, you might want to splurge on a metallic floor. Basements used as game rooms or entertainment centers can be elevated with a reflective and artistic floor.

Grind & Seal: Best System On A Budget

You might not have much money to spend on your concrete coating. In the case of a tight budget, grind & seal is the perfect solution.

Grind & seal is a simple, commercial look for concrete anywhere–indoors or outdoors. It can truly be used anywhere, but there are some applications where it shines.

Let's take a look at the best uses for grind & seal.

Restaurants

Many restaurants with concrete floors choose grind & seal for their floors. Not only is grind & seal easy to clean, but it also offers a classic restaurant look. Some chain restaurants like Chipotle have grind & seal floors.

Factories

Some factories choose quartz epoxy for their floors, but others opt for grind & seal. Grind & seal is a smooth coating, so it's easier to clean than quartz epoxy. But since factory floors are so expansive, grind & seal is sometimes a better choice due to budget constraints.

Barndominiums

Barndominiums are an excellent way to build a home on a budget. Keeping in that theme, many homeowners choose grind & seal floors for their barndominium. It's a more commercial look, but it's also easy to clean and protected from staining.

River Rock: Best For Any Outdoor Application

So far, we've gone over a lot of coating options for indoor concrete. But what about outdoor concrete? There are completely different options for outdoor concrete slabs.

The most versatile coating for outdoor concrete is river rock, also known as river stone. River rock was designed for outdoor use and works well when maintained properly.

Let's take a look at the best uses for river rock epoxy.

Porches

River rock is a great option for porches. Your porch acts as a transition from inside to outside. To help stabilize this transition, river rock can have anti-skid added to it. The anti-skid won't disrupt the visual of the stone texture, but it will offer more grip for your shoes.

Patios

Have you ever spilled something on your patio? Maybe you tipped over a watering can or dropped a plastic cup at a family gathering. With river rock, it doesn't matter if you spill on the patio. River rock is pervious, so liquids can pass through the coating. The spill will disappear into the stones and be washed away the next time it rains.

Damaged Concrete

Worried about damaged concrete? River rock can cover up any ugly concrete repairs. A river rock coating is about half an inch thick, which is thicker than most epoxies. There's no way that a patch will show through the river rock.

Additionally, river rock can be installed anywhere that it can be formed. If you have crumbling concrete steps or other damaged concrete, river stone can be used to form and repair the concrete.

Basements With Flooding Risks

Paint chip is the most popular epoxy coating for basements. However, some basements have flooding risks. Groundwater invades during heavy rain, which isn't ideal for metallic or paint chip coatings.

Since river rock is a pervious material, it will allow flood waters to pass through it. River rock is an excellent choice for basements with higher hydrostatic pressure. The coating works especially well in basements with drains. Still, it can be used in any basement that is concerned with taking on water. Water pressure won't ruin the coating or the concrete beneath it.

Acrylic Cement: Best For Outdoor Use

One other coating we offer is acrylic cement. Acrylic cement is not an epoxy, but it is an alternative to river rock for outdoor applications. Acrylic cement is highly customizable, allowing for unique designs and any color you can imagine. It's also easy to clean and seals up the concrete from stains.

While acrylic cement doesn't work well for areas with heavy damage, it can be an excellent choice for a few outdoor areas. Opt for river rock if the concrete is heavily cracked, flaking, or peeling. Otherwise, you can consider acrylic cement.

Let's take a look at the best uses for acrylic cement.

Pool Decks

Acrylic cement is a great choice for pool decks. The concrete around a pool needs some grip to prevent slipping. When using a crystal top coat, the acrylic cement will be non-slip.

While river rock can also work well around a pool deck, acrylic cement offers the potential for a unique visual effect.

Driveways

Acrylic cement is the best option for coating a concrete driveway. If you want to protect your driveway from stains and give it a nice appearance, acrylic cement is the right choice. You can choose any colors you'd like and even add a design.

For driveway applications, we use a water-based urethane top coat. Water-based urethane is a bit more slippery than crystal top coat but is highly resistant to stains.

Acrylic cement is also a better choice for vehicle tires than river rock.

Building Conversions

Building conversion projects are another type of project in which we've installed a lot of acrylic cement. People purchase buildings and renovate them into something else, like a bed and breakfast. Barns are popular for this type of project. We've installed some cool-looking acrylic cement floors in these converted barns. These applications also receive a water-based urethane top coat for easy cleaning.

What To Know: Best Uses For Epoxy Coatings

Every concrete coating has its best applications. Some coatings are naturally anti-skid, while others are incredibly easy to clean. Each coating has different costs, durability, longevity, and other properties.

If you have indoor concrete to coat, the best options will be paint chip epoxy, metallic epoxy, quartz epoxy, or a grind & seal coating. If you've got outdoor concrete, your best options are grind & seal, river rock, and acrylic cement.

Want to learn more about epoxy floors? Check out these resources next.

• What Is The Average Cost Of Epoxy Flooring?