Polished Concrete Flooring vs. Epoxy Flooring: which one is better?
Flooring can be considered as almost permanent coatings that can be replaced. There are different types of flooring, including stone, ceramic, PVC, epoxy, wood, polished concrete, and…
Choosing the right flooring for a place is of particular importance. When buying, you should pay attention to the amount of walking on it and the area where you intend to use the flooring. For example, in places where the traffic is high, use hard and durable flooring, and in places with low traffic, use more decorative floors. Choosing the right flooring makes people feel good when walking on it.
Two examples of the most durable and suitable flooring for use in industrial environments are epoxy flooring or hard concrete flooring. In this article, we compare these two types of flooring, which are among the most widely used flooring. Stay with us.
What is polished concrete flooring?
Polished concrete flooring is a type of flooring that has become a beautiful surface with very high abrasion resistance and very low permeability during the polishing process. Polished concrete flooring has a glossy and mirror-like appearance. Design methods for polished concrete are very extensive. You can choose almost any color for it, create patterns with saw cuts, or place beautiful and interesting objects in them before polishing.
Also, it is possible to change the reflectivity of the floor by using different degrees of concrete polishing. Polished concrete is very popular in the construction market because it is easy to maintain.
To maintain these polished floors, only one dusting and sometimes to wash with detergent is needed. Simply put, polishing concrete is like sanding wood. Concrete polishing machines gradually shrink the surfaces to varying degrees of gloss and polish the polished concrete floor. Due to the unique properties of polished concrete, this surface can be used in most public and private places.
The Advantages of polished concrete flooring:
Polished concrete flooring has found a special place in different styles. Polished concrete flooring is a very distinct and unique option compared to other floorings due to its unique concrete properties. Here are some of these flooring benefits:
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Environmentally friendly:
In general, concrete flooring is environmentally friendly, and it does not use artificial or irreversible materials in its production this type of flooring is considered environmentally friendly.
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Easy to clean:
Polished concrete flooring is very easy to care for. Dust and contaminants do not remain on them and are easily cleaned with a damp cloth and detergent.
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Reduce allergies:
Polished concrete flooring does not cause any allergies.
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Variety of colors:
Polished concrete flooring is available in various designs and colors.
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Anti-scratch and resistance to heavy objects:
Polished concrete flooring has high strength and does not easily scratch and damage.
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Cost-effective:
Using a concrete polished floor surface is more cost-effective and low maintenance costs.
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Durability and longevity:
Decorative concrete, like other materials, is not vulnerable and does not need to be replaced.
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Resistant to moisture transfer problems:
Polished concrete allows the floor to breathe and eliminates the problems that arise when using floor coverings that completely cover the floor.
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High light reflectivity:
This feature is important for the floors of office buildings, hotels, restaurants, and other public places that want to have a bright, clean and professional look. This method also reduces the need to use artificial lighting equipment and thus save electricity.
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It is a durable method for flooring:
Polished concrete does not require dangerous coatings, cleaners, or adhesives.
Disadvantages of polished concrete flooring:
Despite the many advantages, polished concrete flooring may not be suitable for all spaces, so it is important to consider this when choosing flooring. Limitations and disadvantages of concrete flooring are:
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Strength and hardness:
Although this feature makes it very durable, this can be unpleasant for some people. If an object falls and hits the polished concrete, it will break. The hardness of the concrete floor can also cause discomfort in the elderly and harm children. Also, standing on a polished concrete and hard surface for a long time causes fatigue.
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Coldness:
In the winter mornings, the cold of the polished concrete surface can be very annoying unless a floor heating system is installed. One of the consequences of cold polished concrete flooring can be foot pain or cold.
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Moisture sensitivity:
If moisture seeps through the cracks into the polished concrete floor, it can cause mold.
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Slippery:
If the concrete surface is polished, it causes slipping. It can cause damage, especially if the surface gets wet.
What is epoxy flooring?
Epoxy is a unique material for use as flooring. When the concrete floor is polished and ready, the resin and a hardening chemical are combined and poured onto the concrete floor. Due to the chemical reaction between these materials, they become a hard and solid floor in a few days, and then the second and third layers are applied to it.
Epoxy flooring or polyurethane flooring is a seamless flooring that is homogeneous after hardening on the floor and combines in space. It makes epoxy floors suitable for heavy use and mechanical loads such as forklift traffic in warehouses, workshops and production areas. Epoxy flooring is mostly used in hospitals, schools, parking floors, and industrial environments. However, sometimes epoxy flooring is used in homes, kitchens, or other interior spaces.
Advantages of epoxy flooring:
Epoxy flooring is one of the most important polymer coatings, whose unique properties have made it have its advantages. This issue has caused this flooring to be noticed by many people. The main advantages of epoxy are:
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The appearance of epoxy flooring:
Compared to other floorings, epoxy flooring has a very clear and extraordinary appearance. The appearance of this type of flooring alone makes some people choose this type of flooring.
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Easy to clean:
The smooth and polished surface of this flooring makes it easy to maintain and clean. Materials that spill on the floor rarely stick to it, and this feature makes it easy to clean.
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Affordable price:
Compared to other types of industrial flooring, epoxy flooring has the lowest price per square meter. As epoxy flooring has the property of being installed directly on concrete or other types of flooring, its installation cost is also lower than others. Reasonable price is one of the biggest and best positive features of epoxy flooring.
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Epoxy flooring resistance:
Epoxy flooring is resistant to almost anything. From oil and gasoline to various cleaners and detergents, no damage can be done to this type of flooring. It is one reason for the widespread use of this type of flooring in garages or parking lots and factories and machine industries. In addition to resistance to chemicals, epoxy flooring is also heat-insulating and waterproof. Also, various disinfectants do not damage this floor has caused hospitals and clinics to use this floor widely.
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The durability of epoxy flooring:
Epoxy flooring has a longer life than similar types. Concrete is the only material that is more durable than epoxy, but its maintenance and repair costs are higher. In any case, the epoxy floor needs a layer of concrete underneath.
Disadvantages of epoxy flooring:
Despite all the advantages mentioned for this type of flooring, it also has the following disadvantages:
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Odor of epoxy flooring:
Wet epoxy has an unpleasant odor. Dark epoxies are more hardening than light ones, and after installation, the smell of ammonia wafts through the air, but there are ways to prevent this odor.
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Hard to replace epoxy flooring:
When installing epoxy flooring, changing or replacing it is difficult and costly. Also, in cases where we have to remove part of the flooring for repair, this operation will be difficult and costly.
Is polished concrete flooring slippery?
Polished concrete floors may look as smooth and clear as glass, but it is safe to walk on them as long as they are kept clean and dry. Also, the slipperiness of these floors is low. However, in public places where there is a lot of traffic, preventing accidents such as slipping and falling is the highest priority.
Solve the problem:
- Keep polished floors free of grease, oil, and stagnant water.
- The flooring should clean daily and regularly.
- Use a non-slip detergent. These products contain special additives designed and manufactured to improve friction and make wet surfaces safer.
- A sealer layer or coating can be used for polished concrete that has an anti-slip additive.
- For polished concrete floors used in exhibition spaces or low-traffic areas, rubber mats or rugs are used in high-traffic entrances.
Is epoxy flooring slippery?
At first glance, epoxy flooring may seem like a sleek and slippery floor, but in reality, it is not. Adding an anti-slip additive to the material during application makes this surface completely safe from slipping, even when the floor is wet.
Are the materials used in epoxy flooring toxic?
For many, the question arises as to whether the materials used in epoxy flooring are hazardous or toxic. It should be noted that epoxy resin alone is not dangerous, but its combination with other chemicals can be dangerous. But experts in the field of epoxy flooring know very well how to avoid the dangers of combining these chemicals. When the flooring is completely hard and ready to use, there will be no more toxic substances in it and the surrounding environment.
Factors affecting the price of polished concrete flooring:
Concrete flooring is one of the most widely used flooring. The price of polished concrete flooring depends on several factors:
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Primary substructure:
If there is a leak, the cost and price of polished concrete flooring will decrease.
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Concrete floor level:
If the surface is uneven, you have to spend money to level and level the ground, or if your surface is entirely smooth and strong and one-handed, there is no need for additional infrastructure, and you have saved a lot.
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Project level:
If the area of your work area is high, of course, the price of each meter of flooring will be lower, and if the size of your work area is smaller, the cost of each meter of flooring will be higher.
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Colour:
Polished concrete floor paints have different prices. Gray is cheaper than red, blue, green, yellow and so on.
Finally, it can be said that compared to other types of flooring, polished concrete flooring is economical due to its easy and fast implementation.
Factors affecting the price of epoxy flooring:
Various factors affect the price of this type of flooring. Factors affecting the price of epoxy flooring include the following:
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Thickness:
The thicker the floor, the higher the price
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Flooring-type:
Epoxy materials required for applications such as parking lots, food industry halls, pharmaceutical industries, industrial and manufacturing sheds, military industries, and laboratories are different from each other.
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Current floor condition:
This factor affects the consumption of epoxy material and, ultimately, the price of the flooring.
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Area of damaged floor points:
The higher it is, the higher the required materials and ultimately the price of the flooring.
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Surface contamination rate:
Mechanical and chemical methods must remove surface contaminants. The existence of more pollution will require more detergents.
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Raw material:
The higher the price of raw materials, the higher the price of the flooring
Finally, which flooring is better?
When deciding between polished concrete floor or epoxy floor, you should first consider all the factors. In the first part of the article, we introduced each of these flooring and examined their advantages and disadvantages. In the end, the final decision between these two floorings is challenging because different factors affect your choice.
As we said, both of these floorings are reasonably priced, but the price of polished concrete flooring is lower. So if cost is significantly important to you, you should probably choose polished concrete.
Also, polished concrete is more durable and less expensive to repair. So if you want to choose a floor for a commercial space, office, home, low light, and low traffic areas, polished concrete is better for you.
Epoxy flooring is a better choice for areas that need high resistance to chemicals and abrasion. Epoxy surfaces are very durable for heavy machinery traffic. Polished concrete is more resistant to scratches than epoxy, but it wears away quickly if exposed to heavy traffic.
Epoxy coatings can be customized to suit your needs, so they are suitable for a wide range of industrial applications.
If you want great flooring with various colors or highly reflective surfaces, epoxy should be your choice.
Rejuvenation is cheaper for polished concrete than epoxy, and removing epoxy can be much more expensive than installing it.
By now, you must have noticed that the choice between polished concrete versus epoxy is not clear. Both of them have many pros and cons. Our advice is to look at the pros and cons of each and then choose the best flooring to suit your needs.
Conclusion:
In this article, we compared two types of flooring; epoxy flooring vs. polished concrete flooring. As you have read in this article, both of these floorings are among the most widely used floorings available in the market.
Stonehard, based in Sydney, Australia, offers a wide range of services in a variety of industrial flooring. As we have said, there are various factors to determine the price of epoxy or polished concrete. Contact us for advice and price evaluation of these two types of flooring. In the end, we hope that this comprehensive article has been useful for you.