Epoxy Flooring Key Terms

Learn the key terms related to epoxy flooring

By Howard Robertson

Epoxy flooring is useful for any application where there is a possible chemical exposure or heat exposure. Epoxy flooring is gaining popularity in commercial as well as residential applications and is extremely useful in acid rooms, laboratories, food processing plants, factories and even kitchens.

Whether you want to use epoxy flooring for commercial or residential purposes, you will need to be conversant with certain key terms that you will hear from suppliers and service providers. This guide explains some of the common terms associated with epoxy flooring, such as surface preparation, acid etching, epoxy adhesive and quartz epoxy.

Epoxy

Epoxy is a thermosetting polymer that dries when mixed with a catalyzing agent or hardener.
Try: EpoxyandEpoxyFlooring.com, an online knowledge resource for epoxy flooring, explains the term epoxy.

Epoxy flooring

You can apply epoxy flooring (also known as epoxy floor coating or epoxy resin flooring) to different surfaces, such as steel, concrete and wood. Epoxy floors or floor coatings are nothing but multiple epoxy layers placed on a floor surface.
Try: Home Improvement Pages, an online resource for information related to home improvement, provides the explanation about epoxy flooring. You can refer to Prabal Enterprises, a company catering to the construction industry for concrete repairs and epoxy floorings, for information about epoxy flooring.

Surface preparation

Surface preparation improves the bonding between the floor surface and the epoxy layer. Proper surface preparation ensures that the surface is clean and free of any contamination so that the bond remains strong.
Try: Electrocoating and Insulation Technologies, a polymer coatings manufacturer, provides detailed information about the surface preparation technique. For information regarding surface preparation, you can also refer to R.E. Enterprises, a service provider for concrete resurfacing and metal roofing.

Acid etching

Acid etching is one of the surface preparation methods that involves the reaction of a dilute solution of hydrochloric acid to the concrete surface and then rinsing it off with water. The acid reacts with the dust particles on the concrete surface and dissolves it. Then these dust particles and other water-soluble contaminants are washed away with water.
Try: Vanguard Concrete Coating, a specialist in concrete flooring, explains the acid etching process. To learn more about the acid etching process, you can refer to Progressive Epoxy Polymers, Inc., an online resource for epoxy-related information.

Epoxy adhesive

Epoxy adhesive is a two-part resin glue that is extremely strong. This strength makes it a suitable material for flooring. Epoxy adhesive is also useful for wood, metal, glass, stone and even plastics. This high-performance adhesive is extremely resistant to heat and chemicals, which makes it useful for the aircraft and automobile industries.
Try: For information related to epoxy adhesives, you can refer to ITW Devcon, a manufacturer of adhesive technology and products. Additionally, Armstrong World Industries, a reputable manufacture of floors, ceilings and cabinets, provides information regarding epoxy adhesives.

Quartz epoxy

Quartz epoxy coating is a combination of solid epoxy and small granules of multi-colored quartz.
Try: For information regarding quartz epoxy, you can refer to the website of Exotic Concrete, installers of decorative and protective concrete enhancements.