Advantages and disadvantages of resin floors at home

Created for the needs of industry, today they have also become an everyday occurrence in homes and apartments. Resin floors , as we are talking about them, have become a permanent fixture in Polish homes and have become the first choice of thousands of people over the last few years. However, like any solution, resin-based floors, in addition to many advantages, also have several features that are worth knowing in advance in order to properly protect yourself or simply be aware of their existence. You will learn from this article what are the greatest advantages and disadvantages of resin floors.

Disadvantages of resin flooring at home

When choosing a resin floor in your apartment , it is worth realizing that although this type of flooring comes from industry, it has several critical features that may affect the final visual effect. One such factor is susceptibility to scratching . As in the case of popular floor panels, resins on the floor are sensitive to the appearance of scratches, especially when walking, e.g. in high-heeled shoes, not gluing furniture with felt or using swivel chairs that exert high point pressure.

It is also worth noting that, like the previously mentioned floor panels, resin floors may fade.

This effect may be visible when, for example, in the living room the furniture stays in one place for a long time, and then the furniture is rearranged and its position changes. Then the difference in shade between the part of the floor where there was furniture and the part where there was no furniture will probably be visible. However, this phenomenon is completely normal and is related to the intensity of daylight, so it is worth preparing for it.

Additionally, the vast majority of resin floors are smooth if they are applied on a properly prepared surface.

Therefore, places particularly exposed to water, e.g. the bathroom, may be slippery. However, the situation is similar in the case of smooth tiles, which are also popular in bathrooms. The same situation as in the bathroom occurs if the resin floor is applied on the terrace, where the moisture settling on the floor cannot escape. This is also a normal situation, because resin floors create tight and smooth coatings.

Chemical resistance of resin floors in the house

Not all resins are resistant to additives used in the kitchen such as ketchup or mustard, as well as alcohols - e.g. red wine. This problem mainly concerns light colors, however, if the chemical resistance of the selected preparation is not checked in advance, it may turn out that stains that are difficult to remove may appear during use. Therefore, when deciding on a specific resin, it is worth paying attention to the chemical resistance specified in the technical data sheets.

It is also worth noting that resin floors must be cleaned carefully and not all products available on the market can be used.

For example, in the event of staining, the use of popular chemicals that contain micro granules (including the popular CIF) may lead to local polishing of the floor. This effect will be even more visible if the entire floor has, for example, a matte finish. Therefore, it is important to select cleaning products in accordance with the information contained in the product's technical data sheet.

The disadvantages mentioned above are among the most visible when using resin floors in apartments . However, there are a number of solutions that can be used to reduce the risk of their occurrence. What are these solutions? You will read about this later in the article.

Advantages of resin floors in homes – effective solutions

The previous paragraph presented the greatest dangers which, without being aware of them, can be described as defects during use. However, if you are aware of them in advance - when choosing the design and making decisions about resin flooring in your home, you can choose solutions to protect yourself against potential threats. Undoubtedly, one of the easiest solutions is to protect the floor with resin varnish , which will provide additional mechanical and chemical resistance and reduce susceptibility to scratches.

One of the most popular preparations chosen to protect the floor in this way is Neodur Varnish

It is available in semi-matt and full gloss versions, which, because they are solvent-based, have high chemical resistance. Thanks to its chemical structure, it may be a solution to another problem described earlier, namely it is resistant to food or red wine stains. This makes the floor easier to keep clean. Just remember to protect the floor before use.

Additionally, Neodur Varnish is a polyurethane varnish and has built-in resistance to UV rays, which is also due to its chemical structure. This delays the yellowing of the color and the chalking process. It effectively protects the floor against the described phenomenon and minimizes differences in shade that may appear over time due to differences in light intensity in different places in the apartment. The color of the resin floor should also remain vibrant for much longer.

Neodur Varnish – most important features:

· increases scratch resistance;

· increases resistance to chemicals and food stains, including: after mustard or red wine;

· available in 2 coating finishes: glossy and semi-matte; water-based, also available in a matte version;

· resistant to UV rays - protects the resin against yellowing and chalking;

· extends the life of the floor and extends the periods between the need for renovation, making it much easier;

· full hardening time – 7 days.

Remember about anti-slip protection

Due to the fact that resins create smooth surfaces, it is worth adding an anti-slip additive in places where humidity may be high, e.g. in the bathroom, or when using the resin outdoors - on the terrace. The solution will be the addition of Neotex AntiSKID M , which, thanks to its structure and small size, is almost invisible to the naked eye, and at the same time introduces the appropriate anti-slip class, which undoubtedly translates into safety of use.

However, it is worth bearing in mind that the introduction of roughening of the surface, on the one hand, ensures comfort and safety of use, but on the other hand, it introduces the need for more frequent cleaning to keep the floor well-groomed, free from dirt and pleasing the user's eye for as long as possible.

Neotex ANTISKID M – summary:

· milky color (translucent);

· small size balls - 250-300 μm;

· introducing the appropriate anti-slip class;

· suitable for any type of resin, regardless of the type of dispersion (water, solvent system, solvent-free);

· low theoretical consumption.

The undoubted advantage of resin floors in homes is the ability to create a uniform surface that has no joints along its entire length.

A popular solution that is often used, for example in living rooms and kitchens, is Epoxol Floor . Thanks to its structure and lack of solvents, it can be applied in one layer up to 3 mm thick. into a mirror effect and a perfectly smooth surface with proper application and prior preparation of the substrate (you can read about how to prepare the substrate here

Epoxol Floor is also a safe solution for the kitchen. It is certified for contact with food, which is important for industrial applications, but it is also an advantage for residential applications. However, what may be of greater interest to household members is Epoxol Floor's to stains caused by contact with red wine.

Additionally, Epoxol Floor is colored according to the RAL palette. This feature of this product allows you to create non-standard floors in various colors, tailored to the expectations of the owners (including the popular marble effect ). Due to the fact that this resin belongs to the group of epoxy resins, it is worth protecting it with a varnish, such as the previously mentioned Neodur Varnish , to make the floor resistant to UV rays and the associated threats. It is worth mentioning that Epoxol Floor is approved for contact with food.

Thanks to this, when choosing this preparation, you can be sure that it is completely safe for use in residential buildings. In addition, it has excellent chemical resistance, which translates into easy removal of food stains, e.g. red wine or ketchup.

Epoxol Floor – most important product features:

· colored according to the RAL palette;

· possibility of obtaining a "mirror" effect;

· possibility of applying up to 3 mm in one layer;

· no built-in resistance to UV rays;

· fully hardened after 7 days, pedestrian traffic permitted after 24 hours.

Renovation of the current floor

Another advantage of resins is the possibility of using them not only to lay a new resin floor , but also to renovate existing ones - e.g. tiles or previously laid resin floors, which significantly expands the scope of their use. Often, after many years, it's time for changes in kitchens or bathrooms, but removing existing tiles is not only a time-consuming task, but also sometimes impossible to complete due to the presence of residents. Fortunately, there is a way to give these places new life.

Neopox W Plus resin , you can easily repaint the tiles, while leaving their size and structure.

This preparation belongs to the group of coating resins, i.e. those that are applied with a roller, brush or spray. It is worth remembering that the tiles themselves are smooth and non-absorbent, so you should use an appropriate primer, e.g. SUPER BINDER RO3333 . Neopox W Plus , like Epoxol Floor , is colored according to the RAL palette. This, in turn, translates into a very wide spectrum of colors that can be obtained on the floor.

The lack of solvents makes Neopox W Plus friendly not only to the environment, but also during application. Thanks to this, there is no unpleasant odor associated with solvent-based preparations, which allows renovation even if there are residents present and no nuisance should be avoided during the renovation.

Neopox W Plus – summary:

· water-based preparation, limited unpleasant odor;

· easy and friendly to apply – roller, brush, spray;

· possibility of repainting existing coatings, e.g. tiles;

· semi-gloss finish;

· good mechanical and chemical resistance;

· full hardening after 7 days.

There are also situations when time is running out or it is not possible to leave the house, for example for longer than 2 days, which makes any renovations difficult and poses certain logistical challenges. Here it is worth mentioning another advantage of resins - using some preparations, you can do the work in just a few hours and put the floor into full use the next day! This solution is guaranteed by the use of Neodur Fast Track - a quick-drying polyaspartic resin , which, in addition to the speed of application, enables work at low temperatures.

However, it should be borne in mind that when a preparation combines several features, the so-called special tasks, it may be necessary to give up some expectations, e.g. in terms of colors. In this case, there is a ready-made color base and unfortunately it is not possible to dye it with additional shades. Nevertheless, the product is available in a solvent-free and solvent-based version, so if renovation is necessary while household members are present, the unpleasant odor can be reduced to almost a minimum.

Neodur Fast Track – the most important parameters:

· possibility of completing the work and handing over the floor in a total of 36-48 hours with full hardening;

· low operating temperature (can be applied even below 0 degrees Celsius);

· fully resistant to UV rays;

· available in solvent and solvent-free versions;

· ready-made color variants.

Resin floors at home – more advantages or disadvantages?

As you can see, resin floors in apartments have many advantages that undoubtedly increase their versatility. Thanks to a wide range of possibilities, even the most demanding places and tastes will find something for themselves. Of course, we cannot forget that there are always certain risks that must be taken into account so that resin floors can serve for years. Are these disadvantages? Definitely not! And if the article interested you and you would like to learn more, check out our articles on decorative resin-based floors and resin floors for balconies or terraces.