The origins of self-leveling epoxy floors can be traced back to production halls and warehouses. For many years, they have proven effective in very harsh conditions due to their exceptional durability. What is worth knowing about self-leveling epoxy floors and what are their characteristics?

Self-leveling epoxy floors – Advantages

  • Very high abrasion resistance – this feature is essential in production plants where floors are intensively used by forklifts, trucks and heavy pedestrian traffic.
  • Another essential feature in manufacturing plants and warehouses is impact resistance. During production processes and the storage of goods, floors are particularly vulnerable to impacts from both small and large objects.
  • Another feature highly appreciated by those responsible for floors in warehouses and production halls is the fact that they are very easy to keep clean and may have hygiene certificates.

Epoxy flooring in apartments

These advantages have been noticed in recent years by owners of apartments and single-family homes. This type of flooring is increasingly being installed in kitchens and bathrooms, for example. The high gloss of epoxy floors and the ease of cleaning are particularly appreciated. This feature is possible thanks to the lack of joints. Resin manufacturers, meeting the expectations of individual customers, have begun producing decorative, self-leveling epoxy resins .

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Epoxol Design, base color light gray RAL7035 with aluminum metallic additive.

Epoxol Design decorative flooring

One of the most interesting resins for decorative flooring is Epoxol Design . It consists of a two-component epoxy resin and a two-component metallic additive. The metallic additive makes the finished floor unique and unrepeatable. Its appearance is limited only by the client's imagination and the contractor's artistic ability.

When choosing an epoxy or decorative epoxy floor, it's best to entrust the job to a company with extensive experience and knowledge in the field, and with a proven track record of completed work. However, basic knowledge of subfloor preparation and floor installation may be necessary.

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Making an epoxy floor

The installation of an epoxy floor can be divided into two stages:

1. Substrate preparation – the concrete substrate for epoxy flooring must be of good quality and have adequate compressive strength, i.e., a minimum of 25 N/mm² . An additional requirement before applying the epoxy floor is a Pull-Off test result above 1.5 MPa . The concrete must have a moisture content below 4% the contractor's experience in this matter ).

2. Flooring – the installation of an epoxy floor consists of two basic stages: priming the substrate and the actual flooring.

a) Priming the concrete substrate is intended to increase the mechanical and chemical resistance of the floor and improve the adhesion of topcoats (epoxy resins). Epoxol Primer . Apply 1-2 coats, depending on the substrate's absorbency. A properly primed substrate should have an even shine. The product can be applied to dry, cured concrete. If the concrete is fresh (at least 2 weeks old), use Neopox Primer WS . In the case of poorly executed ground insulation, where capillary action occurs, use Neopox Primer AY . This product will protect and seal off moisture from the ground.

b) After priming the substrate and waiting the appropriate time, you can begin pouring the base layer of Epoxol Design resin. It's recommended to use metal trowels, spatulas, or squeegees to spread the resin. After spreading, deaerate the resin with a special spiked roller . Deaerate the resin until no more air bubbles appear in the floor structure. This process takes approximately 10-15 minutes . Improper substrate preparation or incorrect resin preparation can result in excessive bubble formation. This step is one of the most crucial in the entire process. After deaerating the base resin, it's time to apply the metallic pigment. It's crucial to apply the metallic additive to the unbound (liquid) base resin. After pouring the decorative pigment, spread it artistically across the floor . Full curing occurs after 7 days, after which you can enjoy your unique decorative Epoxol Design epoxy floor. The ambient temperature during application and curing should be around 20-25°C to achieve the best effect.

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An unusual use of Epoxol Design – a bar counter.