Understand the hospitals and laboratory self leveling epoxy technology.
Epoxy and polyurethane are great for protecting your floor against stains, damage, chemicals, oils, and wear as
well as eliminating concrete dust. They are both easy to clean, and long lasting. They also have their own
advantages depending on the application. So which one should you use and what is the difference? Well, the
short answer for most applications is polyurethane. Let’s see why.
Effective hospitals and laboratory self leveling epoxy
EPOXY FLOOR COATING
a. Epoxy is a thermosetting polymer which is available in three different formulations for a floor
coating and sealer; water based, solvent based, and 100% solids. These formulations allow for
varying degrees of thickness from 3 mm to over 10 mm for a single coating for a floor. They also
allow for ease of application, special bonding characteristics, and VOC considerations. Epoxy
bonds extremely well to properly prepared concrete and can sometimes be used as a resurfacing
agent for old or worn concrete that needs a new floor surface.
b. The best epoxy formulations are 100% solids and provide for an extremely hard and thick
surface. This self-levelling thickness contributes to filling in the small hairline cracks and
imperfections of the floor as well as providing protection. However it is very brittle and once
cracked, tends to lift and peel easily. This lack of flexibility also then limits the kind of surfaces
that epoxies can coat.
c. Though some epoxy formulas come with U.V. inhibitors, they will still eventually yellow or amber
as the industry calls it when exposed to sunlight for any length of time. This is something to
consider when choosing a floor finish.
Powerful hospitals and laboratory self leveling epoxy
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- POLYURETHANE FLOOR COATING
a. Like epoxy, polyurethane is a thermosetting polymer as well and is considered a high
performance coating. Of the different formulations available, aliphatic polyurethane is the
desired choice for floors. Though they are approximately 60% to 70% solids depending on the
manufacturer, a polyurethane coating is only about 2 to 3 mm in thickness and can’t be adjusted
as with epoxy.
b. Don’t let the thinner dry film thickness fool you however. Aliphatic polyurethane has more
flexibility than epoxy and it is this flexibility that aids in absorbing impacts better and means it
can be used on a variety of different substrates. It is also much more abrasion resistant. In fact,
some manufacturer’s claim that the wear resistance of polyurethane over epoxy is almost 3 to 1.
The resistance to chemicals is better than epoxy as well and this includes resistance to solvents
such as methylene chloride which is the primary ingredient in paint stripper. It is also highly
reflective and can provide a very glossy surface that gives your floor depth and allows for better
visibility of objects left unattended on the floor.
c. Another advantage of polyurethane over epoxy is that it is U.V. stable. This means that it won’t
yellow like epoxy does when exposed to small amounts of sunlight over a period of time. The
surface of polyurethane is not as hard as epoxy but it is much more scratch resistant, can
tolerate larger temperature swings, and handles humidity much better. It is also available in
different finishes from satin to very glossy and is non-porous which is ideal when considering
ease of cleaning and health and safety in food preparation environments.
