Concrete floors are durable, but over time, unprotected concrete can show signs of wear. Warehouse floors that see a lot of vehicle traffic from forklifts, stock pickers, and other equipment can benefit from a warehouse floor epoxy lining to seal and protect the floor from damage over time.
Epoxy Versus Paint
In the past, concrete floors were often painted to seal them, but in a warehouse where forklifts and other equipment were moving around, the paint would eventually wear through and begin to chip and peel. Repainting the floor was possible, but often that meant shutting down the warehouse for a few days.
Warehouse epoxy floor lining or coating offers the same ability to seal and protect as the paint did, but it is far more durable, so wear is less of an issue. Epoxy coatings are often applied in multiple stages, so each layer builds on the next with a clear layer applied on top. This makes adding lines and marked areas easier, and the lines don't fade over time because they are under the transparent epoxy layer.
Warehouses often have marked traffic lanes, numbers on the floor, and marked areas for staging materials, or restricted areas that machines are not allowed in. Painted floors often meant that those market areas must be applied on top of the paint, so they were quick to wear off and require repainting.
Floor Durability
Warehouse epoxy floor lining or coating is extremely durable, and the typical lifespan of a high traffic floor can be three or more years. Instead of replacing the coating on the floor several times a year, which is common with painted floors, the epoxy will last much longer.
If the epoxy is put down in layers and sealed correctly, the topcoat can be reapplied without affecting any of the coatings below it. If the floor is not maintained well, you could see some wear through the topcoat that damaged the epoxy coating below it, and then the job will require more work to repair.
Cracks, scratches, and gouges in the floor are not common with epoxy floor lining or coating, but if they do occur, the finish can be buffed and the scratches or gouges filled with more material, making the damage undetectable once the repair has cured and hardened.
Warehouse epoxy floor lining or coating is also chemical-resistant, so spills on the floor of the warehouse are easily cleaned up. The floor will typically remain undamaged and in good condition once the chemical or liquid is removed, and the epoxy will keep any chemicals or other materials from seeping through the floor to the concrete below.