Why Epoxy Decking Coating is Great When Renovating Outdoor Spaces
With property prices on the rise and land at a premium, making smarter use of the property you already have available has become more and more important. Renovating outdoor spaces like decks, balconies, patios and pergolas is a great way to make better use of existing spaces, and with many great flooring options available, including epoxy decking coating, you can really maximise your indoor/outdoor flow.
Flooring options for exterior spaces
Flooring choices in exterior spaces have typically included:
- Bare concrete
- Timber decking
- Modern composite or rubber style decking
- Tiles
- Artificial turf
- Marine carpet
- Vinyl and laminate
- Hardwood
However, with the right substrate and preparation, an effective alternative is epoxy which, when professionally installed, will give you a seamless, watertight and very attractive floor finish. And for flooring on a split level, multi-storey home, it’s a great option.
Substrate considerations for multi-level homes
Decks, patios and balconies — constructed with the right materials — can be ideal candidates for epoxy decking coating, but the underlying surface is important to consider first because epoxy is not always suitable for every situation. Also, not all epoxies are created equal, and the credentials and experience of the epoxy installer you use are important in terms of getting the right advice, quote and quality of finish.
Concrete is a common substrate used at ground level for flooring. Once used above ground on higher levels of your home, the technical components get more complicated and the project can be more costly. As an alternative, manufactured compressed fibre cement sheeting can be used. This is a non-combustible, water and fire-resistant product that can be attached to steel or timber joists as a base floor surface for higher levels in your home, such as balconies.
From an epoxy decking coating point of view, the thickness of the board is crucial as typical epoxies cannot handle movement. To cope with non-movement, the joists may be placed closer to each other and thicker board used with any gaps filled with an epoxy filler to tighten the surface.
With an appropriate substrate or board in place, you can then focus on the type of flooring you want to apply over top. When deciding what will work best, the look is important but so is functionality, durability and safety. That’s where epoxy comes in.
Benefits of epoxy decking coating
For exterior spaces like balconies, an epoxy decking coating has a number of benefits. Epoxy provides:
- A highly durable, long lasting coating that’s resistant to abrasions when you accidentally drop something on it
- Added protection for your floor; it gives you a hard coating that prevents moisture and liquid from seeping into the underlying substrate
- Ease of maintenance and cleaning
Additional treatments can also provide UV stability (to prevent fading) and slip-resistance, which is particularly important in exterior areas.
A water-proof membrane that fulfils Australian standards may be required and installed in multi-level dwellings. Of course, this is all dependent on where you reside and what might lie just beneath the coating area. The area will also need to be cross-checked before installation to ensure that it complies with your local council's guidelines.
Talk to the epoxy experts
When choosing a flooring option for your home, it’s important to consult with experts that understand the different considerations, benefits and constraints of the area you want to renovate or refresh. Epoxy flooring Brisbane experts can provide you practical, experienced advice so that you can achieve the best outcome possible for your space.
Tough Floors has extensive experience in creating beautiful and practical flooring finishes in all sorts of environments and areas, both interior and exterior. No matter if you're looking to get your living room floor done or if you're interested in epoxy garage flooring, get in touch today for friendly, prompt and valuable advice – and a free quote.
