How Epoxy Flooring Can Maximise Efficiency in Warehouses

So, how is your warehouse floors looking?

Is it scuffed, scratched or looking a little worse for wear? A damaged floor is not only expensive to fix, but the inevitable dents and grooves are likely to give you and your staff a pallet-sized headache, over time.

When considering a suitable flooring solution for commercial use, epoxy resin flooring is hard-wearing and can increase the efficiency of your warehouse systems and staff.

But how, you may ask?

In this blog post we will explore how it can optimise your warehouse operations and efficiency.

Epoxy flooring, also known as resinous flooring, is durable, sustainable, and aesthetically pleasing (if that matters in your warehouse). There are plenty of different finishes which means you can choose something to suit the style and function of your warehouse, as well as being able to zone it with different colours.

Epoxy flooring is easy to clean and maintain, and highly resistant to wear and tear, making it one of the most long-lasting commercial flooring options available. The coating also acts to protect the concrete underneath, which, through various traffic, mostly on the same line each day, can create larger issues than just aesthetics.

What is epoxy flooring?

Creating epoxy flooring involves a minimum of two substances: polymer resins are combined with hardeners, and when mixed correctly, they react together, forming a chemical bond. This bond creates a hard plastic that is durable. The level of slip resistance can be discussed, keeping in mind the two-fold this has… safety for you, staff and customers, but also an additional protective layer on your floor to help mitigate the wear and tear of things like forklift traffic. Outlining any chemicals used will also help determine a system to use. There are numerous systems. Epoxies are NOT all the same.

Epoxy flooring is used in many commercial environments, and is also popular for use in interior and exterior residential environments. From car showrooms to offices, to warehouses and car parks, if you’re looking for something to withstand high foot traffic and heavy machinery, spills, stains and chemicals, then epoxy should be your first choice.

Increase operational efficiency with epoxy

Warehouses are the productive hub of so many industries. Whether yours is used for heavy duty manufacturing, production, distribution, logistics or even for retail and storage, they are always busy functional places.  High levels of activity and large specialised equipment mean the floors can take a hammering, literally. The warehouse is the engine room of many businesses and therefore optimising efficiency should be a number one priority.

• Epoxy resin is one of the most durable surfaces for commercial usage. The chemical bonding process which produces a tough ‘plastic’ is highly resistant to wear and tear.
• Hefty equipment such as forklifts, pallet jacks, trucks, heavy machinery and mechanical equipment can damage your floor as can chemical spills. Epoxy is a no-brainer solution for warehouse floors that are treated a little more roughly than other environments.
• There are many options to choose from, and we will recommend the right finish for your space and how it’s used, making sure that it delivers stability underfoot, and complies with OHS requirements and relevant Codes. Certification can also be provided to determine slip ratings.
• Although not designed to, warehouse staff have noted, over time, that epoxy flooring is ‘kinder’ to their feet, particularly on production lines and environments where they are on their feet for a large portion of their shift

What about safety?

Depending on usage, we will customise the final finish to deliver the right level of slip resistance to meet Slip Resistance Standards as set out in the Building Code of Australia (BCA). Different types of flooring situations require different standards of slip resistance.

Also, if you need to segment your warehouse for safety purposes, such as pedestrian walkways or restricted access zones, we’ll recommend ways to achieve this and offer choices from the many different colours and finishes available, to give extra visibility and deliver personnel safety.

A low-maintenance, cost-effective solution

Epoxy coatings are engineered to be resistant to most stressors and contaminants and are also seam-free, so cleaning and maintenance are a breeze compared to other flooring types. A list of what is used on your floor in the day-to-day running of your business will assist in choosing a system.

However, commercial floors vary in use and location and need to be designed to be fit for purpose. As such, these will vary in epoxies and other resins used, slip resistance and cleanability.

On this basis, each commercial floor will have its own set of instructions for cleaning.

If you'd like further help with choosing the right cleaning detergents, get in touch.  We have several products that we've tested and can recommend for commercial spaces along with external cleaning product manufacturers that understand epoxy and resinous products. FYI bleach is not one of the recommended products and a few years back, a cleaning company in Melbourne paid heavily for bleaching 10,000sqm of floor.

Rest assured that if your epoxy floor is correctly installed by an experienced professional and you maintain the cleanliness of your asset, it will last a very long time. Installation is fairly quick as drying times are short so you can minimise any downtown in the process - vital for efficiency in a busy warehouse environment. A good contractor will have solutions for potentially undertaking your project in stages so that production can continue.

Get in touch with the experts in epoxy flooring

Epoxy flooring provides a functional and hard-wearing surface for warehouses. Both slip and stain-resistant, it’s the ideal surface for your warehouse. Contact us today for expert advice and installation on commercial epoxy flooring.