Industrial-grade floor coating systems for commercial kitchens and food processing plants

1- What are the available options for commercial kitchen floor coating?

• 100% solids epoxies are good; however, however Poly-Cement finishes are a significantly better option for commercial kitchens 

2- What is the difference between the two?

• Epoxies cost less to apply whilst Poly-cement finishes are more expensive
• Epoxies can be applied by DIY or handyman’s using rollers however Poly-Cement must be applied by trained applicators using trowel
• Correctly applied epoxies have a life span of about 3 -7 years whereas a Poly-cement finish can last up to 15 years
• Contractors use specialised sand to increase an epoxy's thickness and bulk it up, which can be an issue as too much sand will reduce the quality of the finish and, after a short period of time, high-traffic areas will start showing signs of wear

3- What is the cost difference?

• The cost will depend on different variables such as area size, condition of the floor as well as the required preparation and thickness of the coating system
• A 2mm epoxy system can be applied for about $80.00 per SQM, on floors over 60 SQM, whilst a Poly-Cement system will generally cost 30% - 40% more to apply

4- What product we would recommend to be used on our jobs?

• We would recommend to use Sika Australia's floor coating products (Sikafloor) 

5- Why my epoxy floor failing?

Unfortunately, most jobs look the same when they are first completed, and it can take about 2–6 months for the coating to show any signs of failure. There are numerous reasons why an epoxy floor coating may be failing, and while each case is different, here are a few of the common issues that we face on a day-to-day basis:

• Preparation is the most important key for a successful coating system, poor prep is the biggest factor in an epoxy floor system’s failure
• Some contractors tend to do anything to quote the job low so they can secure the works, they then have to take shortcuts to ensure they are making a profit on the job; Common shortcuts are   a) Poor or no preparation   b) Use of low-quality or cheap imported epoxies   c) Applying thin layers; and d) adding excessive amount of sand or fillers to bulk up the epoxy to make it more economical 
• Moisture is another significant factor. Epoxies have very little tolerance for moisture and will lift if there is hydrostatic pressure. For this reason, we recommend a Poly-Cement coating as a much better option for Coolrooms and adjacent rooms

6- How to select the right contractor

• Always research or complete background checks by doing a few simple searches online, such as reading Google reviews or looking at their website or project photos (ensuring the quality of their reviews are correct and their photos are genuine)
• Ask for references, then call them to check on quality of their work and performance of their product 
• If possible, inspect one or a few of their jobs that are more than 6 months old; this is a key factor in determining the quality of the floor, as photos can be easily manipulated to look better online
• Ask them to install an actual sample on your floor to test it for 4 weeks before continuing with the work. These flooring systems, when done correctly, will last a significantly long time and you want to ensure it is exactly what you require
• Whilst we are all looking for ways to have projects done as cost-effectively as possible, you need to continuously ensure you are not sacrificing quality. At Sydney Epoxy Floors, we operate with integrity and will always deliver what has been promised without ever sacrificing quality over our own profit.