What is The Difference Between Epoxy And Polyurethane Resin Flooring?
We offer both epoxy and polyurethane resin flooring options, which are both popular choices for industrial flooring, so how do you choose the best one for your requirements? For all intensive purposes, they function in the same ways, being reflective, easy to clean and durable, so what exactly is the difference?
Temperature resistance
If your facility operates at a very high or low temperature, then polyurethane flooring is often the superior choice, as their elasticity makes them more resistant to extreme temperatures than more rigid epoxy flooring. This makes polyurethane flooring a common choice for food facilities where changes in temperature are commonplace and is resistant to temperatures between -30 and 120 degrees Celsius.
Durability
Whilst both are generally hard-wearing, epoxy flooring is overall the stronger of the two, with a more rigid composition and higher compression strength than polyurethane flooring; this makes it a more popular choice for warehouses, garages and heavy industry facilities.
Chemical resistance
Both epoxy and polyurethane flooring react differently when exposed to different chemicals, so it’s worth considering which chemicals it will come into contact with in your industry. Epoxy flooring is the better choice if it’s likely to come into contact with sulfuric acids, such as that found in batteries, whilst polyurethane is the better choice if the flooring is likely to be exposed to lactic acids, like that found in dairy products.
Scratch resistance
Due to its better elasticity and shock absorption, polyurethane flooring is considered more suitable for high foot traffic areas, as it’s more resistant to scratching than epoxy flooring; this makes it an excellent choice for reception and office areas, where the flooring is not required to have maximum durability.
Do you need further help in deciding whether epoxy flooring or polyurethane resin is the best option for your industrial flooring? Our expert team can help recommend the right one for you. Contact us on 01794 885 996.