company news about The Differences of Epoxy and Polyurethane Flooring - Feiyang Protech

Operational differences of epoxy and polyurethane

Epoxy floors are usually more sturdy than Polyurethanes.

• They have a higher compressive and impact strength
• This makes them durable in heavy-duty facilities

For these reasons epoxies are preferred in

• Warehouses
• Heavy industry
• Logistics centers
• Facilities with heavy
• forklift traffic

Polyurethane floors are usually softer and more elastic.

• This gives them better resistance to scratching
• And better resistance to shallow freezing temperatures

Polyurethane floors are therefore preferred

• In spaces with foot traffic
• In multideck car parks, since the elastic layer can act as a waterproofing layer
• In freezing chambers where temperatures can reach -30℃

Chemical resistance

• Polyurethanes are preferred in dairy production (milk, yogurt, cheese) as they behave better with lactic acids
• Epoxies are preferred in industries with sulfuric acids
• Always check with the manufacturer of the product

Application differences of epoxy and polyurethane

Epoxy is always the better choice when working in environments where humidity could become an issue. Polyurethane floors are more sensitive to moisture. Epoxy resins are also susceptible to moisture, but the damage done by humidity will be far more limited to some discoloration or blushing.

Polyurethane floors can be easily modified to extend or limit their pot life, re-coat time, and total curing time.

This flexibility enables contractors to complete PU floors much quicker and turn over the floors to their customers in a much shorter period. Epoxy floors are much less flexible in this respect. They usually require seven days to cure fully.

In general, polyurethanes are more challenging to work with. Their limited pot life and humidity issues require well-trained and experienced staff.