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Maintaining the Beauty of Your Epoxy Flake Floor

Epoxy flake floors have gained immense popularity in commercial and industrial settings due to their durability, aesthetics, and resistance to wear and tear. Until 2030 or later, industry experts are predicting that the epoxy floor coating market will grow by about 5.5% each year on average. These seamless, decorative flooring systems not only enhance the overall look of a space but also provide a long-lasting and cost-effective solution. However, like any other surface, epoxy flake floors require regular care and maintenance to preserve their beauty and functionality. In this blog, we will discuss essential tips and best practices for a commercial or industrial property manager to ensure the longevity and attractiveness of their epoxy flake floor.

Understanding Epoxy Flake Floors

Before diving into maintenance tips, it’s crucial to have a basic understanding of epoxy flake floors. These floors are composed of multiple layers, including a base coat, epoxy resin layer, colored vinyl chips (flakes), and a topcoat. They are known for their durability, chemical resistance, and aesthetic appeal. Epoxy flake floors are commonly found in industrial facilities, commercial kitchens, garages, and even retail spaces due to their versatile nature.

Routine Cleaning

Proper and regular cleaning is the cornerstone of maintaining the beauty of your epoxy flake floor. Develop a cleaning schedule that includes daily, weekly, and monthly tasks:

  1. Daily Cleaning: Dust and debris can accumulate on the surface, dulling its shine. Use a soft-bristle broom or a dust mop to remove dirt and dust daily. This prevents small particles from scratching the surface when people walk on it.
  2. Weekly Cleaning: Perform a more thorough cleaning once a week. Use a pH-balanced, non-abrasive cleaner or a mild dish soap mixed with water. Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive scrubbers, as they can damage the epoxy surface. Mop the floor with this solution and rinse it thoroughly to eliminate any residue.
  3. Monthly Cleaning: To maintain the epoxy’s luster, consider a monthly maintenance routine that involves buffing or burnishing the surface. This process will help restore the shine and remove minor surface imperfections.

Stain Prevention and Removal

Epoxy flake floors are highly resistant to stains, but immediate action is crucial to prevent staining. Here’s what you need to know:

  1. Chemical Spills: In industrial settings, chemical spills are common. Ensure that your staff is well-trained in handling spills promptly. Use absorbent materials like cat litter or sawdust to soak up the spilled chemicals. Clean the area with a pH-neutral cleaner to prevent etching of the epoxy surface.
  2. Oil and Grease: In commercial kitchens and automotive facilities, oil and grease can be a challenge. Clean these spills immediately with a degreaser designed for epoxy floors to prevent staining. A citric acid cleaner is often the best tool for dealing with a rubber burn on epoxy flooring.
  3. Wine and Food: In retail or restaurant spaces, food and drink spills can happen. Quickly wipe up these spills to avoid staining and stickiness on the floor.
  4. Gum and Adhesives: Remove gum and adhesives as soon as possible. You can use ice to harden the gum, making it easier to scrape off gently. Avoid using sharp tools that might scratch the epoxy.

Regular Inspections

Frequent inspections are essential to catch any issues before they worsen. Property managers should routinely examine the epoxy flake floor for:

  1. Cracks and Damage: Check for any cracks or damaged areas in the epoxy surface. Address these issues promptly to prevent them from spreading and compromising the floor’s integrity.
  2. Wear Patterns: In high-traffic areas, monitor wear patterns. Consider using mats or rugs in these areas to distribute the load and reduce wear.
  3. Topcoat Condition: The topcoat provides additional protection to the epoxy floor. Check its condition and reapply it as needed to maintain the floor’s gloss and durability.

Maintaining Furniture and Equipment

Properly maintaining furniture and equipment can also impact the longevity of your epoxy flake floor:

  1. Use Furniture Pads: Place furniture pads or gliders under heavy furniture to prevent scratches and scuffs when moving or rearranging.
  2. Casters: Ensure that chairs and equipment with casters have soft, non-marking wheels that won’t damage the epoxy surface.
  3. Weight Distribution: Heavy equipment or machinery should be placed on load-bearing pads or distributed on a larger surface area to prevent concentrated pressure on the floor.

Periodic Re-Coating

Over time, the topcoat of your epoxy flake floor may wear down, leading to a loss of shine and protection. Property managers should consider periodic re-coating to restore the floor’s appearance and durability. The frequency of re-coating depends on the level of traffic and wear your floor experiences but typically ranges from every 3 to 5 years.

Professional Maintenance

While many maintenance tasks can be performed in-house, certain aspects of epoxy flake floor care are best handled by professionals. These include:

  1. Resealing: Reapplying the epoxy topcoat should be done by experienced professionals to ensure an even and lasting finish.
  2. Repairs: If your epoxy floor sustains significant damage, such as deep cracks or delamination, it’s advisable to seek professional repair services to restore the floor’s integrity.

Trust the Professionals with Your Epoxy Flake Floor

Epoxy flake floors are an excellent choice for commercial and industrial spaces due to their durability and aesthetic appeal. By following these maintenance tips and best practices, property managers can ensure that their epoxy flake floors remain beautiful and functional for years to come. A well-maintained floor not only enhances the overall look of the space but also saves time and money in the long run by reducing the need for costly repairs and replacements. Remember, regular cleaning, stain prevention, inspections, and occasional professional maintenance are key to preserving the beauty of your epoxy flake floor. Contact us today to get started!

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The Importance of Choosing the Right Industrial Flooring for Your Business

At nearly 6 million, the number of commercial buildings in the U.S. is growing, according to the latest Census Bureau data. As the number of spaces shows expansion, it’s essential to consider the type of industrial flooring system in the space. The right commercial flooring is necessary for your employees, customers, and clients.

Things to consider when choosing an industrial flooring system include experience, commercial space needs, maintenance, and types of coatings. Once you make the right choice, you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing you made the right decision.

Here are the essential factors to consider when installing industrial flooring.

Experience

Regardless of their purchase, people want and trust experienced people on the job. The most recent data suggests that nearly 90 percent of people consider experience when making a decision.

Choose a commercial flooring installer that knows how to work with commercial businesses. For example, they should work around your schedule to limit the impact on customers, employees, or clients.

Consider asking about experience like it’s a job interview. Prepare a list of questions. Ask if they have any special training or education, and find out if you can see other floor installation jobs.

Online reviews can be invaluable when choosing an industrial flooring company. People are not shy about giving their opinions online. These reviews will help you avoid the pitfalls or challenges of a business with little experience.

Consider the company’s experience with an industrial flooring system, concrete polishing, or epoxy coating. You want the job done right. Moreover, experts will make the proper recommendations so you don’t make a bad decision.

Needs

Before choosing an industrial flooring system for your commercial space, you must decide on its use. Flooring is versatile, but when you figure out the needs, it will make for a better experience.

Industrial flooring fits many business types. Car dealerships, airports, retail, government facilities, and churches can benefit.

Garage

Car fluids such as oil, grease, and parts in a garage fall to the floor regularly. Slippery substances can be a hazard.

Shop towels, brooms, and mops can soak up and clean the floor, but the wrong flooring can make it difficult. Commercial floor coatings like epoxy flooring are best for these needs.

Many people will walk through a garage, including employees and customers. Make the area safe for everyone.

Food Prep

Anyone who has ever worked in a kitchen knows all kinds of things end up on the floor: water, cooking oil, and even bits of peppers, onions, and carrots.

You want an easy clean-up. Use a floor coating to clean up spills and messes.

Manufacturing

A workspace where employees manufacture construction materials, home goods, or packaging materials sees a lot of foot traffic. Forklifts and other vehicles often load pallets of goods onto trucks.

You also want suitable flooring materials that hold up well for employees so there are no chips or cracks.

Maintenance

More than 200,000 slip and fall in workplace accidents each year, according to the National Safety Council. In 2020, more than 800 people were killed.

It’s important to have commercial floor coatings that are easy to clean. Moreover, you want a floor coating that dries quickly to get operations back up and running quickly.

An easy-to-clean surface also means eliminating any bacteria or germs quickly. Both of these can make people sick!

Types of Flooring

When choosing installation for commercial floor coatings, you have many choices. Knowing the differences and how each can benefit you is important.

Concrete

Concrete flooring systems are very versatile. You can use them in almost any space. Concrete can withstand spills, heat, cold, and even fire.

It can also keep your building cool, keeping your energy bills down.

Concrete polishing adds an extra layer of protection to your floors. While concrete is a great addition, concrete polishing will hold up even better to spills, stains, equipment, and heavy foot traffic. It will extend the lifespan of your floors.

The process takes several steps. First, a crew will grind the floor and then add abrasives to the concrete.

The end result? A glossy or satin look, depending on your choice.

Epoxy

Concrete coatings, such as epoxy coatings, use a resin and polyamine hardener on the floor.

One of the significant benefits of an epoxy coating is that you can color and decorate the floor. Don’t settle for a standard concrete color. Match the color of your floors to your brand.

Epoxy floors are also eco-friendly. Once you put the finish down, it’s done. An epoxy concrete coating on your floors can last 10 to 20 years. Flooring doesn’t need constant replacing.

Restorations

Perhaps your concrete floor is in good shape but needs some rehab work. Consider a floor restoration to help your flooring look as good as new again.

A crew will come into your commercial space, assess the damage, and then develop a plan to restore your floors. Workers will remove any old layers, chips, and cracks and then add the floor coating of your choice.

It’s less expensive than you think and adds years of life to your business.

Cost

Every project must conform to the budget. Work with a professional team at an industrial flooring company to stay within the parameters of your budget.

Several things will change the cost, including the type of concrete coverings you choose and the size of your space.

Factors To Consider in Industrial Flooring

Factors to consider in industrial flooring include choosing an industrial flooring system, experience, commercial space needs, maintenance, and types of coatings. Furthermore, consider the cost.

Your commercial space is important because your business is your life’s work. Treat it well!

Let us show you how we can improve your business space with the best floor coatings on the market today. Our skilled team can take on the job regardless of your business-from manufacturing to retail. Impress your customers, clients, and employees with our top-notch concrete floor coverings!

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The Advantages of Polyaspartic Floor Coating: A Durable and Versatile Solution

A lot of people are shocked when they discover how much the market for floor coatings around the world is thriving. Experts expect that this industry will continue to grow at a rate of more than 4.3% each year until 2028 at least. Even now, this market already generates more than $6.7 billion in revenue every year!

One of the reasons that this industry is doing so well is that more people are learning about polyaspartic floor coating options. You might already be familiar with some of the benefits that traditional floor coatings can provide. However, you might be surprised when you find out all the different ways that polyaspartic floor coatings can benefit you even more.

So what is it about these floor coatings that provide so much value for the businesses that get them? Read on to learn all about the biggest advantages of having a polyaspartic floor coating in your building!

Enjoy Durability With a Polyaspartic Coating

In the past, most people got floor coatings to protect their underlying floors. However, traditional floor coatings only provide so much protection. These days, you can enjoy a much more robust layer of protection for your floors with polyaspartic materials.

For one thing, these floors provide an excellent seal. As a result, it is much more difficult for water and other liquids to seep into the underlying floor and damage it.

On top of that, polyaspartic coatings provide protection from the harsh UV rays of the Sun. That means that you can even install them in areas that receive plenty of sunlight. This is a big advantage over traditional floor coating materials like epoxy that turn yellow after sun exposure.

Polyaspartic floor coatings will also provide more protection from scratches, scrapes, and blunt force. A strong blow could damage an old epoxy floor coating. However, your polyaspartic coating will be able to take a much greater beating before showing any damage.

Polyaspartic floor coatings also provide protection against a wide range of chemicals. That means that the occasional spill does not have to turn into a crisis.

Because these floor coatings are so robust, they do not become too smooth or slippery after years of wear and tear. That can provide extra safety for the people who walk on your floor as well.

Polyaspartic Floor Coatings Are Quick to Install

In the past, you might have had to vacate your building for 3 days to have an epoxy floor coating installed. Even after you returned, you might have discovered that lingering fumes were polluting the air of your building.

However, you can have a quality polypartic floor coating installed in as little as an hour. That means that you can keep your business operations up and running and avoid losing money to wasted time. It also makes it much more convenient for you to find a good time to have a great floor coating installed.

On top of that, polyaspartic floor coatings generate almost no odor. That means that the aftermath of the installation process will be much more pleasant for everyone working in the area.

Decrease Floor Maintenance With Floor Coating Options

With a polyaspartic floor coating, you will be able to get by with spending less time and effort on floor care.

For one thing, these floors are much more resistant to stains than bare concrete or traditional floor coatings. On top of that, it is much easier to clean dirt and other debris off of a polyaspartic floor coating.

In the past, you might have needed to put some serious elbow grease into getting your floors clean. Even when you are done, you might still see old stains on the floor. However, your polyaspartic floor coating will make cleaning easier and faster as well as more effective.

Of course, your floor coating will also protect your floor from damage, so you will not have to spend much effort on repairing damage to it.

Save Money With a Polyaspartic Floor Coating

Many of the advantages of polyaspartic floor coatings translate to saved money. Because cleaning them is easier, you may be able to spend less money on paying people to clean and polish your floors. You can also avoid spending money on expensive floor repairs.

Because these floor coatings last so long, you will also not need to spend extra money on replacing them. In the long run, that can make a polyaspartic floor coating an investment that will save you money.

Use a Coating to Improve Your Floor’s Appearance

On top of everything else, polyaspartic floor coatings will improve the appearance of your floor. As we have discussed, they will help your floors stay clear of stains. Your floors will also be generally cleaner because of how easy it is to clean polyaspartic surfaces.

On top of that, polyaspartic coatings can fill in little scratches and divots in your floor. That can help give a smooth and uniform appearance to your floor, helping it look like new.

Enjoy the Benefits of a Polyaspartic Floor Coating

Once you understand more about the benefits of polyaspartic floor coatings, you might wonder why you have not heard more about them before. As this market continues to grow, we will continue to see more businesses and homes benefit from these quality floor coatings. Polyaspartic is the perfect material to protect your floor and help you save money in the long run.

To learn more about how you can find the best company for your floor coating needs, reach out and get in touch with us here at any time!

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Floor Polishing for Commercial Spaces: Creating a Clean and Professional Environment

It’s estimated that there are roughly 5.5 million commercial buildings located in the US. Out of these buildings, around 350,000 are commercial industrial buildings.

If you manage a commercial building, there are certain things you need to focus on. An example of this is floor polishing for the different floors of the building.

This may seem like a small thing, but floor polishing is very important. There are many reasons why this is necessary and how it can benefit a building.

Keep reading to find out why floor polishing for commercial spaces is so important.

Why Is Floor Polishing Important?

There are several tasks you have when you own or manage a commercial building. An important job is the floor polishing process for the different floors.

This falls into the category of general maintenance for the building. Some people try to do this themselves, but that is not an ideal option.

You need floor polishing machines and the right experience. That is why it is much better to hire professionals like those at Global Polishing Solutions.

Here are some of the reasons why you need regular floor polishing services.

Provides Protection

Cleaning a commercial space is no easy task for managers. It is important that you are also focusing on keeping things in good condition long-term.

Polishing concrete floors is a great preventative step. The polishing process helps to protect the surface of the floor from wear and tear.

It won’t be as susceptible to damage like dings and scratches. It is also less likely to show scuff marks and other impurities.

Polishing the floor also reduces the debris trapped in the cracks and crevices. These are areas hard to reach with normal cleaning methods, resulting in wear and tear over time.

Makes Cleaning Easier

A difficult part of commercial building maintenance is keeping everything clean. One of the main things you have to focus on is keeping the floor in good condition.

Dozens of people walk over these floors every single day. Depending on the type of floor, keeping it clean can be a big job that never seems to end.

Hiring floor polishing services will make floor maintenance much easier. There will be fewer areas for debris to build up, and things won’t cling to the floor as badly.

The floor is also going to naturally have a cleaner appearance on a daily basis. It won’t show marks or dirt as much since the surface is much shinier.

Improves Appearance

How your commercial building looks makes a big impact. Even something as insignificant as the floors can either improve or downplay the entire building.

You want to make sure the building is kept looking in good condition at all times. This gives people a good first impression and shows that you pay attention to the little details.

How to Find the Best Floor Polishing Company

Commercial buildings need to have regular floor polishers on hand. This is an important aspect of floor care just like sweeping and mopping.

This is a company that you will most likely work with for many years to come. That is why it is important to make sure you choose the right company for your building.

Research Online

The first place you should start is looking online at local companies. You want to make sure the company is local so that it will have better availability.

Look at the website to see if it is professional and answers your questions. You should also take the time to read online reviews to see what other clients have to say.

Make sure you are only looking at companies that have experience in your area. If your building has concrete floors, that company should provide concrete floor polishing.

In some instances, you may need a company with experience and multiple kinds of flooring.

Get Quotes

As you narrow down your list, you also want to consider the cost. Most companies are willing to provide a quote to give you a basic idea.

This isn’t always exact, but it allows you to get perspective. Keep in mind that you don’t want to simply choose the cheapest option you find.

You need to make sure you are paying for quality, otherwise, the rate isn’t going to be worth it.

Look at Availability

It is always a good sign if a floor polishing company is busy. However, you don’t want to choose a company that is so busy it doesn’t have time for you.

The company should have enough availability to fit you in within a decent timeframe. This ensures you can get floor polishing services when they are in need.

Consider Polishing Tools

There are many questions you want to ask a floor polishing company before hiring them. One of these questions is the kind of equipment the company uses.

Commercial cleaning equipment is important when it comes to the value of the service. They should be using the most up-to-date equipment that is standard for that type of floor.

Floor Polishing: Considerations For Commercial Spaces

Cleaning a commercial space involves a lot of separate tasks. One of these tasks includes floor polishing which helps protect the floor and makes cleaning easier.

This is not a DIY project because you need special tools and experience. That is why you want to find a local floor polishing company that provides the best services.

Do you need commercial floor polishing? Contact us today at Global Polishing Solutions to get started.