A Guide to Coated Concrete Floors

The popularity of coated concrete floors has been resurging in popularity for the last several years. It’s easy to understand why. Concrete floors are durable and environmentally-friendly. The different coatings available for finishing concrete floors add additional properties to the floor.

Consider this blog your guide to coatings for concrete floors. And consider Specialty Coatings the experts in the field. We apply all forms of coatings for concrete floors for commercial and industrial businesses and organizations.

What Is a Coated Concrete Floor?

Concrete floors that are covered with a final coating of a special material such as epoxy or polyurethane are “coated concrete floors.” A particular type of coatings may add a pleasing aesthetic to the floor, make the floor stand up better to high-traffic, make the floor skid-resistant, etc.

What Are the Types of Concrete Floor Coatings?

There are typically four concrete floor coatings: epoxy coatings, polyurethane, polyaspartic, and acrylic coatings.

Epoxy Floor Coatings

Epoxy coatings are a very rigid coating that adheres to base concrete surfaces well. It is durable, impact-resistant, and resistant to oils and solvents. It’s a good application for a warehouse.

Polyurethane Floor Coatings

Polyurethane floor coatings look very similar to epoxy coatings, but they are softer and more flexible. They are perfect for high pedestrian areas because they are not as hard on the body when standing or walking on it. It is a popular coating in airports, car parks, and hospitals.

Polyaspartic Floor Coatings

Polyaspartic coatings are in the polyurethane family but unlike epoxy or urethane, they require only one coat. Like polyurethan, polyaspartic is good for heavy pedestrian traffic.

Which Coating Is Best?

To select the best coating, you need to identify the following before making a decision:

the condition and age of the floor
the desired thickness of the coating
the performance conditions you require
the aesthetic you want
the life expectancy you expect
the time that you have available for the installation and curing process

Call Specialty Coatings For Assistance

Call our experts today, and we can help you make the right choices for your needs. We have years of experience that will get the job done right the first time around.

A Guide to the Best Concrete Floor Covering for You

Concrete floors are resurging in popularity in the commercial and industrial sectors. However, selecting the best concrete floor covering can become overwhelming for the average buyer. This is due in part because different floor coatings have different functions. In this blog we explain some of the differences in floor coatings and point out their different functions.

Concrete Floor Coating Choices

The various choices for the best concrete floor covering for you are polyurethane, polyaspartic, epoxy and acrylic coatings. We explain the benefits and downsides of each to help you choose the best one for your application.

Polyurethane. These coating are not as rigid as epoxy and work well where people will be standing or walking on it. It is not a good choice for areas with a lot of moisture.
Epoxy. It is a durable and impact-resistant coating that makes it popular for warehouses, garages, industrial plants, and even commercial spaces. These coverings do not work well with older floors with cracks and stains.
Acrylic. Its high gloss finish is more for decoration than durability. It is not suitable for high traffic areas. It is fast drying and the most cost efficient. But beware – you might need repeated treatments.
Polyaspartic. Because of its durability, stain resistance, and UV light resistance, polyaspartic makes the perfect coating to cover porous concrete floors. This coating only requires one application. So, if time is important ,then this is the coating you need. Because it does require skilled laborers, this is not a choice if you want to apply the coating yourself.

Specialty Coatings Is the Southeast’s Leader in Concrete Coatings

As you decide the best concrete floor covering, let the professionals at Specialty Coatings help you. We have been in business in Nashville since 1995. Our experience will be valuable to you in making the right choice for your concrete flooring covering. We also can prep your floors if they need concrete grinding, shot blasting or repairs.

Getting the Right Industrial Flooring System

The floor coatings in industrial facilities have the hardest job in the building. They have to withstand things such as heavy skid loaders and machinery, chemical and corrosive spills, constant traffic, and high temperatures, to name a few. If the industrial flooring system can’t handle this type of onslaught, everything else is at risk.

Specialty Coating Has the Right Industrial Flooring System for Any Application

We customize the floor coating systems to suit the specific conditions of a particular industry area, including automotive, electronics, chemical, food and beverage facilities, warehouses, parking garages, and hangars. Our industrial floor coatings can handle high traffic, harsh chemicals, extreme temperatures, heavy weight, and more. We offer seamless, easy-to-clean floor coatings that remove potential breeding grounds for bacteria or contaminants.

Specialty Coating is not a “one solution fits all” service provider. We work with you to understand your facility’s needs by area and recommend the best floor systems for your budget and your regulatory compliance issues.

Industrial Areas with Unique Requirements

Not every industrial flooring system is under high stress. Some just have unique requirements. Specialty Coatings can install the proper coatings for these areas as well. These areas might include the following:

Highly aesthetic and decorative areas
Wet areas
Dry areas
Cleanrooms
Static-sensitive areas
Areas with extreme exposure
Non-skid areas

Why Choose Us for Your Industrial Floor Coating?

Specialty Coatings is one of the most trusted Epoxy Flooring and Concrete Staining and Polishing companies in Tennessee and the Southeast.

Here are some of the factors that have earned us this reputation:

Sheer volume of work – we typically complete around 400 floor projects a year
Expertise and skill level – Ability to perform difficult or unique projects with highly specialized needs
Experience – Over 25 years in business means we’ve seen and done it all
Ability to deliver what we sell – We are experts at meeting deadlines on-time and on-budget.

Find the Best Epoxy Flooring Contractors Nashville Has To Offer

Specialty Coatings is one of the best epoxy flooring contractors Nashville has to offer. Not only that, we are one of the best in the Southeast. For example, we have clients in Bowling Green, Louisville, Huntsville, Decatur and Birmingham.

Founded in 1995, Specialty Coatings has grown to be one of the most respected industrial and commercial floor coating companies in the area. With almost three decades of experience in the industry, our expertise is second to none.

We Provide Unquestionable Quality

Today almost every type of business claims to have a “quality” product or service. It’s such a common claim that it doesn’t carry very much weight anymore.

But when we say, we do quality work, we have a list of well-known and impressive clients who can attest to the fact. For example, we did the Nissan Stadium. And by the way, that project received the Project of the Year award from the ICRI (International Concrete Repair Institute, Inc.). Other projects for well-known clients include Bridgestone Arena, First Tennessee Park, and Vanderbilt.

What Services Do the Best Epoxy Flooring Contractors Offer?

Some companies specialize in renovation, and some specialize in new construction, but we do it all. So, if your concrete floors need attention, no matter what you need, we can do it. Our services include the following:

Contact Specialty Coatings for Any Size Project

We perform a wide variety of projects. The size of the project is never an issue. We have done from several hundred thousand square feet down to the size of a residential garage floor. Clients can rely on us to accommodate demanding schedules and still finish on time and in budget. Give us a call today for a free quote.

Commercial and Industrial Concrete Floor Epoxy Coatings

Selecting the best concrete flooring solution for your facility is easy. Specialty Coatings has a wide variety of concrete floor epoxy coatings for commercial and industrial floors. Our resinous and troweled mortar floors are designed to endure tough environments. Headquartered in Nashville, TN, Specialty Coatings has been in business since 1995. Our experience and expertise is unmatched.

Benefits of Epoxy Flooring Systems

Epoxy floors have exceptional durability and value. They are resistant to chemicals, abrasion, and impact. They are also slip resistant and easy to clean. Because epoxy floors are seamless, they are very sanitary. What’s more, they also can be very decorative. Epoxy finishes can be different colors and also include flakes of different colors.

Our Typical Clients

As a generality, we can say our clients are in the commercial or industrial categories. But to be more specific, any of the following could benefit from epoxy flooring:

Airplane hangars, firehouses, and automotive showrooms
Food and beverage processing plants
Bottling and canning plants
Medical and veterinary facilities
Restaurants and hotels
Schools and colleges
Shipping areas and loading docks
Correctional facilities

Quartz flooring systems (utilizing epoxies, urethanes and quartz sand) are a desirable option for commercial kitchens, research labs, manufacturing, restrooms and a number of other applications.

Specialty Coatings Serves the Southeast with Concrete Floor Epoxy Coatings

If you need floor coatings, Specialty Coatings has the experience and the expertise to give you the best results possible. Our floor coatings have long life cycles because of their excellent protection from daily wear-and-tear or heavy usage. We can customize our flooring systems to fit the needs of your unique facility. Our services also can include shot blasting and concrete surface prep if you need it. Get in touch with us to learn more about our services or to schedule a free quote.

Installing Epoxy Flooring in Educational Institutions

Schools and colleges need flooring that can meet many different needs because they have many different types of rooms. These may include classrooms, hallways, dorm rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, chemistry labs, and mechanical rooms. Specialty Coatings is experienced in installing epoxy flooring in educational institutions to meet the needs of all these rooms and more.

Flooring for Primary Schools

Primary students are often messy and hard on flooring. Besides the many bright colors epoxy installations can provide, there are many other features that make it desirable. It’s easy to clean, durable, and skid resistant. Additionally, installing epoxy flooring in restrooms is a much-needed health benefit because it helps control pathogens.

Flooring for Colleges

There are many diverse areas in colleges where the benefits of epoxy flooring, especially quartz flooring, are numerous.

Chemistry labs. When liquid or chemical spills happen in a lab, our epoxy flooring will prevent damage that could pose a safety risk.
Research facilities. Electronic storage and medical research require specific needs that our flooring can provide. It is durable and you can clean it easily.
Food areas and sports arenas. Because these areas receive lots of foot traffic, they present challenges that our special coatings can provide.

Specialty Coatings Is the Expert in Installing Epoxy Flooring in Educational Institutions

After many years, schools begin to show their age. Specialty Coatings, in business since 1995, can upgrade your flooring, which is easier on your budget than replacement.

Even flooring that has a great deal of damage can be refurbished to a finish that is environmentally safe and attractive. New options are available that will make your flooring look more modern and cleaner. There are many vibrant colors to choose from, and we can even add school logos. So, give us a call today for more information or a quote.

Industrial vs Commercial Epoxy Flooring

In our most recent blogs, we have been featuring Nashville epoxy flooring for industrial uses. In this blog, we’re going to discuss industrial vs commercial epoxy flooring. First, however, you should know that whether it’s industrial or commercial, you get a seamless, non-porous surface that is durable, easy to maintain, and long-lasting. The most trusted name in epoxy flooring in Middle Tennessee is Specialty Coatings.

Request a Quote on Epoxy Flooring

Specialty Coatings has been providing epoxy floor coating solutions since 1995. From diamond grinding to top coating, we do it all. See some of the floor coating projects we’ve done, and you’ll be assured of our expertise.

The Biggest Difference in Industrial and Commercial Is Aesthetics

Industrial floors are more utilitarian in nature. For example, an industrial floor usually needs to be a color that reflects more light, creating a better working environment.

But a restaurant that wants to project an intimate atmosphere might want a darker color floor. Or it might use metallic epoxy for an unparalleled, shiny, high gloss surface.

Preparation for Industrial vs Commercial Epoxy Flooring

The method for preparing an industrial or commercial concrete floor for epoxy is the same. Diamond grinding is the first step. This step opens up the surface of the concrete so the primer will be absorbed. Then, if there are any holes or cracks, these must be repaired.

Applying the Epoxy and Urethane

After the primer, comes the epoxy coating, where all the aesthetic design elements come in. Color, flakes, stencils, logo designs, and directional guides can create bold, unique visuals.

The last step is the topcoat. Urethanes are ideal for this. They are UV stable, so no yellowing over time. Additionally, they have up to three times better abrasion resistance than epoxy.

Installing Medical Grade Epoxy Flooring

Medical grade epoxy flooring is the type flooring that facilities in the healthcare industry use. It comes in a range of colors and patterns to meet the needs of the facilities.

When choosing flooring for a healthcare facility, it’s important to select the right kind. The flooring system in a healthcare facility needs to meet compliance and safety standards. Choosing the wrong type of flooring could result in fines or even legal action.

Moreover, patients and healthcare workers depend on the safety and the hygiene of the floors. So, choosing medical grade epoxy for floors makes floors both safe and hygienic. Additionally, epoxy floors provide more comfort for workers who may spend 12 hours a day on their feet.

Why Medical Grade Epoxy Flooring Is Ideal for Healthcare Facilities

Floors in healthcare facilities should have the following features:

a seamless, non-porous surface
easy cleaning and sanitizing
easy maintaintenance
durability and longevity
the ability to withstand heavy traffic and usage
slip-resistance
high resistance to solvents, chemicals, and disinfectants

Medical grade epoxy provides all these features. It also inhibits the spread of pathogens and the growth of micro-organisms. Since it is the strongest of the flooring systems, it can support heavy equipment and machinery without cracking. It can also support the traffic of wheeled devises and machinery. Additionally, frequent cleaning with disinfectants does not harm the floor either.

Healthcare Facilities that Would Benefit from Medical Grade Epoxy

In Nashville, the following healthcare facilities install epoxy flooring systems that use medical grade epoxy:

Dental and Doctor’s Offices
Emergency Rooms, Hospitals, and Clinics
Medical Laboratories
Pharmacies
Surgical Rooms

Nashville Healthcare Facilities Depend on Specialty Coatings

For their flooring needs, Nashville healthcare facilities call on Special Coatings for medical grade epoxy coatings. Our professionals can show you the benefits of epoxy flooring and other finishes that might be suited to your particular industry.

What’s the Best Food & Beverage Facility Flooring?

Every element in a facility for producing foods or beverages must contribute to the facility’s sanitary state and safety. That includes the equipment as well as the structure of the facility itself. The right flooring solution is a key element in safeguarding the integrity of your products. It also provides safety for your workers. So what is the best food & beverage facility flooring?

The short answer is a floor with an epoxy coating is ideal. But let’s look at why that is true.

What Characteristics Are Needed for Food & Beverage Facility Flooring?

Four characteristics of epoxy floor coating make it ideal for the food and beverage industry:

Strength
Epoxy is a strong flooring material that is able to hold up under plenty of foot traffic as well as vehicle traffic. It is strong enough to support large machinery like forklifts. A floor that can stand up to wear means less time spent on repairs that can cause operational bottlenecks.
Non-slip Property
In the food and beverage industry, spills and run-off are inevitable. Even though epoxy looks slick and shiny, it’s really extremely slip-proof, even when wet. This means fewer accidents.
Hygiene
Flooring is very important in maintaining hygiene in a food and beverage facility. We’re not talking about cleaning the floors themselves here. We’re talking about the floor not harboring any microbial life or other contaminants that are spilled or run off on the floor. The smooth surface of epoxy is already inhospitable to most microorganisms. But it is also possible to reinforce the protective barrier by adding formulations with extra antibiotic properties.
Easy Cleanup
When there are spills and run-off, the single, smooth, wall-to-wall surface of an epoxy floor makes cleanup and sanitization easier. Additionally, epoxy floors can withstand intense cleansers.

Specialty Coatings Is the Trusted Name in Nashville Commercial and Industrial Flooring

Specialty Coatings,Inc., the industrial flooring experts in Nashville, has been in business almost 30 years. We have vast experience and expertise in engineering and installing flawless urethane and epoxy floors. Contact us for more information today.

The Epoxy Floor Coatings Nashville Fire Stations Choose

For over 20 years, Specialty Coatings has been a leader in the Southeast for floor coatings. So, if you are searching the web for “epoxy floor coatings Nashville” for your fire station, look no farther. We have vast experience in fire station flooring. The daily operations of a fire station depend on the right flooring. Epoxy-coated flooring is the answer to their flooring needs.

Basic Needs for Fire House Flooring

There are many different areas in a fire house that need flooring that will allow firemen to function efficiently. From the bay areas to the residential areas, epoxy floor coatings help the station to run smoothly. An additional benefit is the quick-curing option with epoxy -coated flooring. This allows the station to continue operating with few interruptions when the floor is installed.

Benefits of Epoxy-Coated Fire Station Flooring

The many daily activities in a fire station require floors that will last, are easy to clean, and are safe.

Bay areas require flooring that can handle heavy fire trucks as well as the foot traffic from the fire fighters. Specialty Coatings epoxy coatings provide the toughness and longevity that fire stations need in their flooring.
Epoxy-coated flooring can withstand chemicals and other cleaning agents. This makes cleaning the bay areas easier. It also helps the fire fighters to keep their living spaces clean.
Our epoxy floor covering has a slip-resistant aspect that makes it safer as fighters respond to alarms.

Specialty Coatings – Your Go-to Installer for Epoxy Floor Coatings Nashville

Specialty Coatings applies the epoxy floor coatings Nashville fire stations choose the most. However, our product is not just for firehouses. If you or your company are interested in the many benefits of epoxy-coated flooring, contact us. Learn more about our services and typical epoxy floor coating applications.