There are some flooring chemistries that have existed in the United States for more than 15 years but are rarely specified relative to their epoxy counterparts. Epoxy has become the Kleenex or Band-Aid of resinous flooring. That said, every construction project has certain needs that cannot always be solved by only specifying one flooring type or chemistry.
So, what other resinous flooring options are available? Urethane cements, methyl-methacrylate (MMA), urethanes, and polyaspartics have already been established as viable resinous flooring solutions for a variety of challenges. Urethane cements, for example, are good for resisting thermal shock from steam, grease, and other hot contaminants, while MMA can accept a fresh topcoat at any future time without requiring mechanical preparation.
The best practice for a specifier is to partner with a manufacturer. When partnering with a resinous flooring manufacturer, there are endless combinations of system builds that can be customized to achieve the perfect system for the customer. Epoxy still belongs in certain specifications, but urethane cements, MMAs, and polyaspartics all deserve equal consideration based on the project’s demands.
Joe Lasko of Res-Tek explains the various types of chemistries available along with the pros and cons of each in the October issue of The Construction Specifier.