The Best Warehouse Flooring Options for A Commercial Space

Storage warehouse

Your warehouse floor goes through a lot every day, with workers operating heavy machines, accidentally spilling chemicals, storing or moving bulky items, and so on. If the floor is uneven, slippery, weak, or porous, your warehouse activities will suffer. In addition, unfavorable flooring conditions can also jeopardize everyone’s safety.

The industrial flooring used in your warehouse can either maximize or hinder the productivity of your commercial space. To make the most of your warehouse, starting with the right flooring type is imperative. Here are some floor coating options to choose from.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is ideal for small warehouse spaces where floors don’t have to withstand heavy weight. This flooring has multiple synthetic layers with an inner layer of fiberboard and melamine resin.

Laminate flooring adds a unique appeal to the overall interior and adds a smooth surface on the floor that looks stunning. However, laminate floors may get damaged quickly if you deal with heavy machinery and bulky items.

Pros

  • Laminate flooring is cost-effective
  • It offers protection against UV rays and scratches
  • Easy installation and maintenance
  • It gives a beautiful appearance to the space

Cons

  • Laminate flooring retains moisture and has a high chance of mold growth
  • Inability to sand and refinish after getting damaged can be costly for you
  • It can be slippery to work on
  • It can damage under heavy footfall or industrial activities

An empty warehouse

Vinyl Flooring

Vinyl flooring is another common commercial flooring type that offers shine, smooth texture, ease of installation and durability. Most warehouses use vinyl flooring as it’s waterproof, easy to clean, and can withstand heavy equipment and items.

While this flooring offers great durability, once damaged cannot be repaired, and you’ll have to replace the flooring. It also has a shorter lifespan than other sturdier industrial flooring types.

Pros

  • It’s moisture resistant
  • It can be used over various surfaces, including cement, tile, granite, etc.
  • Vinyl flooring is easy to clean
  • It’s budget-friendly

Cons

  • It sustains damage and dents under sharp or heavy objects
  • Vinyl flooring isn’t UV or heat resistant; it starts to fade in a short time
  • It emits harmful fumes and is non-biodegradable
  • It will be difficult for you to replace vinyl floors if an adhesive is used during installation

Polished Concrete Flooring

Concrete flooring is one of the most common industrial flooring types because it can withstand the heavy weight of forklifts, freight and heavy foot traffic. You get enhanced shine, a smooth appearance, and protection against damage with polished concrete. In addition, it’s quite affordable, easy to apply, and doesn’t require much maintenance.

Polished concrete flooring is best suited for small to medium warehouses that don’t operate all day long. Despite being durable, concrete flooring is porous and quickly loses its shine. It absorbs chemical and water spills and gradually deteriorates, resulting in cracks or uneven floorings. Even if there are no spills, concrete floors naturally develop cracks over time due to humidity and fluctuations in temperature.

Warehouse with concrete floors

Stained Concrete Flooring

Some also get stained concrete flooring because it offers more durability than polished ones. This flooring has a translucent color-stained surface which is easy to maintain as it neutralizes the stains from external damage.

Pros

  • Concrete offers high-durability
  • It can withstand pressure from heavy equipment and foot traffic
  • It’s cost-effective, slip-resistant and shock-resistant

Cons

  • Concrete flooring doesn’t retain heat well and gets chilly during winters
  • It’s susceptible to moisture damageand corrosion due to its porous nature
  • Due to its hardness, concrete floor creates loud and uncomfortable working conditions
  • It can absorb chemicals
  • The static discharge from concrete can damage static-sensitive machines or equipment

Epoxy Floor Coating

No flooring can match the strength and durability of epoxy flooring—it can withstand all sorts of activities, no matter how strenuous or demanding. Epoxy floors are perfect for any warehouse space, including manufacturing, chemical, pharmaceutical, food and beverage storage, etc.

Due to its high functionality and strength, epoxy flooring is more expensive than polished concrete, but it’s a one-time investment because this flooring lasts for a long time. Even if epoxy wears out and requires replacement, it costs less than other flooring options because you don’t have to replace the complete flooring.

Epoxy floor coating comes with many options, such as quartz-filled epoxy, epoxy mortar, self-level epoxy flooring, and anti-static epoxy. In addition, you can customize these floors to any look to match your requirements and the overall layout of the commercial space. Some of the most popular customization options include geometric patterns, flake flooring, metallic finish, logos, etc.

Pros

  • You can install epoxy directly over existing concrete floors without installing a separate floor system, saving time, effort and money
  • Low maintenance and replacement costs
  • Extremely resistant to hazards such as industrial chemicals, transmission fluid, gas, cleaners, etc.
  • Epoxy is heat and water-resistant
  • If you get professional installation, epoxy can last for decades
  • Epoxy floors are easy to customize

Cons

  • Higher upfront costs
  • The smooth surface can cause slippery working conditions, but you can add a nonslip additive to avoid that

Before selecting suitable flooring for your warehouse, consider your daily usage, foot traffic, and the design and layout of the space. Choosing the right floor can significantly impact your warehouse’s efficiency and productivity. If you feel like you can’t decide which flooring will be best suited for your commercial requirements, you can consult with our epoxy flooring contractors in Layton.

Warehouse with industrial floor coating

Why Get Your Epoxy Floors from Us

Steel Coated Epoxy Floors have been creating customized flooring solutions for our residential and commercial clients for the past 30 years. Our years of proven success make us a reliable epoxy flooring company in Layton, Draper, Prescott and multiple other states.

By choosing us as your industrial epoxy flooring provider, you’ll get premium quality, highly durable floors and a lifetime guarantee. No matter your needs, our flooring contractors will offer bespoke flooring services. If you have any queries, contact us now, or request a free quote before getting started.