Which One to Choose – Epoxy Flooring vs. Vinyl Flooring?

Epoxy flooring vs Vinyl flooring

Investing in the wrong type of flooring for your commercial and industrial facilities can have long-term consequences. Many business owners and managers of commercial properties have difficulties deciding which flooring solution to choose. Of course, they are all looking for a product that can provide the durability they need.

Epoxy flooring vs vinyl flooring is a very common discussion for commercial and industrial property owners. Deciding which to use can be difficult. Although at first, you might think these are completely different options, they have a lot in common, which can be confusing.

We want to help you learn more about all the advantages and disadvantages of epoxy and vinyl flooring, and hopefully, you will be able to decide which one to choose for your business facility.

The installation process

Vinyl floorings should be installed at a particular temperature otherwise poor results will occur and it will also degrade the warranty given by manufacturers. On the other hand, epoxy flooring can withstand a wide range of temperatures during installation.

Adhesion and Bonding

While vinyl floors depend on heat-welded seams and adhesives, epoxy reacts directly with the concrete surface below. Because of this, issues with alkaline moisture vapour that happens on concrete surfaces are a common problem of vinyl flooring causing the bond to break. Whereas with epoxy you will not have to worry about this because the direct reaction with the concrete below eliminates the chances of cracks, peeling and separated seams.

Sanitation and Hygiene

Since these two flooring options are very common in food preparation environments, it is important to know that curls and cracks on vinyl flooring can create gaps that are suitable grounds for bacteria and microbial proliferation. Those gaps and cracks usually appear when vinyl flooring is exposed to high temperature, heavy traffic or disinfectants, or when the installation process is not done properly. Because of that, epoxy floors represents a stable base resistant to any kind of spills and liquid, and since they do not soak moisture they do not facilitate bacteria and germ growth.

Maintenance of Epoxy Flooring vs. Vinyl Flooring

Proper maintenance will enhance the longevity of your floors, and that is why it is important to know how to clean your floors without damaging them. Sanitation of epoxy is a breeze since this smooth surface does not soak spills and stains. If installed properly with the usage of high-quality products epoxy can last for decades without peeling or cracking. Here at Diamond Grind commercial and industrial flooring we use products of proven quality from Hychem, EpiMax , Flowcrete,  Masterbuilders and other topline suppliers. Contact us as we are happy to give you personalised help with your perfect floor solution.

Vinyl flooring, however, can lose its sheen if you use commercial liquid cleaners. In case you have this type of flooring in a high-traffic area, it is recommended to use PH-neutral cleaning products, but unfortunately, they will probably not be able to keep up with the amount of tracked-in dirt.

Considering all this, most business owners decide to invest in epoxy floors instead of vinyl ones. However, vinyl floors can still be a reasonable choice for some commercial properties, depending on their purpose, traffic volume and other factors.

Cost-Effectiveness

One of the key factors that will determine whether someone will choose epoxy or vinyl flooring is its cost-effectiveness. In business, every dollar counts, and it makes sense that as a business owner, you will want to spend your money wisely.

Vinyl flooring cannot be refinished. In case of damage, the only thing you could do is to completely remove the damaged section and install a replacement.  This will almost always be visible and problematic. It will probably interrupt your business and cause downtime, plus the replacement is usually more expensive per square meter than the initial installation.

When cleaned properly, maintenance on Epoxy is hardly ever needed for the lifespan of the floor which can be up to 20 years depending on the environment.

Professional Installation

Everything we have mentioned applies only when professional concrete preparation and flooring installation is conducted. It is hard to say which one wins this battle, epoxy or vinyl flooring because you will have to make your choice according to your own needs, budget and the preferences of your space.  It is fair to say epoxy is a better surface but of course, cost is a factor to be considered.

Diamond Grind

No matter which one of these flooring options is your choice, you will need a team of experts who can remove layers of old flooring, level concrete and make sure that it is even, and, in the end, provide professional installation.
Aat Diamond Grind Commercial and Industrial flooring can help you and provide quality service for business facilities of different types and sizes. Feel free to contact us today, and learn more about the unmatchable flooring solutions that we offer.