The Advantages and Disadvantages of Polyaspartic Floor Coatings

Polyaspartic floor coatings are extremely durable and have an attractive glossy finish, but this type of flooring has some downsides as well. When deciding which option to use for a warehouse or factory with thousands of square feet, knowing all the fine details matter. This guide lists the pros and cons of polyaspartic coatings to help you make an informed decision. We’ve even listed the advantages and disadvantages of the next most popular flooring option – epoxy flooring – to help you decide if polyaspartic floor coatings are the right choice for your business.

What is Polyaspartic Floor Coating?

Polyaspartic floor coatings are a newer flooring option that’s increasing in popularity due to its extremely high durability, rapid cure times, and its sleek, glossy appearance. It’s more durable than epoxy flooring and applied in a fraction of the time, it’s easy to see why so many businesses are choosing polyaspartic flooring. They’re even fire resistant up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, making them a great option in industrial and manufacturing settings.

Advantages of Polyaspartic Floor Coating

Polyaspartic flooring is popular for its many advantages over other flooring options. It’s extremely durable, cures quickly, and is resistant to abrasion and chemicals. It’s also durable, stain-resistant, can be cleaned easily, and requires very little maintenance. Polyaspartic coatings also have short turnaround times where most projects can be executed in one day as opposed to epoxy resin floorings which can take 3-5 days.

Temperature Resistant

Polyaspartic floor coating is extremely temperature resistant, and demonstrates high performance in temperatures ranging from below 30 degrees Fahrenheit to above 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fire Resistant

Polyaspartic coatings are also fire resistant up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, making it a form of passive fire protection.

Durable and Long-Lasting

The combination of polyurea and polyaspartic resins results in a durable surface that is both very hard but flexible. The polyaspartic resin allows flexibility which means when pressure is applied the flooring will bend slightly instead of cracking. Because of its durability, polyaspartic floor coatings can last for up to two decades.

Chemical Resistant

Due to the polyurea’s chemical composition, polyaspartic flooring is extremely resistant to damage from chemicals. It’s resistant to most types of common garage spills, including: gasoline, transmission fluid and brake fluid. However, it will be damaged by extremely harsh substances like sulfuric acid and battery acid.

Abrasion Resistant

Because of its chemical formulation, polyaspartic flooring is durable and extremely abrasion resistant. This makes it an ideal surface for high-traffic areas like garages, warehouses, and factories.

Bonds to Substrate

Because it soaks into the surface it’s being applied to, polyaspartic floor coatings create a strong bond with the concrete underneath. This creates a stronger bond when compared to epoxy, which sits on the surface on the substrate and does not penetrate.

Low Maintenance

Polyaspartic flooring is non-porous, abrasion-resistant, and stain-resistant. It can be cleaned with a wet mop and mild detergent, making it extremely low maintenance. Because it’s so easy to clean, polyaspartic flooring is popular for commercial floor resurfacing in big box stores with thousands of square feet that require frequent cleaning.

Quick Application and Curing

Polyaspartic floor coating is quick to apply and rapidly cures, allowing for application of additional coats. The flooring will be dry and safe to walk on in a few hours, and completely hardened and ready to drive on within twenty-four hours. Polyaspartic flooring cures around five times faster than epoxy.

UV Stability

The presence of aliphatic compounds in polyaspartic flooring makes it extremely resistant to UV damage that would otherwise result in fading, peeling, and yellowing. These compounds are naturally resistant to UV damage, and keeps polyaspartic flooring clear and transparent even after prolonged exposure to sunlight. Polyaspartic flooring’s UV stability makes it a great option for outdoor surfaces like driveways, sidewalks, and patios.

Temperature Versatility

Coatings like epoxy are sensitive to temperature and humidity, meaning they can’t be applied in any weather. Polyaspartic floor coatings don’t have this limitation and can be applied year-round in temperatures ranging from 40 degrees Fahrenheit to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Disadvantages of Polyaspartic Floor Coatings

While there are so many advantages to polyaspartic floor coatings, they do have some disadvantages as well. These include the cost, the need for professional installation, short pot life, and lack of color options. Other downsides to consider is that polyaspartic coatings contain harmful chemicals, can be very slippery when wet, and have a strong chemical smell after it has dried.

More Expensive

Polyaspartic resin is more expensive than other flooring options like epoxy. It’s also time consuming and requires specialized equipment and experienced installers, which adds to the cost. The good news is that because polyaspartic flooring’s high durability, once it’s installed you won’t have to perform maintenance or reapply the coating for up to twenty years. So while the initial cost is more, polyaspartic coating offers long-term savings when compared to other flooring options.

Requires Professional Installation

Applying polyaspartic floor coatings requires precision and speed for it to be done correctly. This means that it’s a job that requires skilled professionals to be done properly. Unlike other home improvement projects, polyaspartic coatings aren’t DIY-friendly. Hiring an experienced installer will result in flooring with a smooth, flawless finish.

Short Pot Life

Polyaspartic coatings are made up of two separate components: resin and hardener. These need to be mixed together and applied quickly, otherwise it will harden prior to application. Once the resin and hardener have been mixed, you’ll have between fifteen and thirty minutes before it begins to cure and is no longer usable. This short pot life can make applying polyaspartic flooring a challenge.

Contains Harmful Chemicals

Another downside of polyaspartic flooring is that it contains harsh chemicals that can irritate the eyes and skin. Solvents, isocyanates, and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are found in polyaspartic coatings. Proper protective gear, ventilation, and fans are required during the application and curing process.

Limited Color Options

Due to its quick curing time, the color options for polyaspartic floor coatings are limited. Unlike epoxy flooring where color additives allow you to create a custom color for your floor, polyaspartic’s color options are generally limited to light gray, gray, and dark gray.

Slippery when Wet

Polyaspartic coatings provide a smooth, glossy finish, but because of this lack of texture it becomes extremely slippery when wet. Fortunately, anti-slip additives can be included before it’s applied to provide a bit of traction. The non-slip additive will create a bit of grip, making the surface safer to walk on in the event of a liquid being spilled.

Chemical Damage

While polyaspartic flooring is chemical resistant, it can be damaged by battery acid. This is something to consider if the flooring will be installed in a garage where frequent vehicle repair is performed.

Strong Smells

While it’s drying, polyaspartic coatings do give off an extremely strong odor. It will be the strongest during the first twelve to twenty-four hours after installation. Odors will likely continue after this period, so providing as much air flow and ventilation to the area is recommended.

Polyaspartic Coatings versus Epoxy

It’s easy to compare polyaspartic flooring to epoxy flooring because they both result in a smooth, glossy finish. Many business owners want to compare the two flooring options before deciding which one to use. The following are the advantages and disadvantages of using epoxy flooring.

Advantages of Epoxy Flooring

Epoxy flooring has a few advantages over polyaspartic coatings. Most importantly, it costs less. It’s also DIY-friendly, has an attractive appearance, it’s available in dozens of different colors, and it’s easy to clean.

Cheaper than Polyaspartic Coatings

One big advantage epoxy has over polyaspartic flooring is that it’s less expensive. With cheaper materials and labor costs, epoxy costs less per square foot than polyaspartic.

DIY-Friendly

Unlike polyaspartic coatings, epoxy flooring is DIY-friendly and can be performed by anyone with a tutorial and the right materials. However, if mistakes are made, epoxy flooring projects can take a turn and will fail to cure or need to be removed and reinstalled.

Attractive Appearance

Epoxy flooring creates a smooth, glossy finish that’s sure to impress visitors. 

Wide Variety of Colors

Unlike polyaspartic flooring, epoxy flooring is available in dozens of different colors. You can even create a custom shade to color your epoxy flooring.

Easy to Clean

Epoxy flooring is easy to clean. Regular sweeping or vacuuming will remove debris, and for polishing they can typically be wiped down with a cloth or a mop and warm water.

Disadvantages of Epoxy Flooring

Epoxy floorings have their fair share of downsides. They’re not nearly as durable as polyaspartic coatings, they have long cure times, and they are well-known for their yellowing due to UV damage.

Less Durable

Epoxy flooring is generally considered pretty durable, but it’s more susceptible to chips, scratches, and abrasions than polyaspartic flooring.

UV Damage

One major problem with epoxy flooring is that they all turn yellow over time due to UV damage. Polyaspartic flooring is resistant to UV damage and doesn’t yellow.

Long Prep Time 

To ensure proper adhesion, flooring must be cleaned, dried, patched and possibly grinded before epoxy can be applied. Polyaspartic coatings seep into the substrate and bond fully without the same type of thorough surface preparation. 

Long Curing Times

While cure times may vary based on temperature and humidity, epoxy flooring typically takes around 72 hours to cure. Compared to polyaspartic flooring’s cure time of just 24 hours, this is a big difference.

Slippery When Wet

Just like polyaspartic flooring, epoxy floors have little traction and become extremely slippery when wet. Anti-slip additives can be included in epoxy flooring to add traction.

Gives off Strong Odors

Epoxy can give off strong odors during application (especially solvent-based epoxy) which are hazardous. This downside is similar to polyaspartic coatings which also give off strong odors while curing.

Weather Impacts Application

Epoxy flooring is sensitive to both temperature and humidity. Installation often needs to be scheduled for days where the weather is just right for epoxy, otherwise it won’t cure properly. Polyaspartic coatings on the other hand can be added in nearly all weather types with minimal issues.

Which Should You Pick?

Now that you’ve learned about all of the advantages and disadvantages of polyaspartic floor coatings versus epoxy flooring, which one is right for you? Due to its extreme durability, ease of cleaning and maintenance, and the fact that it won’t become yellow due to UV exposure, we recommend polyaspartic floor coatings. 

If after weighing the pros and cons, you’re still not sure which option is right for you, we can help you decide which flooring option would suit your project the best.

Contact Alpine Painting & Restoration

Are you ready to get polyaspartic floor coatings for your business? Our skilled flooring installers are ready to create a glossy, beautiful polyaspartic floor for your warehouse, factory, or garage. And if you need industrial painting in PA, we offer that as well. Contact us by phone or email today to discuss your project and to receive a free quote.

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