Resin flooring: epoxy, polyurethane and polyurethane cement systems

What is a resin floor?

A resin floor, also called a polymer floor, is a seamless coating laid over a concrete base or screed. It is made from reactive resins — epoxy, polyurethane or methyl methacrylate — or from polymer-cement compounds: the material is applied as a liquid, flows out, levels and, once cured, becomes a monolithic layer without joints, where dirt and moisture cannot collect. Such a floor protects the concrete against abrasion, spills and dusting, makes cleaning easier and allows traffic aisles and work areas to be marked out in colour. The thickness depends on the system: from fractions of a millimetre for paint coatings to several millimetres for self-levelling and polyurethane cement floors.

This section also covers solutions that strengthen the concrete itself: dry hardening mixes, known as dry-shake hardeners (toppings), which are worked into freshly placed concrete, and impregnations, which penetrate the surface layer of hardened concrete, bind it and stop dusting. These are different tools: a polymer coating separates the concrete from the load and the environment, while a dry-shake hardener or an impregnation makes its top layer stronger and denser.

A floor system is selected on the basis of input data, not the name of a material. Describe the loads, chemicals, temperature and substrate, and we will select the system, thicknesses and material quantities for your project. Protective coatings engineering →

How the systems differ

System Composition Strengths Limitations
Epoxy coatings and self-levelling floors epoxy resin with a hardener, often with quartz filler hardness and wear resistance, resistance to many chemicals, a smooth hygienic surface, a wide range of colours rigid: poor tolerance of substrate cracks and impact; yellow and chalk in sunlight; temperature limits
Polyurethane coatings polyol with an isocyanate curing agent flexibility, bridging of hairline cracks, good impact resistance; aliphatic topcoats are UV-resistant sensitive to moisture during application; soft grades cope less well with point loads and abrasion
Polyurethane cement (PU cement) polyurethane binder, cement and mineral fillers resistance to hot water, steam, temperature changes and many aggressive media in food and chemical plants rough texture, a limited colour range, special rules for edges and joints
Anti-static and conductive epoxy or polyurethane compounds with conductive components and earthing dissipation of static charge at a specified resistance require a conductive primer, an earthing system and regular measurements
Dry-shake hardeners cement and a wear-resistant aggregate: quartz, corundum, metal hardening and dustproofing the surface of new concrete without a separate layer fresh concrete only; no protection against acids
Impregnations and sealers silicates and fluorosilicates; polymer solutions hardening of the top layer, dustproofing, easier cleaning of old and new floors do not repair weak or deteriorated concrete; limited chemical protection

How a floor system is chosen

Uzbekistan’s national code, ShNK 2.03.13-24 “Floors”, requires a floor to be designed taking into account service exposures, special requirements (non-sparking properties, anti-static properties, electrical conductivity, freedom from dust, flatness, durability, heat absorption, sound insulation, impermeability to water, slip resistance), hygiene requirements — resistance to disinfectants and ease of cleaning — and the climate of the construction site. In practice, this comes down to six groups of questions.

1. Mechanical loads

Foot traffic, trolleys, stackers and forklifts with polyurethane or steel wheels, tracked vehicles, dropped tools and parts, dragged pallets, racking with point loads. ShNK 2.03.13-24 divides mechanical exposure into four levels of intensity — from low to very high — according to the movement of people and vehicles, impacts and other loads. The higher the level, the thicker and stronger the layer must be: a thin paint coating is appropriate in a warehouse with foot traffic and trolleys, but forklifts and impacts call for self-levelling, quartz-filled or polyurethane cement systems.

2. Liquids and chemicals

The code distinguishes three levels of exposure to liquids. Under low exposure, the surface is dry or slightly damp and the floor is cleaned without flushing with water; under medium exposure, the floor is periodically wetted and liquid runs over the surface from time to time; under high exposure, liquid flows constantly or frequently. Washing the floor without flushing with water and occasional drips are not counted as exposure to liquids. For aggressive media, what matters is the specific substance, its concentration, temperature and duration of contact — resistance to the specific medium is confirmed by our questionnaire. For strong acids and oxidisers, vinyl ester coatings and linings are considered in addition to floor systems — see the “Chemical protection” section.

3. Temperature and thermal shock

Freezer rooms, hot spills, washing with hot water and steam, areas near ovens and autoclaves. The maximum service temperature and resistance to temperature changes are taken from the data sheet of the specific system: ordinary epoxy coatings crack and delaminate in such areas, whereas polyurethane cement systems are developed precisely for them.

4. Hygiene and cleaning

Food, pharmaceutical and medical premises require a seamless surface, coved junctions with the walls (coving), correct falls to drains and channels, and resistance to cleaning agents and disinfectants. ShNK 2.03.13-24 specifies floor falls in rooms with medium and high exposure to liquids: 0.5–1 % for seamless and tiled finishes (other than concrete ones) and 1–2 % for brick and concrete finishes.

5. Safety: slipping, static, sparks

Slip resistance is provided by the surface texture: a broadcast of quartz sand or another aggregate and the thickness of the topcoat over it. The coarser the texture, the safer the floor when wet, but the harder it is to clean — the balance is chosen to suit the cleaning regime. In Uzbekistan, requirements for the electrical resistance of floors and for non-sparking properties are set by ShNK 2.03.13-24 — see the “Anti-static and conductive floors” section for details.

6. Substrate and schedule

The strength and moisture content of the concrete, cracks, joints, the permissible downtime and the room temperature often narrow the choice more than the service conditions do: most epoxy systems must not be applied to fresh or damp concrete, although for certain materials this is explicitly permitted by the data sheet.

The substrate is half the battle

  • Strength. The minimum compressive strength of the concrete and the pull-off strength of its surface layer are specified in the system’s technical data sheet; for most of the epoxy and polyurethane materials in the catalogue, these are at least 25 and 1.5 N/mm². They are checked before work starts, not after the coating has delaminated.
  • Moisture. The moisture content of the concrete is measured before application: by the carbide method or with relative humidity probes in the slab to ASTM F2170, while the plastic sheet method to ASTM D4263 shows whether capillary moisture is present. The typical limit in the data sheets of the epoxy and polyurethane materials in the catalogue is 4 % by weight. Where moisture rises from below, a damp-proof membrane under the slab or a special moisture-resistant barrier coat is needed.
  • Cleanliness and profile. Laitance, old paint, oil and dust are removed by shot blasting, grinding or scarifying. The required surface profile is conveniently specified using the CSP 1–10 profiles of the ICRI 310.2R guideline.
  • Cracks and joints. Cracks are repaired, and movement joints are carried through the coating and sealed — a rigid layer laid over a moving joint will crack anyway.
  • Flatness. Under ShNK 2.03.13-24, the gap under a two-metre straightedge must not exceed 2 mm for polymer finishes, and the deviation from the specified fall must not exceed 0.2 % of the room dimension and 20 mm. A self-levelling layer will not correct major irregularities in the substrate — they are levelled beforehand.
  • Temperature and dew point. Resins are sensitive to cold and condensation: the data sheets of the polymer materials in the catalogue require the substrate to be at least 3 °C above the dew point, while the minimum temperature and the maximum air humidity differ from material to material.

What a system consists of

  • The primer penetrates the pores of the concrete, consolidates the surface and provides adhesion for the following layers; on a porous substrate, it is applied again where necessary — as instructed in the data sheet.
  • The levelling coat — resin with quartz filler to fill blowholes and minor irregularities.
  • The main layer — self-levelling, quartz-filled, mortar (trowelled) or polyurethane cement — builds up the working thickness.
  • A broadcast of quartz sand or coloured aggregate — for slip resistance or a decorative effect.
  • The topcoat determines wear resistance, UV resistance, gloss level and ease of cleaning.
  • Details: coving at walls, junctions with drains and channels, anchor grooves along the edges, movement joints and, for anti-static floors, a conductive primer and the connection to earth.

All layers come from one manufacturer and from one system. A system assembled from different brands’ materials is a common cause of delamination and staining, and the manufacturer warrants only its own system.

Sections of the guide

Common mistakes

  • The system was chosen on price per square metre, without considering loads, chemicals and temperature — a year later, the floor is worn, broken up or blistered.
  • The coating was applied over damp or weak concrete or over laitance, without mechanical preparation.
  • A thin paint coating was laid where forklifts run and parts are dropped.
  • An epoxy floor where there are hot spills, steam cleaning or sharp temperature changes.
  • Movement joints were filled solid — the coating cracks along their line.
  • A light-coloured epoxy floor near windows and loading doors without a UV-resistant topcoat — yellowing and uneven colour.
  • Loads applied before the coating has gained strength — wheel marks and indentation.

Codes and standards

  • ShNK 2.03.13-24 “Floors” — Uzbek code, in force since 1 July 2024, replacing KMK 2.03.13-19: selection of floor finishes by mechanical and chemical exposure, falls, flatness, freedom from dust, electrostatic requirements.
  • EN 13813 — classification of screed materials and floor screeds: the designation states the binder type (CT — cementitious, SR — synthetic resin) and the property classes.
  • EN 1504-2 — surface protection systems for concrete: hydrophobic impregnation, impregnation and coating.
  • EN 13501-1 — reaction-to-fire classification of construction products; for floorings, the classes carry the subscript fl.
  • IEC 61340-5-1, IEC 61340-4-1, IEC 61340-4-5 — protection of electronic devices from electrostatic phenomena and methods for measuring the resistance of floors.
  • DIN 51130 and EN 16165 — slip resistance: many data sheets refer to the DIN 51130:2014 ramp test, which in Germany has been replaced by DIN EN 16165:2023 and a new edition, DIN 51130:2023.

How to request a selection

To get an accurate proposal first time, please send us:

  • the purpose of the room and the process: warehouse, workshop, food production, washdown area, laboratory, car park, sales floor;
  • loads: types of vehicles and wheels, impacts, racking, traffic intensity;
  • liquids and chemicals: substances, concentrations, temperature, how often and for how long they reach the floor; the cleaning regime and cleaning agents;
  • temperature regime: cold, hot spills, washing with hot water or steam;
  • substrate: new or old concrete, age, grade, moisture content, cracks, joints, existing coating;
  • special requirements: slip resistance, anti-static properties, non-sparking properties, colour and line marking;
  • area, schedule and permissible downtime, room temperature during the works.

Based on this information, we will propose 1–3 system options from different manufacturers, explain the differences between them and obtain the current technical data sheets from the manufacturers.

About supply

We supply flooring materials across Uzbekistan and to neighbouring Central Asian countries: we help check the project requirements, obtain documentation from the manufacturer and put together a complete system — primers, main layers and topcoats, fillers, and materials for joints and junctions. We select and calculate the system for your project and, where needed, organise the works through partner contractors experienced in laying resin floors.

Frequently asked questions

Which should I choose: an epoxy or a polyurethane floor?

Epoxy is harder and usually more resistant to abrasion and many chemicals, while polyurethane is more flexible and copes better with impact, vibration and minor cracks in the substrate. The two are often combined: an epoxy main layer with a UV-resistant polyurethane topcoat.

Can a resin floor be applied to new concrete?

Only once the concrete has gained strength and dried to the moisture content permitted by the material’s data sheet. If waiting is not possible, consider systems that the manufacturer explicitly permits on young or damp concrete, or barrier coats under the main coating.

What kind of floor is needed in food production?

It depends on the area: in dry stores and packing areas, an epoxy or polyurethane coating is sufficient, while areas with hot water, steam, fats and organic acids usually call for polyurethane cement systems with coving and falls to drains.

How does a dry-shake hardener differ from a resin floor?

A dry-shake hardener is a dry mix worked into fresh concrete as it is placed; it becomes part of the slab and hardens its surface. A resin floor is a separate polymer layer laid over hardened, prepared concrete.

Need a floor system selected or a supply quotation? Call us or message us on WhatsApp/Telegram: +998 94 094 52 27.