Why an anti-static floor is needed
Walking, the movement of trolleys and forklifts, and the handling of packaging build up an electrostatic charge on people and objects. An ordinary resin floor is a good insulator: the charge has nowhere to drain to, so it discharges as a spark. For a person, this is an unpleasant shock; for electronic components, hidden damage; for a room with an explosive atmosphere, a possible source of ignition. An anti-static or conductive floor drains the charge into the building’s earthing system at a controlled rate.
Such floors are needed in electronics production and storage, server rooms and data centres, clean rooms in pharmaceutical and microelectronics production, operating theatres and laboratories, flammable liquid stores, paint shops, areas with combustible dust, battery rooms and hazardous areas of chemical and oil and gas facilities.
Requirements of Uzbek regulations
ShNK 2.03.13-24 “Floors” specifies the electrical properties of floors for different types of premises:
| Premises | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Residential and public buildings (clause 41) | polymer anti-static materials with a surface electrical resistance of the coating from 10⁶ to 10⁹ Ω |
| Production premises (clause 42) | static-dissipative coatings; resistance between the floor surface and the earthing system from 5·10⁴ to 10⁷ Ω |
| Premises where explosive mixtures of gases, dust or liquids may form and a spark from an impact or a discharge of static electricity could cause an explosion or fire (clause 43) | a static-dissipative coating that does not produce sparks on impact; resistance between the floor surface and the earthing system from 5·10⁴ to 10⁶ Ω |
| “Clean” and “ultra-clean” rooms classified by cleanliness class (clause 44) | a static-dissipative polymer coating; resistance between the floor surface and the earthing system from 5·10⁴ to 10⁷ Ω |
Under clause 45 of the code, a conductive earthing grid connected to the building’s earthing system is laid beneath a static-dissipative coating. Requirements for anti-static and non-sparking properties are assigned taking into account the specifics of the process — they are recorded in the design.
Electronics: protection against electrostatic discharge
For facilities handling sensitive electronic components, the international basis is IEC 61340-5-1:2024. The standard describes an electrostatic discharge (ESD) control programme: earthing of personnel, workstations, packaging, training and verification. In such a programme, the floor works together with conductive footwear: the charge on a person passes through the soles and the coating to earth. The resistance of floors is measured by the methods of IEC 61340-4-1, while the protective performance of the “footwear — floor — person” combination, including body voltage during walking, is assessed to IEC 61340-4-5. That is why the coating manufacturer states in the data sheet not only the resistance but also the conditions and method of its measurement.
How the system is built up
- Substrate preparation — as for an ordinary resin floor: sound, dry concrete, cleaned of laitance.
- Primer and levelling — the system’s standard epoxy materials.
- Earthing grid and earthing points: copper tape, conductive threads or special earthing terminals — this varies between systems; the layout, number and positions of the points are specified by the system manufacturer and the design.
- Conductive primer — a thin layer with carbon or other conductive components that connects the grid across the whole area.
- Working layer — a self-levelling epoxy or polyurethane compound, a thin-film coating or a polyurethane cement system in a conductive version. Its thickness is kept exactly as specified in the data sheet: excess thickness increases the resistance.
- Measurements after curing — by the method specified in the data sheet and the design, with a test report.
How to choose a system
Target resistance range
Start from the requirement: the code for the type of premises, the company’s ESD programme or the client’s requirements. Then compare the values in the data sheets — resistance to earth, point-to-point resistance and sometimes body voltage during walking — and the methods by which they were obtained. The data sheets of the materials in the catalogue give them by different methods: for example, resistance to earth of less than 10⁹ Ω to IEC 61340-4-1, less than 10⁶ Ω to EN 1081, or a range of 5·10⁴–10⁶ Ω to ASTM F150. They are therefore compared with the design requirement taking the measurement method into account, and final confirmation comes from measurements on the finished floor.
Loads and environment
Anti-static versions are available for epoxy, polyurethane and polyurethane cement systems — the choice between them follows the same rules as for ordinary floors: loads, chemicals, temperature, washing.
Appearance
Conductive components limit the colour range: light and bright shades come out darker than the reference or uneven, and manufacturers do not promise an exact colour match. If colour matters, it is agreed on a sample.
Service
Anti-static properties are retained only with correct cleaning: products that leave an insulating film — waxes and polishes — cancel them out. The resistance is rechecked periodically; the result also depends on the air humidity in the room.
How the finished floor is tested
- Measurements are taken after the coating has fully cured, at the air temperature and humidity specified in the data sheet or in the design method.
- The resistance between the floor surface and an earthing point and between points on the surface is measured with an instrument at the test voltage and with the electrodes specified by the method (for floors, IEC 61340-4-1 or the method specified by the manufacturer).
- The number and positions of the measuring points are set by the design and the inspection programme; the results are compiled in a report with a floor plan.
- In ESD areas, the “person — footwear — floor” combination is also checked, including body voltage during walking.
- In service, the resistance is checked periodically — after repairs, after a change of cleaning agents and in different seasons.
Common mistakes
- The grid is not connected to earth, or there are fewer earthing points than the system requires.
- The working layer is applied thicker than specified in the data sheet — the resistance falls outside the permitted range.
- An ordinary varnish or a “foreign” topcoat is applied over the conductive layer.
- An area is repaired with an ordinary material without a conductive primer and without connection to the grid.
- Measurements taken straight after application or with an unsuitable instrument and method.
- Cleaning with waxes and polishes that insulate the surface.
- Relying on the floor alone, without conductive footwear for personnel in ESD areas.
See also: resin flooring — overview, epoxy floors, polyurethane floors.
Materials in the catalogue
- Sikafloor-262 AS N — Sika — smooth electrostatically conductive self-smoothing epoxy floor covering.
- Sikafloor-220 W Conductive — Sika — water-dispersed conductive epoxy primer under Sikafloor conductive wearing courses.
- Sikafloor-305 W ESD — Sika — water-based matt polyurethane ESD seal coat for epoxy and polyurethane floors.
- Jotafloor Anti-Static — Jotun — conductive epoxy topcoat, 1.5–2 mm, for anti-static floors in cleanrooms and electronics.
- Fosroc Nitoflor Conductive — Fosroc — 2 mm static-conductive epoxy floor, 5×10⁴–1×10⁶ ohms, for electronics and operating theatres.
- Mapefloor I 357 ESD — Mapei — conductive self-levelling epoxy floor meeting ESD requirements for electronics and cleanrooms.
- Resuflor SL ESD — Sherwin-Williams — static-dissipative self-smoothing epoxy floor, resistance below 10⁹ Ω, 2.5–4.5 mm.
This list is not exhaustive. The final choice is made on the basis of the manufacturer’s documents and the project requirements.
Frequently asked questions
How does an anti-static floor differ from a conductive one?
In its electrical resistance range: for conductive coatings it is lower, and for dissipative (anti-static) coatings it is higher, but still allows the charge to drain away. Which range is needed is determined by the code for the premises and the process requirements.
Can an existing floor be made anti-static?
Yes, if the old coating is firmly bonded: an earthing grid, a conductive primer and the system’s working layer are laid over it. The decision is made after a survey and a trial area.
Does a server room need an anti-static floor?
Usually, yes: static discharges are dangerous for electronic equipment, and ShNK 2.03.13-24 provides for anti-static and static-dissipative coatings, among other things to protect equipment from electrical charges. The type of coating and the resistance range are recorded in the design.
We will select an anti-static or conductive floor system to meet the requirements of your premises — call us or message us on WhatsApp/Telegram: +998 94 094 52 27.