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While epoxy flooring had its origin in the commercial and industrial sectors, slowly but surely people started to wonder whether the tremendous all-round durability and seamless, easy-to-clean finish could be used in more decorative ways.
In the early days, coloured quartz floors, epoxy flake flooring, glitter floors (like the stuff on party hats) or even plain colours with swirls were the only ways to jazz things up. These days, however, decorative epoxy flooring has flourished through the use of metallic pigments and the stunning effects they can create.
Here are some tips to help get the best possible result on your metallic epoxy floor.
While metallic epoxy flooring has become synonymous with brilliant swirls and illusions of depth, there are some rules that apply when it comes to these types of designs.
The most notable here is that soft and subtle designs like traditional marble patterns work best. Many people get carried away with the possibilities of a custom floor design and dream up intricate masterpieces that unfortunately resemble a spilled mess when applied. If you have your heart set on a custom floor, the safer option is to take an existing design and tweak it.
Also, if your custom metallic floor involves matching up with décor or other colours, please keep in mind that getting an exact match is always a challenge whether you’re flooring, painting or whatever.
Perhaps the best advice when it comes to any kind of decorative flooring is to view it in the flesh before you commit. If visiting working examples of the floor or a showroom isn’t possible, ask to see a sampleboard at the very least. A large board (600mm x 600mm) will enable you to approve a design concept as well as “touch and feel” the finish for yourself. This could involve laying it down in the corner to see if it complements the décor or looking at the finish from a distance to see if it matches your expectations. These are simple yet powerful tests that will allow you to evaluate metallic epoxy floors more accurately.
If your new floor is part of a larger renovation project, it’s important to get the timing right. Other trades can very quickly ruin a pristine new floor regardless of how well you try to protect it, so you’re much better off making it the last piece of the project puzzle rather than the first.
Speaking of protecting your new metallic epoxy floor, we’d like to make special mention of the barricades, tape and other sealing-off measures put in place while the floor is being installed. A beautiful finish can quickly be ruined if a breeze dumps a blanket of dust on it or a moth gets stuck in the film, so it pays to keep clear as much as possible. A bit of discipline is required here because taking a sneak peek can be very tempting!
Not every design or colour combination looks good. For example, red metallic pigments on a light background usually just ends up looking like blood! The only way you can prove what actually works, and develop a good feel for metallic designs in general, is to get into the habit of doing sampleboards regularly.
Sampleboards are also a great marketing tool to help clients choose and know what to expect with the metallic epoxy floor you’re delivering – colours, design, gloss, possible imperfections and everything else in between. Talking about these things openly and honestly is important, but it often doesn’t really sink in until they’re holding a sampleboard.
With metallic floors more than any other type of epoxy flooring system, you simply need to get every stage right to ensure a great result. Slow down, be meticulous about getting preparation and application spot on for each coat. For example, issues such as the flatness of the concrete slab take on extra importance when using low-viscosity decorative epoxy resins that flow extremely well and easily find low spots.
With decorative metallic floors, using the right equipment is an essential part of producing the high-end finishes you’re often aiming for. Common examples of equipment that can make a big difference in this regard are mix blades that don’t trap too much air, and quality roller covers that don’t shed too much lint. Full-length clothing is also a good idea to stop hair and sweat from contaminating high-gloss films.
When it comes to the epoxy resins used in metallic flooring projects, unfortunately a high-gloss finish can’t be guaranteed just because the resin is water thin and crystal clear. To get the best results, you should be looking to use specialist decorative epoxies that are formulated to flow, defoam and avoid issues like amine blush. To ensure the right equipment and epoxy resins are used, work with a proven supplier that knows what it takes to get a fantastic result on metallic flooring projects.
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Metallic
epoxy flooring example
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Real World Epoxies has formulated, manufactured and supplied high-quality metallic epoxy flooring systems and products for more than two decades. We stand behind our products because we only use proven, high-quality materials that we know will perform as expected. You can trust our metallic epoxy flooring systems for your epoxy flooring project.
Let us help you with your metallic epoxy flooring needs when you fill out one of our contact forms or call us on 1300 EPOXIES (1300 376 943).
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