Resin flooring has provided solutions for many industries across New Zealand for decades. Resin flooring takes many forms and here at European Floor Toppings, we are pleased to be able to offer a broad range of resin technologies to provide a solution for your needs.
We specialise in resin flooring systems and wall linings, including semi rigid PVC wall and ceiling finishes.
So what is resin flooring, and what makes it so great? Read on to find out.
The Prilezhaev reaction is the chemical reaction of an alkene with a peroxy acid to form epoxides. It is named after Nikolai Prilezhaev, who first reported this reaction in 1909. The first epoxy as we know it today, though, was synthesized in the year 1936. Dr. Pierre Castan, from Switzerland, and Dr. S.O. Greenlee, from the USA, both recognized the chemistry of epoxy that people use today. Dr. Castan allowed his work to be licensed by a company named Ciba in Switzerland.
Thus, Ciba became the first company to commercialize the production of epoxy resin in the year 1946. Dr. Greenlee worked with an America based firm named Devoe-Reynolds. These companies did their part in commercializing epoxy, not without challenges due to early commercial failures and lack of knowledge. It took well over two decades for epoxy resin to get the exposure it needed. However, the combination of scientific minds and entrepreneurs working together eventually made Epoxy one of the greatest adhesives around today.
Epoxy and polyurethane (PU) floors are the two most commonly used types of resinous industrial floors.
Resin flooring creates an impervious barrier enabling the floor to be kept clean and free of harbouring bacteria.
The floor surface is seamless (other than control joints) allowing easy and effective cleaning.
Resin flooring is able to resist many impacts.
Able to withstand dramatic changes in temperature.
Aggregate can be added depending on level of non-slip required.
Tints can be added to create or match an existing colour scheme, and decorative chips/flakes can be added to create an architectural finish.
Resin flooring is able to withstand exposure to many different chemicals.
Falls can be created to encourage water to flow in a particular direction.
Coves can be created for ease of cleaning and to prevent scum build up in wall/floor junctions.
Below are some of the applications and environments that we apply resin and epoxy floor systems in. Click to a flooring application to learn more.
In years gone by most resin floors were either polyester or epoxy based. Now, we have access to technically improved resins which include Zero VOC polyesters, epoxies and polyurethanes, both rigid and flexible.
Within today’s industry there are many ingredients and cleaning chemicals used in product processing. Various acids, alkalis, solvents, petrochemicals, salts and disinfectants are commonly used.
Epoxies generally do not perform well in environments where they are subjected to temperatures above 65oC as they start to plasticise. However, polyesters, polyurethane cements and Vinyl Ester resins will tolerate the heat.
Polyesters generally emit odours whereas epoxies and polyurethane cements are mostly odourless.
Polyesters and Polyurethane cements shrink during cure, whereas epoxies do not.
Whatever your industry, be it hospitality, medical, pharmaceutical, chemical containment, dairy production, beverage production, industrial workshop, food production or supermarket, we have a resin flooring solution suited to your needs.
Contact us today on 0800 EUROFLOOR or by email.
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