Concreted warehouses and garages are high-traffic areas, synonymous with dirt, grease and dust. But that doesn’t have to be the case for your residential or commercial space, with flakes for epoxy coating offering the perfect mix of durability from the epoxy coating and decoration from the flakes. In this blog, we cover flake flooring: what it is, benefits, cost, application and how to care for it.
What is flake flooring?
Flake flooring is a decorative and durable type of epoxy floor coating that can be used to protect and decorate new – or breathe life into old – concrete surfaces. The flakes are available in a multitude of different colours and sizes and are scattered (often known as broadcasting) on top of an epoxy base coat, before being covered in a clear topcoat.
What are the benefits of flake flooring and when should it be used?
Flake flooring offers a visually appealing and durable coating for high-traffic, concreted areas such as warehouses, garages and driveways. The range of colours and chip sizes and textures also means that this type of floor coating can be altered to suit your desired purpose or aesthetic.
Flake flooring is a great option when concrete surfaces need a much-needed boost. Stained, old, tired-looking concrete will benefit from the application of flake floor coating, improving its appearance and durability. What’s more, it offers a stain, scratch and chemical resistant surface, as it can be applied with no joins, resulting in a seamless application.
What does it cost to apply flake flooring?
The cost of applying flake flooring will depend on the size of the surface you want to be coated, and the current condition of the concrete. So when getting quotes from reputable floor coating companies, ensure you let them know if there are cracks, stains or bumps in the concrete, as this will need to be factored into the time required to prep, before the coating is applied.
How do you apply flake flooring?
An experienced epoxy and flake flooring specialist will ensure that the surface is prepped and finished correctly. The tried and tested process includes the following steps:
1. Preparation of Concrete
This step is essential and must not be missed. Preparing the concrete before coating will ensure the epoxy paints penetrate the concrete and will ensure all coatings applied afterwards are long-lasting and of a high-quality.
2. Application of Primer or Sealer
The next step is to apply an epoxy primer or sealer. This ensures a sufficient bond is created between the concrete and the epoxy paint.
3. Application of Epoxy Coat
A coat of two-pack tinted epoxy paint is then applied on top of the primer coat. The two products bond together.
4. Flake Broadcasting
Coloured flakes are broadcast onto the epoxy layer to create the decorative flake effect. Depending on the effect you are after, the flakes can be applied sparsely or in a denser pattern.
5. Application of Clear Top Coat
Two coats of a clear, polyurethane paint are applied to create a scratch-resistant, durable finish. This finish can be matte or polish, depending on the desired look and feel.
Caring for your flake flooring: simple tips
Due to the durability and hard-wearing nature of flake and epoxy floor coatings, caring for it is quite simple. However, there are some key ways to ensure your floor coating lasts for years to come.
- Once installed, do not allow people to walk on the newly coated surface for at least 24 hours. It takes up to 7 days to reach optimal hardness.
- Remove any spills immediately. The flake floor coating is stain and water-resistant, but cleaning regularly will help to minimise wear over time.
- Use gentle cleaning products and mops to clean the coated floors.
- If your flake floor incurs any damage, get it fixed straight away to avoid additional damage.
Choose an expert flake flooring specialist.
Kleenit installs flake flooring in Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and Perth. Reinvigorate and extend the life of your concrete floors – get in touch with Kleenit today for a free flake flooring quote.
