Floors are subject to an immense amount of wear and tear, which makes choosing a tough and hard-wearing coating to protect your surfaces essential. However, when faced with the sheer variety of floor coatings available, you may be a little overwhelmed. From epoxy floor paints to chlorinated rubber paints, different types of coatings are suited to individual environments and challenges.
So what exactly is polyurethane floor paint, and why would you choose it when maintaining your home or commercial space? Find everything you need to know below….
What is Polyurethane?
To understand the properties of this specific floor paint, you firstly need to get to grips with polyurethane itself. Polyurethane is a high-performance synthetic resin, widely used in paints and coatings due to its resilient qualities. Not only is it resistant to oil, chemicals and water, it’s also UV stable, meaning it won’t discolour or fade when exposed to direct sunlight.
Properties of Polyurethane Paint
As a thermosetting plastic, polyurethane floor paint is simple to apply. The drying time depends on the type of polyurethane paint you use; oil-based coatings take longer to set than water-based ones, although as oil-based varieties are thicker they usually require fewer coatings to achieve a lasting finish.
This versatile floor coating is available in a range of colours. Designed to be used internally, it’s suitable for stone, wooden and concrete floors, commonly used in both a commercial and domestic environment. It’s often chosen to protect garage, factory, warehouse and workshop floors.
The Benefits of Polyurethane
Due to its durable and resistant nature polyurethane floor paint is a popular choice for homeowners and business owners seeking a high performance coating for busy environments. Relatively easy to apply, you don’t need to hire a professional painter or decorator to achieve a seamless finish, provided you coat surfaces evenly and allow ample drying time before making your floor trafficable.
Applied well, this floor paint will endure against wear and tear for years to come. With a diverse range of colours to choose from, along with different finishes such as satin and glossy, your paint can protect your flooring, without detracting from the décor. What’s more, as it’s resistant to stains and scratches, you don’t have to worry about heavy duty activity ruining your paintwork.
Anti slip floor paints, strengthened with materials such as crushed granite, are also available if safety is a concern when coating your floor. Although regular paint will be resistant to stains from oil and chemicals, if your surfaces tend to become slippery then additional grip will prevent nasty slips and falls.
Colourful, tough and resistant, it’s no wonder that polyurethane floor paint is so popular for domestic, commercial and industrial applications. From garage floors to large warehouses, its hard-wearing properties give it a robust appeal for interior surfaces that need to withstand a lot of activity.
