A self-leveling epoxy floor is a seamless monolithic coating over concrete that turns a dusting, abrading substrate into a durable, chemically resistant and easy-to-clean surface. It is used where the floor has requirements for load, hygiene and chemical resistance: warehouses, production workshops, car parks, food and pharmaceutical facilities. Let us look at what the system consists of and how to select it for a specific load.

What a self-leveling epoxy floor is

It is not “a single paint” but a system of layers:

primer (impregnation) — strengthens the top layer of concrete, removes dust and provides adhesion;
base (self-leveling) layer — forms an even seamless coating of the required thickness;
if needed — quartz-sand filling for strength and slip resistance;
top coat or lacquer — sets abrasion and chemical resistance and the appearance.

The result is a monolithic surface with no joints where dirt collects, with low dusting and easy cleaning.

Where it is used

warehouses and logistics — movement of trolleys and forklifts;
production workshops — mechanical and chemical loads;
car parks and ramps — abrasion, de-icing agents, slip resistance;
food and pharmaceutical facilities — hygiene, frequent washing;
rooms with chemical spills — chemical resistance.

How to choose the system for the load

There is no universal “thickness in millimetres” — the system is selected for the task. Guidelines by load type:

light (pedestrians, occasional trolleys) — thin-layer paint or impregnation systems;
medium (warehouses, workshops, electric forklifts) — medium-thickness self-leveling systems;
heavy (heavy machinery, impacts, intensive traffic) — highly filled quartz systems of increased strength.

Additional factors: chemical exposure (acids, alkalis, oils, solvents), slip-resistance and hygiene requirements, temperature regime (hot-water or steam washing), the need for antistatic properties. The exact system and thickness are selected for the project and the site conditions.

The substrate is decisive

Any epoxy system works exactly as well as the substrate is prepared:

concrete strength — the coating will not hold on a weak, crumbling substrate;
concrete moisture — critical for epoxies; a damp substrate needs special primers or a different system;
cleanliness — removal of oils, old coatings and laitance, dust removal;
mechanical preparation — grinding or milling, repair of cracks and potholes.

Installation features

Substrate preparation: grinding or milling, repair, dust removal.
Priming — impregnation and adhesion to the concrete.
Application of the self-leveling layer, with quartz broadcast if needed.
Deaeration with a spiked roller (release of air bubbles).
Top coat or lacquer.
Control of conditions (temperature, humidity, dew point) and curing before commissioning.

Advantages and limitations

Advantages: high strength and wear resistance, chemical resistance, dust-free surface, hygiene and easy cleaning, repairability, seamlessness.

Limitations: sensitivity to ultraviolet (in open sun pure epoxy yellows — for light and outdoors a polyurethane top coat is used); demands on substrate moisture; relative rigidity (for substrates with cracks and deformation more elastic systems are chosen). How epoxy differs from polyurethane and which is better where — in a separate article.

STATERM selects the self-leveling floor system for your load and conditions, supplies the materials from stock with delivery across Uzbekistan and installs the floor turnkey — from substrate preparation to handover, with quality control. We work on sites across all regions of Uzbekistan. For a consultation and system selection: +998 90 918-81-88, Telegram or leave a request.

Self-leveling epoxy floors for warehouses and workshops: choosing the system for the load