CPC Floor Coatings Blog

Have you ever walked into your company’s warehouse, manufacturing floor, or retail area to discover a large crack in your concrete floor that you're pretty sure wasn’t there the day before? Perhaps you’ve just had a brand-new concrete floor poured for your new facility, and a week later it’s covered in tiny cracks.

What happened? Is your floor weakened or damaged beyond repair?

Let’s take a look at some of the common reasons that concrete floors crack and what it means for your business:

Cracking is part of concrete’s natural tendency

When it’s first poured, concrete is a liquid. Over the course of a couple of days, it hardens into a solid, shrinking as it does so. This initial shrinking often results in hairline cracking within the first few days of installation. Different mixtures and ratios of the cement may minimize some cracking, but can’t eliminate it completely.

Looking to upgrade your existing retail space, or opening up a brand-new store? Chances are you’ll want to include flooring that will stand up to day-to-day abuse—without breaking the bank, if possible.

If you want to get away from easy-to-stain carpet, easy-to-crack tile, or easy-to-damage vinyl, consider starting from the bare bones of your space: your existing concrete slab.

Making use of the underlying concrete is a cost-effective way to improve your retail space flooring without spending a fortune. Here are a few ways that you can dress up your concrete for a durable, long-lasting retail flooring solution:

Over the past several years, our area has experienced a good deal of economic growth, even while other parts of the nation were recovering from the Recession.

At times, the demand and opportunity for new businesses has outpaced the availability of new commercial properties, so some savvy economic developers have turned to re-purposing existing buildings, such as abandoned mills and factories. Re-using sturdy historic buildings is often more financially feasible—and more responsible—than tearing them down and building new ones.

Your farming equipment represents a significant investment, and you want to protect each piece in order to get the most out of it. This is why it’s important to build a sturdy machinery shed to protect your equipment from the elements and from theft.

If you’re in charge of maintaining a school building, you want to make sure you provide a cheerful, safe, and sanitary environment where children can learn—but you also know how tough kids can be on the facilities day in and day out!

Floors can be especially difficult to keep in good repair. Whether it’s because of tracked dirt, scuffing shoes, or even accidentally dropped items, it’s easy for floors to start looking chipped and worn.

If you need to renovate part or all of your facility, chances are you’re looking for a durable solution for lobbies, hallways, and other common areas—preferably one that’s easy to clean and doesn’t trap allergens.

Here are three economic flooring options that may be a good fit for you:

If you manage an auto repair shop, you know the physical demands your work places on your facility. When it comes to flooring, you want something that’s going to withstand the daily rigors of mechanic work and doesn’t need to be replaced every couple of years or so.

Considering a concrete stain for your store, clinic, or customer lobby? Here are several things to consider before investing in the staining process:

Pros of concrete staining

• It increases the aesthetic value of your floor. Concrete stain comes in a variety of shades, including neutrals, pastels, and deep tones. Experienced contractors can add visual effects such as marbling, swirls, waves, or stenciled designs. Staining can be simply a subtle upgrade from a plain gray concrete floor, or it can become the attention-grabbing focal point of your facility’s decor.

If you’re remodeling an existing facility or renovating an older building, chances are you have a concrete floor in need of refinishing. Perhaps it’s badly stained or cracked, or maybe it’s just lackluster and needs an upgrade to fit into your company’s updated look.

Instead of covering the concrete with carpeting or expensive hardwood, consider refinishing the concrete itself for a cost-effective and fashionable effect. Below are several methods for beautifying your existing concrete floor:

Filling joints and cracks

Before you do any other work, the first step is to repair any damage to the floor. Cracks, pits, and areas of spalling should be filled in and/or sealed to prevent further damage. Existing concrete joints should be examined and, if needed, be filled in with a flexible filler. These steps will extend the longevity of your floor and may help reduce worker fatigue and wear on vehicles.

There are a myriad of reasons to consider an epoxy floor coating for your industrial or commercial facility—including superior durability, ease of sanitation, and pleasing aesthetics. While epoxy’s long life makes it a cost-effective flooring solution, it does include some initial upfront cost.

You may be tempted to save some money by installing the epoxy coating yourself, or hiring unqualified help to install it for you. After all, there are plenty of do-it-yourself kits designed for home garages—why not try to DIY it on a larger scale?

As it turns out, applying an epoxy floor coating is not an easy process as it may initially seem, and a seemingly simple mistake could undermine your entire investment.  

Here’s why it pays to hire an experienced epoxy flooring contractor:

If you manage an automotive showroom, you know that every detail counts when it comes to impressing a customer. A stained, cracked, or aging floor reflects badly on your company and distracts from cars you’re working to sell. An attractive and well-maintained floor, on the other hand, can help create the ambiance you’re trying to create—whether that’s a sense of luxury, elegance, or modern simplicity.

Of course, a car showroom floor takes a lot of abuse over its lifetime, too, having to endure vehicle and foot traffic. So you need a flooring solution that’s both beautiful and durable.