When looking to coat your workshop, warehouse or car park concrete floor, there are a few things you need to consider. Keep reading to discover the differences, advantages and disadvantages of clear and coloured coatings.

Clear Coatings

Clear coating is a popular choice for concrete flooring but it is not always the most practical option.

The main advantage of a clear coating is often the cost. A clear penetrating coating can be up to half or three-quarters of the price of a coloured coating. The other advantage of a clear coating is that scratches and damages are less obvious.

The main disadvantage of clear coating is that if it is only a penetrating clear treatment and it will not give any stain or chemical resistance to the surface of the concrete. In a workshop environment, this could be a problem. Some clear products darken the concrete and therefore make it hard to see spills and items dropped on the floor – this can cause a safety concern.

One more potential downside to using a clear coating is that your floor will look like plain grey concrete, and this can be a little uninspiring.

Coloured Coatings

Coloured coatings are the most common option when coating workshop environments. Coloured coating not only provides a clean, neat look, it is also very practical. The main disadvantage of a coloured coating is that if you scratch or damage the floor it will stand out. This may not be a concern for those that aren’t particularly fussy about how their floor looks and for those who are, touch up kits are available.

The main advantage of a coloured coating is that there are so many colours to choose from. Some companies choose a colour that matches their brand. This can help to create a sense of company pride and unity amongst employees while they work.

Another advantage of coloured coating is that is can be used to section off areas of a factory or workshop. For example, if you have an area where orders are packaged ready for despatch, you can coat this a different colour to the rest of the warehouse so that it is clearly identifiable to prevent mix-ups. Safety walkways can also be signified using a coloured coating or line marking tape so employees and customers know where to walk when moving around a busy site.

A mix of Clear and Coloured Coatings

A mix of clear and colour concrete coating is also an option for your warehouse, workshop, factory or carpark.

A mix of clear and coloured concrete coating can ensure a whole workshop or warehouse is protected from a chemical resistance point of view but also can offer cost savings. For example, if there are areas where the bulk of the work gets done, these could be coated in colour so it is easy to see spills and things on the floor. Then the rest of the floor space that only gets general traffic could have a clear coating.

Whether you choose a clear or coloured coating or a mix of both every one of these applications have different needs and requirements. Sometimes it’s best to get a consultant to recommend what works best for you.

Call 1300-590-505 or email enquiries@cotewell.ekaasolutions.com.au