Choosing the Best Wear Resistant Flooring Additive for You

In a recent blog, I discussed why a urethane topcoat is important. A topcoat additive can be just as important as the complete flooring system you are choosing. This is because the topcoat is what is most exposed to things like wear and abrasion and is also what people see when they look at the floor.

Some of the options for urethane topcoat additives include glass, aluminum oxide and various abrasive media. Satin agents and polycarbonates may also be used. When it comes to wear and abrasion resistance, the most popular options to consider are products such as GlossGrip, DiamondWear, and various polycarbonates. These additives are mixed into the urethane topcoat and then rolled out onto the floor and applied at a thickness so that the additives are actually peaked above the coating, creating an additional wear surface between the coating and any abrasive loads.

How Do These Additives Work?

When an abrasive load is pushed across the floor, it is actually only coming in contact with the wear resistant GlossGrip additive, and only minimally ever touching or scratching the high gloss coating. This also makes the floor very easy to clean because there is less surface resistance, and less scratches in the topcoat where dirt can be trapped.

The DiamondWear additive works the same way, however the major difference is that GlossGrip is round and clear under a microscope, whereas DiamondWear is white and irregularly shaped with a much higher surface area per particle than GlossGrip. This irregular shape tends to trap and hold dirt much easier than a round particle as there are no “corners” in the particle for dirt to hide in. When DiamondWear is worn, it can also leave a white mark on the floor where the coating is coming off the DiamondWear particle. On the other hand, in heavier working environments such as loading docks, where the pushing of skids, frequent impacts and a certain amount of dirt is relatively acceptable, DiamondWear is likely the better choice as it is a bit harder and protect your coating longer than GlossGrip would. As a side note, both DiamondWear and GlossGrip are both great for adding slip resistance to your floor.

Polycarbonates are another option and though they are not as popular as DiamondWear and Glossgrip, they are great for decorative coatings because they are clear. They also come in a variety of different sizes to adapt to specific needs. Lastly, satin agents can reduce gloss in a urethane topcoat. Sometimes a high gloss, reflective floor is not desired and a satin agent can be added to give the floor more of a matte sheen. This gloss reduction can reduce undesired glare, as well as deflect light in such a way that reflections of floor imperfections are not seen or reflected.

Don’t know whether to re-coat, repair or replace your industrial floor? Our Industrial Flooring Self-Assessment Tool can help you determine the ideal solution for your unique application.