Best Flooring for Warehouses

The most suitable warehouse flooring system depends on forklift traffic, wheel loads, concrete condition, and the activities performed in each area. Those areas that are less frequented may go for thin epoxy coatings while those with higher activity may require thicker coatings on the floor.

Epoxy Floor Coating

Epoxy floor coating is widely used in warehouse storage areas where the primary considerations are controlling dust, protecting the floor and easy cleaning of the floor. A 400–500 micron floor coating may suit certain areas provided the concrete is in good condition and the traffic situation is proper.

Suitable applications:

• Storage areas
• Traffic areas
• Packing and dispatch areas
• Corridors in the warehouse with proper traffic conditions

Self-Levelling Epoxy Flooring

The self-leveling epoxy gives a much thicker and even surface compared to the thin coating. A 2–3 mm system can be applied in selective areas, as per the substrate and load requirements.

Uses of coating include:

• Forklift traffic lanes
• Pallet jack traffic lanes
• Packaging and sorting areas
• Selective loading and dispatch areas

Thickness of coating is not the sole factor for forklift use. The concrete strength, joint status, wheel load, turning, and surface preparation are important too.

Floor Marking

A warehouse may utilize line markings to differentiate between the route used by vehicles and pedestrians as well as to indicate the place of materials or process. Line marking may be valuable in improving visibility provided that the design is based on warehouse processes.

Marked areas:

• Forklift aisles
• Pallet storage bays
• Walkways
• Loading and unloading areas
• Hazard zones

Forklift-Ready Floor Coatings

The choice of forklift floor coating depends on the load and the turning forces created by the movement of the trucks in the warehouse. There could be constant mechanical loads on the floor especially around corners, loading area and aisles in the warehouse.

Inspection of the condition of the concrete slab is needed prior to recommendation for coating.

Factors to Consider

• Type of forklift: The wheel loads and turning forces may differ depending on the type of vehicle.

• Wheel construction: Hard wheels are capable of exerting more stresses on the floor compared to soft wheels.

• Frequency of traffic: Constant traffic requires more durable system than intermittent traffic.

• Condition of joints: Any damage on the joints needs repairs to prevent any deterioration.

• Choice of coating: The system should fit the substrate and working environment.

Selection of the right system together with proper surface preparation increases the durability of the floor.

Flooring for Distribution Centres and Fulfilment Hub

The distribution center as well as the e-commerce warehouse may demand more action than a typical warehouse. There are picks, conveyors, sortation, fork lifts, and loading that can impose continuous strain on the floor.

The distribution center flooring must be able to cope with the constant movement of goods and keep clear paths for personnel and vehicles. The floorings in e-commerce warehouse must also be capable of handling picking and dispatch zones.

CoatEXX Industrial Solutions can schedule its flooring and marking based on the facility layout. Based on the situation, the work can be done in phases where chosen areas will be done before other parts.

Areas That May Need Different Systems

• Storage areas: Dust control and floor protection

• Forklift paths: Suitable floor for frequent passage by vehicles

• Sorting areas: Robust floors for trolleys and machinery

• Loading bays: Joints, impact, and traffic consideration

• Walkways: Visible walking path markings

The flow of work needs to be agreed between the warehouse management and the installer prior to any installation.

How to Stop Concrete Floor Dusting

The process of concrete floor dusting occurs when there is breakdown of the surface layer of the slab leading to loss of particles due to wear. It is usually caused by poor finishing, a poor surface layer, wear, and other concrete factors.

However, should you opt for coating the floor using the wrong type of coating without sorting out the root problem, you are likely to experience a failure in the coating process. It is advisable to examine the concrete floor prior to coating.

How to Reduce Concrete Floor Dusting in Warehouse

Inspect the concrete surface for any signs of looseness, weak spots, cracks, and the existence of coating.

• Floor preparation: Pick a suitable mechanical preparation technique that will eliminate all the weak materials and contaminants.
• Repair any damage: Crack fill and repair defective zones wherever necessary.
• Choose an appropriate coating system: Select the right coating system that will fit your concrete slab.
• Allow adequate time for curing: Allow the right time for curing as recommended for the selected coating system.

Applying an appropriate resin coating on the properly prepared concrete slab may seal the slab and reduce dust. However, the correct coating system depends on the slab and cause of dusting.

Cold Storage Warehouse Flooring

The floorings of cold storage warehouses have to be chosen based on the effects of cold, moisture, temperature variations and movement of goods at varying temperatures.

The areas around the doors might see frequent changes in temperature due to warm air coming in and cold temperatures being regained. The flooring must be appropriate for such conditions and must be compatible with the concrete subfloor.

PU-based floorings might be used in some cases of cold storage and temperature affected environments. The right product will depend on the temperature range, cleaning chemicals, moisture, temperature cycling and traffic.

• Flooring of Cold Storage Warehouses
• Operating and minimum temperatures
• Moisture and condensation
• Temperature variations near doors
• Forklifts and pallet truck traffic
• Cleaning methods and chemical exposure
• Condition of joints and drainage needs

The product should be specified based on the actual temperature range and not only based on the flooring type.

Warehouse Floor Repair

Repairing warehouse floors will help avoid damage that might continue spreading or interfere with material handling process. Damage usually includes broken joints, potholes, cracks and degraded coating in turning zones.

Applying a coating on damaged concrete floor without proper repairs will only cause repeating damages. The repair method must be appropriate for a particular type of damage, substrate condition and traffic.

Common Warehouse Floor Repair Types

• Joint repair—Repairing the concrete joint damage as needed.

• Crack repair—Repairing different types of cracks based on the type and movement of crack.

• Pothole repair—repairing the concrete damage caused by impacts and heavy loads.

• Coating repairs: Removal of the deteriorated coating and preparation of the concrete surface for recoating.

• Turn zone repair—repairing the local wear from repetitive turning and braking of forklifts.

The repaired area is recommended to be left to cure properly before final coating or reuse.

Warehouse Flooring Requirements

When choosing the best coating for a warehouse floor, it is vital to have knowledge on the operations of the warehouse. The floor coating that will work well in one place may not perform well in another area within the same warehouse.

Things To Consider Prior To Choosing Warehouse Floor Coatings

• Forklift & Traffic: What are the vehicles, number of wheels and their movement per shift?

• Racking: Decide what kind of load racking will be used and decide on the location of the base plates.

• Chemicals/Spill Resistant: Decide what chemicals, oils, food items or other materials will interact with the flooring surface.

• Markings: Think about which zones have aisles, storage areas, pedestrian traffic and other hazards.

• Concrete Floor Condition: Inspect the cracking, jointing, strength and coating on the concrete floor.

• Time Available: Decide how much time is available for the preparation, application and curing of the coating.

This will help to determine the best approach for the warehouse.

Warehouse Flooring Cost Per Sq Ft

The costs per square foot for the warehouse floor will be determined by the flooring system that is selected, the thickness of the coating, and the condition of the slab.

There are cases when a thin epoxy coating is cheaper than a thick self-leveling one. But the right choice is determined by the amount of traffic on the slab and its intended use. Open floor areas could also have a different price per square foot than small areas containing many racking systems.

Factors Affecting Warehouse Flooring Cost

• Total area to be coated
• Thickness of the coating system and type of materials used
• Surface preparation and removal of existing coatings
• Concrete repairs and joint preparation
• Need for floor markings
• Accessibility and movements of inventory
• Phasing and shutdown time

At CoatEXX Industrial Solutions, we inspect the concrete slab and measure the area before giving you an estimate in writing.

Why Choose CoatEXX Industrial Solutions?

Industrial Flooring Services by CoatEXX Industrial Solutions is offered in warehouses, distribution centres, logistics parks and all other material handling sites.

Phase-wise Work Plan Preparation

Phased work plan preparation may be undertaken to aid in the scheduling of flooring installation in tandem with material movements in the warehouse.

Joint and Crack Repair

Any existing joint problems and cracks are analyzed prior to coating to incorporate the repair work into the work plan.

Aisle and Marking Plans

Aisles, bays, walking paths, etc., can be marked according to the design plan approved by the operation team.

Flooring Systems Appropriate for This Purpose

A suitable coating will be determined by the condition of the concrete surface and the uses that will be made of the area.

Guidance for Handover and Return to Traffic

The group checks the proper curing time and traffic time to be allowed again through the selected system.

Frequently Asked Questions