Resin floor coatings for concrete are epoxy, polyurethane, polyaspartic, MMA and PU-cement binders that cure by reaction, graded in 8 FeRFA types from seals of at most 150 µm (5.9 mil) to floors over 6 mm (0.24 in). Each type suits a different load, chemical exposure and cure window, so which one belongs on which floor?
The flooring family holds 15 classes in 4 groups: 5 reactive resin coatings, 4 performance and finish systems, 3 screeds and underlayments, and 3 slab preparation and mineral finishes. UK specifiers call a thick trowelled resin layer a "resin screed" and a smoothing layer a "levelling" compound. Flooring is one of the 15 families of construction chemicals.
Europe declares resin floors as EN 13813:2002 SR material, with CE marking from bond class B1,5, impact class IR4 and wear class AR1 or RWA10. The slab needs a pull-off strength above 1.5 N/mm² (218 psi) and a surface RH of at most 75 % unless the system tolerates moisture. VOC limits for floor coatings run from 50 g/L (0.42 lb/gal) in the South Coast air district to 400 g/L (3.34 lb/gal) under the federal EPA rule. A Dallas-Fort Worth contractor ladder dated 2026-10 puts installed thin-film epoxy at USD 32.29 to 64.58 per m² (USD 3 to 6 per ft²), and every class is dated in the complete list below.
Standards, codes and regulations are checked against their issuing bodies, product values against the named data sheet and prices against the dated source named in the sentence; see our methodology and fact-checking.
What Is a Resin Floor Coating for Concrete?#
A resin floor coating is a liquid synthetic resin binder, mixed from 2 or 3 components, that cures by chemical reaction in place on concrete or screed to form a seamless wearing, chemical-resistant, decorative or conductive surface. The film stays continuous across the slab, with no grout lines or seams.
The same product carries different names by region. US specifications say "resinous flooring" or "seamless flooring", UK specifications say "resin floor" and grade it by FeRFA type, and the European product standard EN 13813:2002 calls it "synthetic resin screed material" with the binder code SR.
Which products belong to the flooring family besides resin coatings?#
The flooring family also covers 4 product groups that level, prepare or finish a slab, listed below.
- Floor screeds, such as cement, calcium sulfate, magnesite and mastic asphalt layers to EN 13813:2002.
- Self-leveling underlayments, which flow out to a flat base under coatings and coverings.
- Moisture mitigation systems, which hold slab vapor below a coating or covering.
- Polished concrete and microcement, which finish the slab itself with grinding or a thin cementitious topping.
Industrial vinyl, rubber and tile floors and the adhesives that bond floor coverings are other products, outside this family.
How Do Resin Floor Coatings Cure and Bond to Concrete?#
Resin floor coatings cure by reaction, not by drying, and every system relies on a sound, dry, mechanically prepared substrate. Epoxy and polyurethane cure by addition between resin and hardener, methyl methacrylate by free-radical polymerization started by a peroxide powder, and PU-cement by polyurethane cure together with cement hydration.
Reaction cure: epoxy, polyurethane, polyaspartic and methacrylate binders#
Each chemistry cures at its own speed and temperature limit, which sets how long a floor stays closed. The cure rate of epoxy roughly halves with every 10 °C (18 °F) drop, and in cold, humid air its amine hardener reacts with carbon dioxide and moisture into a carbamate blush on the surface. Methyl methacrylate floors reach full performance in hours, also below 0 °C (32 °F), which is why cold stores take them.
Color under sunlight separates the chemistries again. Polyaspartic and aliphatic polyurethane films hold their color under UV light, while aromatic epoxies yellow, so a sunlit epoxy floor takes an aliphatic topcoat. Resin grades, hardeners, diluents and blush chemistry are explained under epoxy resins and hardeners.
Bond to the slab: substrate strength, moisture and preparation#
Resin floors go onto concrete of at least RC30 (BS 8500-2) or a polymer-modified screed, never onto unmodified sand and cement or anhydrite screed. The FeRFA guide behind BS 8204-6 accepts a pull-off strength above 1.5 N/mm² (218 psi), tested to BS EN 13892-8:2002, or a rebound hammer reading above 25; that value is guidance, not an EN 13813 requirement.
The surface RH, measured to BS 8203, stays at or below 75 % unless the system is moisture tolerant, and a 150 mm (6 in) slab can take more than a year to dry from one face. Water-repellent admixtures in the base concrete are covered on concreteadditives.net.
Preparation is mechanical: blast cleaning, planing or grinding removes laitance and opens the surface, and the FeRFA guide advises against acid etching. The texture each system needs is graded under concrete surface profile.
FeRFA Types 1 to 8: Resin Floors Classified by Thickness and Duty#
FeRFA classifies resin floors in 8 types by applied thickness and duty, from Type 1 seals of at most 150 µm (5.9 mil) for light duty to Type 8 heavy-duty floors over 6 mm (0.24 in) for very heavy duty. The table below compares the 8 types by name, thickness band and duty rating.
| Type | Name | Thickness | Duty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | seal | ≤ 150 µm (5.9 mil) | light |
| 2 | coating | 150 to 300 µm (5.9 to 11.8 mil) | light, medium |
| 3 | high-build coating | 300 to 1,000 µm (11.8 to 39.4 mil) | medium |
| 4 | multi-layer | > 2 mm (0.08 in) | medium, heavy |
| 5 | flow-applied | 2 to 3 mm (0.08 to 0.12 in) | medium, heavy |
| 6 | resin screed | > 4 mm (0.16 in) | medium, heavy |
| 7 | heavy-duty flowable | 4 to 6 mm (0.16 to 0.24 in) | heavy, very heavy |
| 8 | heavy-duty | > 6 mm (0.24 in) | very heavy |
Source: FeRFA standard page, 2025.
Types 1 to 3: seals and coatings#
Types 1 to 3 are thin films from at most 150 µm (5.9 mil) to 1,000 µm (39.4 mil) that seal dust and color the slab but wear through under ground-in grit. Type 1 water-based seals need air below 85 % RH at application, or the film fails to coalesce. On a damp slab they suffer osmotic blistering.
Types 4 and 5: multi-layer and flow-applied floors#
Types 4 and 5 build more than 2 mm (0.08 in) by broadcast layers or a 2 to 3 mm (0.08 to 0.12 in) flow-applied layer for medium to heavy duty. Both remain thin enough for osmotic blistering, which affects resin floors up to about 6 mm (0.24 in) on slabs with rising moisture.
Types 6 to 8: resin screeds and heavy-duty floors#
Types 6 to 8 are trowelled or flowable screeds over 4 mm (0.16 in) for heavy and very heavy duty, the class where PU-cement floors sit. FeRFA guidance accepts steam cleaning on Type 8 heavily filled floors of 9 mm (0.35 in) or more.
15 Types of Floor Coatings and Floor Systems in 4 Groups#
The 15 types of floor coatings and floor systems fall into 4 groups: 5 reactive resin coatings, 4 performance and finish systems, 3 screeds and underlayments, and 3 slab preparation and mineral finishes. The group table below compares the binder of each group and the basis on which its thickness is specified.
| Group | Classes | Binder | Thickness basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reactive resin | rows 1 to 5 | reaction-cured resin | DFT or FeRFA type |
| Performance and finish | rows 6 to 9 | resin with aggregate, flake or conductive filler | FeRFA type |
| Screeds and underlayments | rows 10 to 12 | cement, calcium sulfate, resin | mm |
| Preparation and mineral finishes | rows 13 to 15 | resin film, densifier, polymer-cement | DFT, grind level or mm |
1. Reactive resin floor coatings (5)#
Reactive resin floor coatings are liquid binders that cure by chemical reaction into a seamless film or screed; this group has 5 classes: epoxy, polyurethane, polyaspartic and polyurea, MMA, and PU-cement.
Epoxy floor systems#
Epoxy floor systems are 2-component coatings, screeds and mortars of liquid epoxy resin cured with an amine hardener. In Europe they carry CE marking as EN 13813:2002 SR synthetic resin screed material. Aromatic epoxies yellow and chalk under UV light, so sunlit floors take an aliphatic topcoat.
Polyurethane floor coatings and topcoats#
Polyurethane floor coatings are films and screeds of a polyol cured with an aliphatic or aromatic polyisocyanate. Aliphatic grades serve as UV-stable topcoats and aromatic grades as screeds, both declared to EN 13813:2002 SR. EU applicators need documented diisocyanate training under REACH Annex XVII entry 74.
Polyaspartic and polyurea floor coatings#
Polyaspartic floor coatings are aliphatic polyisocyanates reacted with a polyaspartic ester, a slowed polyurea that cures in hours and keeps its color under UV light. No product standard covers them, so data sheets quote test methods only. Entry 74 training applies to them in the EU.
MMA (methyl methacrylate) floors#
MMA floors are methyl methacrylate resins started by a peroxide powder, a free-radical cure that reaches full performance in hours, also below 0 °C (32 °F). Makers declare them as EN 13813:2002 SR material. Methyl methacrylate carries a harmonised flammability code (H225) and a strong odor, so the area is ventilated during work.
Polyurethane cement (urethane concrete) floors#
Polyurethane cement floors are 3-component mixes of water-dispersed polyurethane, cement and graded aggregate that cure by polyurethane reaction and cement hydration together. They sit in FeRFA Types 6 to 8 and are declared to EN 13813:2002 SR. Their thermal expansion is close to concrete's, and they tolerate damp slabs.
2. Performance and finish systems (4)#
Performance and finish systems are resin floors whose aggregate, flake, pigment or filler adds a function beyond wear; this group has 4 classes: decorative, slip-resistant, ESD and conductive, and garage systems.
Decorative flake, metallic, quartz and terrazzo floors#
Decorative resin floors are epoxy bases and binders with flake, metallic pigment, quartz or terrazzo aggregate, finished with a clear topcoat. BS 8204-6:2008+A1:2010 Annex A covers resin terrazzo in the UK. Epoxy bases yellow under UV unless an aliphatic polyurethane or polyaspartic topcoat covers them.
Slip-resistant resin floors#
Slip-resistant resin floors are resin systems with broadcast quartz, silicon carbide or aluminum oxide, or a textured topcoat. EN 16165:2021 sets the European slip test methods, with the pendulum in Annex C. Coarser texture raises slip resistance but makes the floor harder to clean.
ESD and conductive floor coatings#
ESD and conductive floor coatings are epoxy or polyurethane layers with conductive fillers laid over a conductive primer and copper grounding tape. ANSI/ESD S20.20-2021 sets the floor limits, and ASTM F150-25 is the US resistance test for resilient floors. Readings taken before full cure or at low humidity fall out of range.
Garage floor coating systems#
Garage floor coating systems are an epoxy base coat with flake broadcast and a polyaspartic or aliphatic polyurethane topcoat. No standard covers garage systems specifically, so specifications cite the base chemistries. The slab is prepared mechanically, never by acid etching.
3. Screeds and underlayments (3)#
Screeds and underlayments are leveling layers that give a flat, sound base under a coating or covering; this group has 3 classes: floor screeds, self-leveling underlayments and gypsum underlayments.
Floor screeds by binder#
Floor screeds are leveling or wearing layers bound by cement (CT), calcium sulfate (CA), magnesite (MA), mastic asphalt (AS) or synthetic resin (SR), the 5 binder codes of EN 13813:2002. BS 8204-1:2003+A1:2009 covers concrete bases and cementitious leveling screeds in the UK. A bonded calcium sulfate screed is at least 25 mm (1.0 in) thick under BS 8204-7:2003.
Self-leveling underlayments and toppings#
Self-leveling underlayments are blends of calcium aluminate cement, portland cement and calcium sulfate that bind water as ettringite, flow under gravity and dry fast. ASTM C1708/C1708M-26 sets their test methods, and BS 8204-7:2003 requires a bonded cement layer of at least 3 mm (0.12 in). They are neither a vapor barrier nor a wear surface.
Gypsum floor underlayments#
Gypsum floor underlayments are calcium sulfate and sand mixes pumped over wood-frame or concrete floors, where their mass adds fire resistance and sound control. Their fire ratings come from UL design listings, and the European analogue is EN 13813:2002 CA.
4. Slab preparation and mineral finishes (3)#
Slab preparation and mineral finishes are products that control slab moisture or finish the slab itself without a thick resin layer; this group has 3 classes: moisture mitigation, polished concrete and microcement.
Moisture mitigation systems for slabs#
Moisture mitigation systems are continuous 2-component epoxy or epoxy-cement films that hold vapor and alkalis in the slab below a coating or covering. ASTM F3010-24 requires at most 0.10 perm and a bond of at least 1.38 MPa (200 psi) with failure in the concrete; ASTM F3513-24 covers 1-component membranes. Neither standard allows gypsum substrates.
Polished concrete floor systems#
Polished concrete floor systems are a sequence of grind, hone, densify, polish and guard that refines the slab itself instead of adding a film. ACI SPEC-310.1-20 specifies aggregate exposure classes and gloss levels. Grinding falls under the floor-grinder line of the OSHA silica table.
Microcement and microtopping#
Microcement and microtopping are polymer-modified fine cementitious mortars troweled in thin coats over a primer and mesh and finished with a sealer. No performance standard covers them, so the product data sheet sets every value. They crack where the substrate moves.
How Do Epoxy, Polyurethane, Polyaspartic, MMA and PU-Cement Floors Compare?#
Epoxy builds thickness and adhesion, aliphatic polyurethane and polyaspartic add UV color stability, MMA cures in hours even below freezing, and PU-cement carries heavy, wet, hot-and-cold service on damp concrete. Which property decides between them on one floor? The verdict table below compares the 5 chemistries by cure, UV behavior, role, damp-slab tolerance, safety rules and FeRFA type.
| Property | Epoxy | Aliphatic PU | Polyaspartic | MMA | PU-cement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cure | amine addition, slows in cold | polyol-isocyanate addition | slowed urea reaction, hours | free radical, hours, also below 0 °C (32 °F) | PU cure + cement hydration |
| UV | aromatic grades yellow | holds color | holds color | not stated | not stated |
| Role | base coat, build | topcoat | topcoat or full system | fast return, cold rooms | heavy, wet, thermal shock |
| Damp slab | RH limit set by the maker; moisture mitigation above it | RH limit set by the maker | moisture barrier on slab on grade | not stated | moisture tolerant |
| Classification and training | harmonised H315, H317, H319, H411; entry 74 not applicable | entry 74 training; see the product SDS | entry 74 training; see the product SDS | harmonised H225, H315, H317, H335 | entry 74 training; cement: see the product SDS |
| FeRFA types | see class page | see class page | see class page | see class page | 6 to 8 |
The chemistries combine more than they compete: an epoxy base gives build and adhesion, an aliphatic polyurethane or polyaspartic topcoat adds color stability, MMA suits cold stores and short shutdowns, and PU-cement suits wet, hot food floors. Epoxy vs polyurethane is a base-and-topcoat pairing; the garage and topcoat pairing is set out in epoxy vs polyaspartic vs polyurea floor coatings.
Where Are Resin Floor Coatings Used? Selection by Environment and Load#
Resin floor coatings are used in 4 environments: warehouses and factories, food and chemical process areas, electronics and clean areas, and parking decks and garages. The load, wet service and temperature at each one set the FeRFA type and chemistry. The table below matches each environment with its load, the classes that suit it and the key document.
| Environment | Load | Classes | Key document |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warehouses and factories | forklifts, grit | epoxy Types 4 to 8, PU-cement | FeRFA types |
| Food, beverage and chemical process | wet, hot, chemicals | PU-cement, heavy resin screeds | FeRFA Types 6 to 8 |
| Electronics and healthcare | static | ESD and conductive coatings | ANSI/ESD S20.20-2021 |
| traffic coatings for parking decks | vehicles, chlorides | traffic membranes | see application page |
| Residential garages | hot tires, UV | garage systems | none specific |
| concrete floor and slab crack repair | cracks before coating | repair, then coating | reflective cracking |
Warehouses, factories and forklift traffic#
Forklift aisles and loading areas take the medium to very heavy duty FeRFA Types 4 to 8, since Types 1 to 3 wear through under ground-in grit.
Joints fail before the field of the floor, because saw-cut joints under forklift traffic need a filler that supports the wheel; joints are filled under semi-rigid joint fillers for industrial floors.
Food, beverage and chemical process areas#
Wet, hot and washed-down floors take heavy resin screeds of Types 6 to 8, with PU-cement where thermal shock and damp slabs meet. Commercial kitchen floors fall in the same group, and Type 8 floors of 9 mm (0.35 in) or more accept steam cleaning.
Electronics, healthcare and clean areas#
Electronics assembly areas take conductive resin floors tested to ANSI/ESD S20.20-2021, with floor resistance below 1.0 × 10⁹ ohm (ANSI/ESD STM7.1-2020). The same standard limits walking body voltage to less than 100 V (ANSI/ESD STM97.2-2016).
Parking decks, ramps and residential garages#
Parking decks and ramps take traffic coatings described on the parking application pages, while residential garages take an epoxy base with flake and a polyaspartic or aliphatic polyurethane topcoat. Hot tires lift poorly bonded films, and acid-etched garage slabs peel.
Which Standards Govern Resin Floor Coatings? EN, BS and ASTM Side by Side#
Resin floor coatings are governed in 3 layers: the EU product standard EN 13813:2002, the UK code BS 8204-6:2008+A1:2010 with FeRFA guidance, and US test methods from ASTM, ANSI and ESDA. The US has no ASTM product standard for resin floors, so US specifications name test methods and the maker's limits.
EN 13813 synthetic resin classes and CE marking#
EN 13813:2002 requires a synthetic resin (SR) material to declare bond strength, wear resistance and impact resistance, and CE marking needs at least B1,5 and IR4 with wear of RWA10 or AR1 or better (Table ZA.1.5). A declaration reads as a designation such as SR-B2,0-AR1-IR4. EN 13813:2002 is the current edition, cited in the Official Journal C 259 of 2014-08-08 under Regulation (EU) 305/2011.
Regulation (EU) 2024/3110 entered into force on 2025-01-07 and applies from 2026-01-08, and standards cited under Regulation (EU) 305/2011 keep applying until a product family moves. Where a floor coating also protects the concrete, EN 1504-2:2004 for surface protection applies, and heavily loaded flooring must still satisfy EN 13813. Every binder, class and designation is listed under EN 13813 screed materials.
BS 8204-6 and FeRFA guidance in the UK#
BS 8204-6:2008+A1:2010 is the UK code of practice for in-situ synthetic resin floorings on concrete or screed, and the FeRFA guide behind it supplies the acceptance values. Those values include the pull-off guidance above 1.5 N/mm² (218 psi) to BS EN 13892-8:2002 and a wet pendulum test value (PTV) of at least 40.
Surface regularity follows 3 classes: SR1 with a 3 mm (0.12 in) maximum gap under a straightedge, SR2 with 5 mm (0.20 in) and SR3 with 10 mm (0.39 in).
US practice: ASTM test methods for moisture, wear and membranes#
US specifications cite test methods, not a product standard: ASTM F2170-19a and F1869-23 for slab moisture, ASTM D4060-25 for Taber abrasion and ASTM F3010-24 for moisture mitigation membranes. ASTM F2170-19a measures relative humidity in the slab and ASTM F1869-23 the moisture vapor emission rate.
Neither moisture method sets a pass/fail value; the moisture limit is the coating maker's. Probe and dome tests are compared under concrete moisture testing.
Slip resistance and static control values#
Slip and static values are thresholds from guidance and standards: FeRFA targets a wet PTV of at least 40, and ANSI A326.3 (revised 2021) a wet DCOF of at least 0.42 for level interior wet areas. The UK HSE rates a PTV of 36 or more as low slip potential and 0 to 24 as high. For static control, ANSI/ESD S20.20-2021 sets floor resistance below 1.0 × 10⁹ ohm.
How Thick Is a Resin Floor Coating? Wet Film, Dry Film and Coverage#
Resin floor thickness runs from a dry film of at most 150 µm (5.9 mil) for a Type 1 seal to more than 6 mm (0.24 in) for a Type 8 floor. The dry film of any coating equals its wet film times its volume solids.
Dry film, wet film and volume solids#
Dry film thickness equals wet film thickness times volume solids, so a 50 % solids coating loses half its wet thickness as it cures.
Coverage follows from the same identity: 1 US gal covers 1,604 ft² at 1 mil DFT and 100 % volume solids, and in metric units coverage in m²/L equals 1,000 times volume solids divided by DFT in µm. As a worked example, take a coating with 100 % volume solids (input 1) applied at 300 µm (11.8 mil) DFT (input 2): theoretical coverage is 1,000 / 300 = 3.33 m²/L (136 ft²/gal), before losses and substrate absorption. Rates for any solids content are worked out in the epoxy and coating coverage calculator.
At 50 % volume solids the same DFT gives 1.67 m²/L (68 ft²/gal) and needs 600 µm (23.6 mil) of wet film. Practical coverage is lower, because profile, absorption and waste consume material.
Temperature, humidity and cure before traffic#
Resin floors go down when substrate and air are above 5 °C (41 °F) and rising, with the slab at least 3 °C (5.4 °F) above the dew point, measured on the substrate (ISO 8502-4:2017). US data sheets round the margin to 5 °F.
The slab can be up to 10 °C (18 °F) colder than the air above it. Cure slows below 10 °C (50 °F), and condensation on a curing film causes blooming.
FeRFA guidance at 15 to 20 °C (59 to 68 °F) allows 1 to 3 days before significant traffic and 3 to 7 days before wet cleaning, chemical exposure or heavy traffic. MMA floors cut that window to hours.
VOC Limits and Safety Rules for Floor Coatings#
VOC limits for floor coatings depend on jurisdiction: 50 g/L (0.42 lb/gal) in the South Coast air district and 400 g/L (3.34 lb/gal) under the federal EPA rule. In the EU, two-pack floor coatings meet 140 g/L (1.17 lb/gal) water-based or 500 g/L (4.17 lb/gal) solvent-based.
VOC limits by jurisdiction#
South Coast AQMD Rule 1113 (amended 2016-02-05) limits Floor Coatings to 50 g/L (0.42 lb/gal), less water and exempt compounds. The table below compares the floor-relevant limits in g/L (lb/gal) across the South Coast rule, the federal EPA AIM rule and the EU directive; every category is listed under VOC limits for construction chemicals.
| Category | SCAQMD Rule 1113 (amended 2016-02-05) | EPA AIM (made on or after 1999-09-13) | EU 2004/42/EC Phase II (since 2010-01-01) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floor coatings | 50 (0.42) | 400 (3.34) | (j) two-pack reactive: WB 140 (1.17) / SB 500 (4.17) |
| Primers, sealers and undercoaters | 100 (0.83) | primers and undercoaters 350 (2.92) | not stated |
| Industrial maintenance coatings | not stated | 450 (3.76) | not stated |
Primers under a floor system count separately, at 100 g/L (0.83 lb/gal) under Rule 1113 and 350 g/L (2.92 lb/gal) under the EPA AIM rule. The 450 g/L (3.76 lb/gal) EPA value belongs to industrial maintenance coatings.
The EU limits of Directive 2004/42/EC apply to the product ready to use, and Phase II of category (j) has applied since 2010-01-01.
Epoxy, isocyanate, methacrylate, cement and silica rules#
Liquid epoxy resin carries a harmonised CLP classification (index 603-074-00-8: H315, H317, H319, H411), while diisocyanate products need documented training before professional use since 2023-08-24 (REACH Annex XVII entry 74). Entry 74 applies at 0.1 % by weight or more of diisocyanates, the label statement has applied since 2022-02-24, and training is renewed at least every 5 years; it covers polyurethane, polyaspartic and PU-cement floors, not epoxy-amine systems. Directive (EU) 2024/869 sets an EU limit of 6 µg NCO/m³ (8-h TWA) with a short-term limit of 12 µg NCO/m³, transitional values of 10 and 20 µg NCO/m³ until 2028-12-31, and transposition by 2026-04-09.
Methyl methacrylate is harmonised under index 607-035-00-6 with H225, H315, H317 and H335. Polyurethane resins have no Annex VI entry as a class (see the product SDS), while their isocyanate monomers are harmonised with H334 and H317. Portland cement in PU-cement and screeds has no Annex VI entry; ECHA C&L notified classification: H315, H317, H318, H335; see the product SDS. REACH Annex XVII entry 47 limits soluble chromium (VI) to 2 mg/kg (0.0002 %) of the total dry weight of the cement; training and exposure limits are set out under diisocyanates rules.
Floor preparation releases respirable crystalline silica. OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1153 (effective 2016-06-23) sets a PEL of 50 µg/m³ and an action level of 25 µg/m³ (8-h TWA), and its Table 1 requires floor grinders with integrated water delivery or a dust collector of at least 99 % filter efficiency, with a HEPA vacuum indoors. The EU binding limit is 0.1 mg/m³ respirable crystalline silica under Directive (EU) 2017/2398.
Complete List of Resin Floor Coatings and Floor Systems: All 15 Classes#
The complete list below gives all 15 floor coating and floor system classes with their chemistry, European and US documents, FeRFA type or build, applicator need and a dated installed cost where one is published.
| # | Class | Chemistry | EU / UK basis | US basis | FeRFA type or build | Applicator | Installed cost (dated) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | epoxy flooring | 2K epoxy + amine | EN 13813:2002 SR | ASTM D4060-25 (test) | coating to broadcast | yes | installed: thin-film USD 32.29 to 64.58, high-build USD 53.82 to 96.88 per m² (USD 3 to 6; 5 to 9 per ft²), US Dallas-Fort Worth, 2026-10 |
| 2 | polyurethane floor coatings and topcoats | polyol + isocyanate | EN 13813:2002 SR | ASTM D4060-25 (test) | topcoat film | yes | no dated public range |
| 3 | polyaspartic and polyurea floor coatings | polyaspartic ester + aliphatic isocyanate | none | no product standard | coating | yes | installed: USD 75.35 to 129.17 per m² (USD 7 to 12 per ft²), US, vendor page, 2026 |
| 4 | MMA flooring | methyl methacrylate + peroxide | EN 13813:2002 SR | none stated | coating to screed | yes | no dated public range |
| 5 | polyurethane cement floors | PU + cement + aggregate | EN 13813:2002 SR | none stated | Types 6 to 8 | yes | installed: 5 to 10 mm (3/16 to 3/8 in) USD 107.64 to 193.75 per m² (USD 10 to 18 per ft²), US Dallas-Fort Worth, 2026-10 |
| 6 | decorative resin floors | epoxy + flake, metallic, quartz | BS 8204-6:2008+A1:2010 Annex A | none stated | coating to screed | yes | installed: flake USD 64.58 to 107.64, quartz USD 86.11 to 139.93 per m² (USD 6 to 10; 8 to 13 per ft²), US Dallas-Fort Worth, 2026-10 |
| 7 | slip-resistant resin floors | resin + broadcast aggregate | EN 16165:2021 (method) | ANSI A326.3 (revised 2021) | any | yes | no dated public range |
| 8 | ESD and conductive floor coatings | epoxy or PU + conductive filler | EN 13813:2002 SR | ANSI/ESD S20.20-2021, ASTM F150-25 | self-leveling | yes | no dated public range |
| 9 | garage floor coatings | epoxy base, flake, polyaspartic top | none | none specific | coating | depends | installed, national average: USD 83.74 to 136.81 per m² (USD 7.78 to 12.71 per ft²), US, 2026-05 |
| 10 | floor screeds | CT, CA, MA, AS, SR | EN 13813:2002; BS 8204-1:2003+A1:2009 | none stated | CA bonded ≥ 25 mm (1.0 in) | yes | installed (laid): GBP 15 to 20 per m² (GBP 1.39 to 1.86 per ft²), UK, 2024-07-03 |
| 11 | self-leveling concrete and underlayments | CAC + portland + calcium sulfate | EN 13813:2002 CT; BS 8204-7:2003 | ASTM C1708/C1708M-26, F2873-24 | bonded ≥ 3 mm (0.12 in) | depends | installed: 6 mm (1/4 in) overlay USD 37.67 to 69.97 per m² (USD 3.50 to 6.50 per ft²), US Illinois, 2025-07-07 |
| 12 | gypsum floor underlayments | calcium sulfate + sand | EN 13813:2002 CA (analogue) | UL design listings | pumped | yes | no dated public range |
| 13 | moisture mitigation systems | 2K epoxy, epoxy-cement | none stated | ASTM F3010-24, F3513-24 | film | yes | installed: USD 53.82 to 86.11 per m² (USD 5 to 8 per ft²), US, 2026-07 |
| 14 | polished concrete floors | densifier + guard | none stated | ACI SPEC-310.1-20 | grind levels | yes | installed: USD 32.29 to 161.46 per m² (USD 3 to 15 per ft²), US, 2026-04 |
| 15 | microcement and microtopping | polymer-modified cement | none | none (specification location only) | thin topping | yes | installed: USD 322.92 to 807.30+ per m² (USD 30 to 75+ per ft²), US, vendor page, 2026-04-15 |
Costs are third-party cost guides, vendor pages and contractor pages, not quotes; the Dallas-Fort Worth ladder uses a 50,000 ft² (4,645 m²) basis.
Installed prices depend on system thickness, surface preparation, crack repair and moisture mitigation, and those items can exceed the cost of the coating itself. Prices per square foot by system, with every source and date, are compared under epoxy and resin flooring cost.
Which Floor Coating Is Best for a Concrete Floor?#
No floor coating is best for every concrete floor: the right one is the FeRFA type and chemistry rated for the floor's traffic, chemicals, temperature, slab moisture and cure window. A specification names it by type and standard, not by brand. Is resin flooring a good idea? It is where the slab passes the moisture and strength checks and the floor can stay closed for 1 to 3 days at 15 to 20 °C (59 to 68 °F).
What are the downsides of resin flooring?#
Resin floors fail in 5 known ways, listed below.
- Osmotic blistering, in Types 1 to 5 up to about 6 mm (0.24 in) on damp slabs.
- Wear-through, in Types 1 to 3 under ground-in grit.
- Thermal-shock debonding, where hot spills or steam meet a thin film.
- Blooming, from condensation on a curing film.
- Reflective cracking, where slab cracks run through the resin layer.
Is a resin floor slippery when wet?#
A smooth resin floor can be slippery when wet, and broadcast aggregate raises the wet pendulum value toward FeRFA's target of at least 40. The trade-off is cleaning, because coarser texture holds dirt.
Is a concrete sealer the same as a floor coating?#
No: a penetrating concrete sealer leaves no continuous film, while a floor coating forms a bonded layer. A film-forming sealer used as a floor coating falls under the South Coast Rule 1113 Floor Coatings limit of 50 g/L (0.42 lb/gal). Sealer types and VOC limits are compared under concrete sealers.
Can a resin floor go on a new or damp slab?#
Only a moisture-tolerant system or a moisture mitigation layer goes onto a slab above 75 % surface RH (BS 8203). A 150 mm (6 in) slab can take more than a year to dry from one face, and ASTM F3010-24 membranes block vapor at no more than 0.10 perm.
Does a resin floor need a specialist applicator?#
Most do: 13 of the 15 classes need a trained applicator, and garage systems and self-leveling underlayments depend on the job. FeRFA Types 2 to 8 are applicator work, and some data sheets limit installation to contractors accepted by the system maker.
Are vinyl, rubber and tile industrial floors covered here?#
No: vinyl, rubber and lino sheets and floor-covering adhesives are general building materials outside this reference, while tiled industrial floors are bedded with tile adhesives. Those adhesive and grout classes are explained under tile adhesives and tile installation systems.