With a long list of great advantages, epoxy color flakes have found their way into residences, commercial facilities, warehouses, industries – just name it. The combination of the decorative flakes and epoxy is truly explosive at all levels. Known for their tremendous strength and resistance, true epoxy coatings bring in the muscles – all you need to be entirely carefree regarding your floor’s durability. Even more if this is a garage floor. Mixed with the colorful chips, they bring more than durability. They bring charm. So, if you are planning on getting epoxy floors with decorative flakes, here’s the things you need to know.
Defining epoxy color flakes
You may know them as color chips, vinyl color chips, or decorative flakes. But whatever the name, they are polymer paint aggregates which are mixed with resinous floor systems, like epoxy, to add color. The aggregates include resins, additives, organic mineral, and pigments. They vary in size, shape, and texture and while there’s a plethora of colors, they can be customized to meet the epoxy floor design expectations.
Epoxy flakes are not created equal
The size of the flakes affects the design of the epoxy floors. Microscopic chips make the pattern more intricate, busier, whereas larger chips have a rather random shape. There are six standard sizes, 1”, ½”, ¼”, 1/16”, 1/32”.
The application affects the epoxy floor flake pattern
The epoxy floor flake pattern differs in terms of the application. In other words, whether there’s a full, light, or random flake coverage. Obviously, the full coverage makes a much more intricate pattern since it includes more flakes. This often resembles the looks of a typical granite slab. On the other hand, random flake coverage resembles mosaics.
Know your color flakes variations
There’s a very wide range of color options when it comes to epoxy decorative flakes. Not only does the flake coverage determine the color, but there is also a huge variety of colors. Also, you have the chance to customize your epoxy floor. For example, you can get flakes of the same color family, creating a nearly monochromatic effect. The sky is the limit when it comes to the color choices – anything from neutral to bright.
The epoxy floor flake installation affects the looks
When it comes to installing the epoxy flooring with the chips, there’s a certain procedure to follow. Once the concrete floor is fixed and prepped, the first stage includes the application of the basecoat. That’s one more layer of coating that goes on the substrate to create extra durability and allow epoxy to adhere better. While the basecoat is still wet, the chips are distributed. That’s done in accordance with the liking of the customer – depending if you want full, random, or light coverage. Once the basecoat dries, excess flakes are swept off and scraped. Only then the epoxy coating is applied and it is clear so that it will allow the explosion of the flakes color to be revealed.
The advantage of decorative flakes
Decorative flakes are UV stable but epoxy coatings are not. So, if you were planning to install outdoors, it’s best to check with your epoxy flooring contractor first. The main advantage of epoxy decorative flake floors is that they create a beautiful pattern, bringing lots of colors in any shade, indoors while at the same time, hiding imperfections. The paradox here is that while this is good for heavy traffic areas, like garages or workshops, the flakes also conceal tools. Or makes finding small components, like bolts, nuts, pins, etc. hard to find. But there’s a solution for that. You just choose a light flake coverage. Due to the flakes, the epoxy floor is not very slippery anymore and that’s one additional advantage, especially in places where some spills are unavoidable.
