Keeping the floors of your business in good condition is important. Whether concrete, tiling, linoleum, or vinyl, all flooring types deteriorate when there is a significant amount of foot traffic every day. Commercial epoxy flooring, which is one of the best options for commercial floors, can last a long time if well-maintained. However, even these hardy floors need to be refurbished from time to time. Generally, a well-looked-after epoxy floor can last anywhere between five to ten years before it needs some touching up.
At Technical Finishes, we are the leading experts in commercial epoxy flooring solutions in South Africa. Our flooring is formulated to last. We can make sure your floors look like new, and we can help you keep them that way for a long time to come.
What Can Happen If You Don’t Refurbish Your Commercial Flooring?
If your commercial floors deteriorates, it can begin to present a number of safety hazards for both your staff and your customers. Chips, cracks, and flaking can cause uneven surfaces to form, which can lead to tripping, slipping, and falling. When such accidents lead to injuries, it can become costly for your business. Lawsuits could follow, along with a damaged reputation. It could also lead to personnel losses as injured staff might be unable to work.
Productivity losses can occur as staff have to navigate damaged floors, slowing down their work. It can also lead to damaged equipment, which can be a nuisance to repair.
Damaged floors also look unsightly. Poor aesthetics can create a poor first impression for customers, which can reflect badly on your business. This can lead to reputational harm and potentially even lost customers.
Damaged and dilapidated floors can also become a breeding ground for mould and mildew. This can be of particular concern in commercial floors enterprises that deal with food or in health-related industries.
Moreover, deteriorated floors and the presence of mould are usually enough to violate health and safety codes and regulations. This can lead to legal consequences and fines, not to mention lost business.
How Can You Tell If Your Floors Need To Be Refurbished?
There are various signs that your floors need a makeover. Not all of these signs are immediately obvious. This is why regular inspections are necessary to ensure that any potential problems are spotted early. Doing this will help ensure that it doesn’t get out of hand. Remember, the longer you leave it, the more expensive and complicated it becomes to fix.
These are some of the things you should look out for. If you see these, then perhaps it’s time to call in the pros, as we can make your floors look like new again.
- Visible Wear & Tear
The first thing you should look out for is obvious signs of wear and tear. Cracks are the most serious sign and should never be ignored. However, significant scuffing and scratching can also be unsightly and are usually a precursor to more serious failures. Bad stains are also a sign that perhaps it’s time for a flooring makeover.
Chips and pits in the flooring can also be a sign that the material is starting to break down. The sooner this is addressed, the easier and less expensive the problem will be to fix. If left unattended, it can escalate rapidly and eventually result in you needing to do a complete overhaul.
Crumbling, flaking, and peeling are also sure signs that the flooring material has reached the end of its useful life and needs to be touched up or redone entirely.
- Fading & Discolouration
Pigmented floors tend to become discoloured over time. Often, the discolouration will occur unevenly. Distinct patches of discolouration generally occur more severely in areas of high activity. The causes of this unsightly problem vary but are often related to food, beverage, or chemical spills.
Fading can also occur on sections of flooring that receive a consistently high dosage of UV light every day. Pathways along the floor that receive a consistently high level of foot traffic every day can also lead to discolouration and signs of wear.
In many cases, severe discolouration and fading are signs of a weakened coating, and therefore they should be seen to as soon as possible.
- Reduced Traction
When your floors start to become slippery, it’s a sure sign that they need to be refurbished. This one can be difficult to spot since it’s not visually obvious. However, slippery floors can be a serious health and safety hazard for both your staff and your customers. Slippery floors become even more dangerous when they get wet. If you notice that your floors are no longer slip-resistant, then they should be restored before an accident occurs.
What Should You Do If You Think Your Floors Might Need A Makeover?
If you’ve noticed some of the above-mentioned signs on your business’s floors, then it’s time to call in the experts. Let one of the highly skilled and experienced team members at Technical Finishes assess your flooring. We can advise you on the best way forward and provide guidance on which products are best suited to your commercial floors enterprise’s needs.
At Technical Finishes, we supply commercial epoxy flooring solutions that can transform your premises for the better. Contact us today to get expert advice and assistance.
