Overview
Epoxy floor coatings are the standard answer for industrial and commercial floors that have to withstand traffic, chemicals, aggressive cleaning and heavy abrasion. They are hard, chemically resistant, easy to clean and, in the self-levelling grades, visually excellent.
The Delshine range covers the full spectrum: thin-film solvent-based coatings for light-duty areas, solvent-free high-build systems, self-levelling floor coatings, anti-slip orange-peel textures for wet and oily areas, decorative 3D art systems, and the antistatic and static-conductive grades required in electronics, pharmaceutical and chemical environments.
The floor is the substrate where preparation matters most. Concrete floors are routinely coated without ever being ground, and a floor coating will then delaminate at the first sign of traffic. Grinding, moisture testing and correct primer selection are not optional steps.
Product identification
The identifiers below are the ones printed on the drum and quoted on the purchase order. Always order and dispatch by code, because the grade and the zinc or temperature variant cannot be inferred from the trade name alone.
| Product code | DSHD88-36 |
|---|---|
| Trade name | Solvent-Free Epoxy Varnish (Finishing) |
| Category | Floor coatings |
| System role | Topcoat - exposed finish of the system |
Where this product is used
- Industrial warehouse and factory floors
- Pharmaceutical and cleanroom floors
- Electronics and semiconductor facilities requiring antistatic floors
- Food processing and beverage production areas
- Automotive workshops and service bays
- Hospitals, laboratories and veterinary facilities
- Parking garages and commercial car parks
- Retail, supermarket and commercial floors
How it works in the coating system
The topcoat is the visible, exposed layer of the system. It provides the colour, the gloss and the final resistance to weathering, UV, chemicals and mechanical wear — the properties the specifier and the owner actually see and rely on.
Because it is the only coat fully exposed to the service environment, the choice of topcoat chemistry is the single decision that most affects how a coating system ages. A system that is under-specified at the topcoat will look good on day one and disappoint in five years.
Purpose in the system: The final coat of the system, applied over the intermediate coat.
Technical properties
The values below are the typical published range for this product family. The exact figures for your batch are confirmed on the batch certificate and the current technical data sheet.
| Role in the coating system | Floor coating — primer, build coat, self-levelling or topcoat |
|---|---|
| Volume solids | 50–100 % depending on grade |
| Mixing ratio by volume | 3:1 to 5:1 by volume for the two-pack grades; single component for the primers |
| Typical dry film thickness | 0.2–1.0 mm (thin film) · 2–3 mm (self-levelling) |
| Theoretical coverage | 2–3 m²/litre at 2 mm; 6–10 m²/litre at 0.3 mm |
| Application methods | Roller · squeegee · notched trowel · spiked roller · broadcast for anti-slip |
| Application temperature window | 10–30 °C, minimum 3 °C above dew point |
| Suitable substrates | Mechanically prepared concrete slab |
| Finish / appearance | Gloss, satin or matt; coloured, anti-slip, anti-static or 3D decorative |
| Principal resistance | Traffic, abrasion, chemicals, cleaning chemicals, oil and fuel |
| UV resistance | Not for outdoor use unless a UV-stable grade is specified |
| Adhesion to prepared steel | > 1.5 MPa pull-off on prepared concrete |
| Salt spray performance | Not applicable |
| Chemical resistance | Good against detergents, oils and dilute acids and alkalis |
| Abrasion resistance | Excellent in the anti-slip and super-abrasion grades |
| Flash point | Not applicable (solvent-free grades) |
| Shelf life | 12 months unopened |
| Density | 1.05–1.55 g/cm³ |
| Pack sizes | 4 kg · 20 kg kits |
Surface preparation
- Test the concrete for moisture vapour emission before coating. A coating applied over a slab that is releasing moisture will blister, and no amount of primer will fix it.
- Grind or shot-blast the surface to remove laitance and open the concrete. A floor that has never been ground will not hold an epoxy coating under traffic.
- Repair all cracks, spalls and joints with a rigid or semi-rigid repair mortar matched to the movement characteristics of the joint.
- Remove all oil, grease and contaminants; shot-blast areas contaminated with oil.
- Vacuum the surface thoroughly and perform a final dust elimination with an air blower or tack cloth immediately before priming.
- Check that the concrete is at least 28 days old and that its surface temperature is at least 3 °C above the dew point.
Application procedure
Apply by spray for the best appearance and film uniformity, by roller for large flat areas, or by brush where access is restricted.
Aim for a consistent wet film across the whole area. Overlapping passes should be kept wet to avoid a lap line in the finish.
Plan the work so that the coating is applied in manufacturable quantities — a full kit should be mixed and used within the pot life, and any surplus should be discarded rather than saved.
Mixing, ratio and induction time
Two-pack finishes are mixed at the ratio stated on the data sheet, commonly 4:1 or 5:1 by volume for epoxy and 3:1 for polyaspartic and acrylic polyurethane. Use a proper mixing gauge — a mix that is even a few percent off ratio will cure differently and may not meet the published properties.
Cure, recoat window and service readiness
Surface dry in 2 to 6 hours, recoatable in 12 to 24 hours, and fully cured in 7 days. Do not place the structure into service, immersion or heavy loading before full cure, even though the surface will feel dry much earlier.
Coverage and thickness calculation
Typical dry film thickness is 60-100 µm for a conventional finish and 40-60 µm for a high-build polyurethane finish. At 80 µm, one litre covers roughly 8-10 m². Two coats are usually specified where colour, gloss uniformity or coverage hiding matter.
Technical note. Coverage (m²/litre) = (volume solids × 10) / DFT (µm)
Worked example
| Specified DFT | 1000 µm |
|---|---|
| Volume solids | 95 % |
| Theoretical coverage | 0.95 m²/litre |
| Total for the area | 100 m² → 95.0 litres |
Advantages
- Very high mechanical and abrasion resistance, far beyond painted or sealed concrete.
- Excellent chemical resistance to oils, fuels, alkalis, detergents and cleaning agents.
- Seamless, monolithic and easy to clean, with no joints to harbour dirt.
- Self-levelling grades produce a flat, attractive surface with no roller marks.
- Antistatic and static-conductive grades provide a controlled path to earth for explosive and sensitive environments.
- Solvent-free formulations available with very low odour and near-zero VOC.
Limitations and precautions
- Surface preparation is the single biggest factor in the performance of a floor coating and is routinely under-budgeted.
- Moisture in the slab will cause blistering; a moisture test is mandatory.
- Full cure takes time — a floor cannot be returned to traffic immediately, and heavy loads can imprint the surface if placed too early.
- UV exposure will amber and eventually discolour standard epoxy floors, which is why aliphatic polyurethane or polyaspartic topcoats are used in sunlit areas.
- Epoxy floors are slippery when wet unless an anti-slip grade or aggregate broadcast is specified.
Storage and shelf life
- Store component A and B in their original sealed containers in a cool, dry, ventilated store between 5 °C and 35 °C.
- Keep the hardener away from moisture and direct sunlight.
- Do not allow the components to freeze — freezing destroys the hardener.
- Rotate stock first-in-first-out and observe the labelled shelf life, typically 12 months unopened.
Safety, PPE and ventilation
- Epoxy hardeners are skin sensitisers. Wear nitrile gloves, safety goggles and protective clothing and change gloves frequently.
- Use an organic-vapour cartridge respirator when mixing or applying in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces.
- Ensure good ventilation and wear knee pads and protective footwear for the grinding and preparation work.
- Wash skin immediately with soap and water if contact occurs.
- Collect grinding dust and coating waste for proper disposal rather than washing it into drains.
Quality control and inspection
- Check colour and gloss against the approved sample or RAL reference before starting the full area.
- Measure DFT and check for thin spots, particularly over welds, edges and connections.
- Inspect the finished surface for lap marks, sag, orange peel, dust inclusion and solvent entrapment before accepting the coat.
Pricing and how to order
Delshine quotes this product per square metre at a specified dry film thickness, or per drum/litre depending on the project. The material cost is usually the smallest part of the installed cost — surface preparation, access and application labour dominate. Send us the substrate, the service conditions and the required DFT and our technical team will return a full system recommendation with a firm price.
Epoxy floor coatings are priced per square metre at a specified build, and preparation is normally the largest single cost. A 1,000 m² self-levelling floor at 3 mm needs roughly three drums of coating plus primer, aggregate, abrasive discs and labour. The specification should always include preparation and moisture testing, because those are what determine whether the floor lasts one year or ten.
Frequently asked questions
The questions below are the ones our technical team is asked most often about this product family.
What is the difference between self-levelling and thin-film epoxy floor?
A self-levelling floor coating is a high-build, low-viscosity system that flows out to a flat, level surface during application — typically 2-3 mm. A thin-film system is applied in a much lower build of 0.2-1 mm with one or two coats and is much more dependent on the quality of the substrate. Use self-levelling where appearance, hygiene or heavy traffic matter, and thin-film where budget and a basic sealed floor are the requirement.
Do I need to grind my concrete floor before epoxy?
Yes. Grinding removes the laitance — the weak dusty top layer that separates from the slab — and opens the pores so the primer can key into the concrete. Acid etching is not an adequate substitute for a floor that will carry traffic. Diamond grinding to a fine profile is the industry standard for a floor that has to last.
What is the anti-static epoxy floor coating used for?
Antistatic and static-conductive floor grades are used in electronics manufacturing, semiconductor cleanrooms, pharmaceutical production and chemical handling areas where electrostatic discharge could ignite a sensitive component or an explosive atmosphere. The conductive grade provides a controlled path to earth and typically requires an earth connection and a conductive primer. The two grades differ in surface resistance, so specify the target resistance value.
How long does an epoxy floor take to cure?
Foot traffic after 12-24 hours at 20-25 °C, light forklift traffic after 3 days, full chemical resistance after 7 days, and full cure after 21-28 days. Heavy point loads and pallets should not be placed on the floor for the first week. In cold conditions every one of these figures extends, which is why floors should be coated in a controlled temperature window.
Can epoxy flooring be applied over an existing epoxy floor?
Sometimes. If the existing floor is sound and not peeling, it can be abraded, cleaned and overcoated with a new epoxy system. If it is delaminating or contaminated, it must be removed mechanically. Test the adhesion on a trial area and check for amines, which can cause a plasticising effect at the interface.
What is the anti-slip orange-peel topcoat?
It is a self-levelling epoxy formulated with a fine aggregate or a texturing agent that creates a controlled textured surface. The texture gives mechanical grip in wet or oily areas where a smooth floor would be dangerous, while keeping the coating far easier to clean than a full aggregate-broadcast system. It is the usual specification for commercial kitchens, workshops and wash-down areas.
Related products
These products are normally used in the same system as the product described above.
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