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How to choose an industrial floor system: an engineer’s checklist (12 questions)

Engineer's checklist 12 questions before choosing a floor For warehouses, manufacturing, food processing areas, parking garages, and other facilities
How to choose an industrial floor: an engineer’s checklist

Selecting an industrial flooring system

Answer the questions — and an engineer will quickly narrow the choice to 1–3 suitable systems for your conditions and timeline.

Why “just a 2 mm self-leveling floor” is a bad technical brief

In industrial facilities, the details matter: loads, wheel type, chemicals, concrete moisture, thermal shock, and the cleaning regime. If something is overlooked, the coating can start dusting, become slippery, blister, or delaminate — and you’ll end up with downtime and repairs.

This checklist helps you collect the input data for an engineer. If you answer at least 7–8 questions, that’s already enough for a preliminary selection. If you answer all 12, you can move on to a more precise specification of layers and materials.

In short: what affects the choice
  • Loads and traffic: weight, wheels, turns, impacts, racking.
  • Chemicals: substance, concentration, and contact time.
  • Substrate moisture: new slab, moisture rising from below, presence of waterproofing.
  • Temperatures and thermal shock: hot washdown, steam, sudden swings.
  • Commissioning time: when you can walk and drive equipment.
  • Slip resistance and cleaning: the balance between safety and ease of cleaning.
Quick links

You can fill out the brief, review systems, or see industry solutions — this will speed up the discussion.

Fill out the brief → Coating systems Industry solutions Contacts

Engineer’s checklist: 12 questions before choosing a system

There are no “right” answers here — there are conditions that lead to different technologies. Answer briefly: numbers, lists, “I don’t know” — that’s also an answer.

  1. 1
    Facility type and areas
    • warehouse / manufacturing / food processing / parking garage, etc.;
    • which areas differ in conditions (wet/dry, heavy traffic, ramps, washdown, cold room).
  2. 2
    Loads and vehicles
    • forklifts/pallet jacks: weight, speed, wheel type (polyurethane/rubber, etc.);
    • racking: load per support, impact zones, possible dropped loads.
  3. 3
    Time to put into service
    • when foot traffic is allowed;
    • when full load is allowed (equipment/racking);
    • whether there is a “window” overnight/on weekends.
  4. 4
    Operating schedule
    • 1–3 shifts, 5/2, or 24/7;
    • can areas be closed off in sequence (phased work).
  5. 5
    Temperatures, swings, and thermal shock
    • minimum and maximum temperature;
    • is there hot washdown/steam/thermal shock;
    • are there refrigerated/freezer areas.
  6. 6
    Chemical exposure
    • what exactly gets on the floor (acids/alkalis/oils/solvents/salts);
    • concentration and contact time;
    • is it occasional spills or a continuous environment.
  7. 7
    Substrate moisture and waterproofing
    • new concrete or renovation;
    • do you know whether there is waterproofing/a membrane under the slab;
    • have you measured moisture, and were there “bubbles/blistering” before.
  8. 8
    Condition of the concrete
    • strength, wear, dusting;
    • cracks/potholes/chips, condition of joints;
    • are there oil contamination or unknown sealers/paints.
  9. 9
    Cleaning and wet areas
    • how you clean: by hand/machine/pressure washing;
    • which detergents and how often;
    • how quickly the floor dries (ventilation/drains).
  10. 10
    Slip resistance and texture
    • pedestrian area or vehicle traffic area;
    • is there water/oil;
    • do you need a specific R rating.
  11. 11
    Special requirements
    • antistatic/ESD, “clean” areas, hygiene requirements;
    • constraints on odor and working hours;
    • marking, color, appearance requirements.
  12. 12
    Expected service life and budget approach
    • what matters more: price per m², commissioning time, or service life;
    • is phased repair without a full shutdown acceptable;
    • what’s the logic: “minimum now” or “longer without downtime”.
What to send to the engineer
An email or message is enough. The more accurate the input data — the more accurate the selection and materials estimate.
Send via the brief →
Minimum
  • Plan/sketch (even hand-drawn) + area and zones.
  • Photos/video of the floor: overall view + defects (cracks, joints, potholes).
  • Loads: equipment/wheels/racking/impacts.
  • Commissioning date: when the facility must be operational.
Preferably
  • Cleaning: how you wash, with what, how often, whether there is hot washdown/steam.
  • Chemicals: list of substances/detergents, concentrations, contact time.
  • Temperatures: min/max, whether there is thermal shock, refrigerated areas.
  • Moisture (if measured) + information about waterproofing.
  • Spec/project (PDF), if available.
Tip: if you’re not sure what’s important — send photos/video and a short description of the facility. The engineer will ask follow-up questions and suggest what’s best to measure on site.

FAQ

Can you choose an industrial floor only by thickness (for example, 2–3 mm)? +
Thickness is only one parameter. In some conditions, 2–3 mm works perfectly; in others, a different formulation or a different system “build-up” is needed. Most often, substrate moisture and thermal shock/the cleaning regime are what undermine the choice.
What should you do if the concrete is damp? +
Diagnostics are needed: where the moisture is coming from (green concrete, missing membrane, capillary rise). Then a strategy is chosen: substrate preparation, moisture-tolerant primers/barriers, or a different system type.
Need a system selection for your facility?
Fill out the brief or send the input data — we’ll propose 1–3 options and explain the choice.
Fill out the brief → Systems Solutions