In commercial kitchens, wash bays, factories, and wet industrial zones, bare concrete won’t last. Constant exposure to moisture, oils, fats, or chemicals can cause surface breakdown, slip hazards, staining, and bacterial growth. Protecting the floor means choosing a system that resists both chemical attack and physical wear — while maintaining safety underfoot. This guide explains how to protect concrete in wet or greasy environments with the right coatings, surface prep, and grip additives.
Remove all oils, fats, or chemical residue from the concrete. Use a heavy-duty degreaser and scrub with mechanical equipment if needed. Rinse thoroughly and allow to dry completely. For older slabs, repeat cleaning may be needed to fully extract embedded oils. After cleaning, shot blast or grind the surface to open the pores and ensure mechanical bonding. Skipping this step will lead to adhesion failure or chemical undercutting.
Floors in wet or greasy zones need a resin system that resists water, alkalis, oils, and impact. A high-build epoxy or chemical-resistant polyurethane is usually the best option. These coatings form a seamless, non-porous barrier and are available in slip-resistant grades. For areas with steam cleaning, acids, or aggressive sanitising, a flexible polyurethane or modified resin system may offer better long-term durability than rigid epoxies alone.
Apply an anti-slip aggregate while the base coat is still wet. This provides traction under wet or greasy conditions. Silica, quartz, or aluminium oxide can be used depending on the grip level required. For food zones, use aggregates that are easy to clean and resist bacterial harbourage. Broadcast to full rejection, allow to cure, then sweep off loose material before sealing it in with a topcoat.
After broadcasting aggregate and letting the base coat cure, apply a compatible topcoat to lock in the texture and form a hygienic, watertight finish. Choose a sealer that resists fats, oils, detergent washdown, and thermal cycling. Polyurethane topcoats are preferred in wet, greasy, or UV-exposed zones due to their flexibility and chemical tolerance. Ensure the topcoat fully encapsulates the broadcast material for a safe and cleanable surface.
Surface coatings alone won’t solve water control. Wet areas must include floor falls to drainage points, coved skirtings at walls, and waterproof joints at thresholds. Resin systems can be feathered into drain bases or built up with screeds to create seamless fall. Edge detailing should prevent ingress at walls or equipment feet. Consider forming fillets to reduce water pooling and support cleanability at corners.
Even high-performance resin floors wear over time, especially under mechanical cleaning or high-fat load. Inspect coatings every 12 months for delamination, loss of grip, or chemical attack. Reapply topcoats or repair patches as needed — especially in high-risk zones around drains, cooker lines, or wash stations. Use neutral-pH cleaners and avoid caustic degreasers unless compatible with the resin system.
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