Warehouse Slabs Require a Finish That Matches Load and Traffic Conditions
Choosing the right surface finish for a warehouse floor impacts not just appearance, but long-term durability, dust resistance, safety, and coating compatibility. The two most common options are power-floated and hand-trowelled finishes — but they serve different purposes. This guide compares both finishes for warehouse use, explaining when and why to specify each one based on operational needs.
Key Factors to Consider
- Type of traffic: forklift, pallet jack, foot only
- Dust control and cleaning requirements
- Coating or sealer compatibility
- Flatness and surface tolerance specifications
Power-Floated Finish
- - Created using ride-on or walk-behind power trowels
- - Produces a hard, dense, smooth surface
- - Minimises dust and improves cleanability
- - Ideal for forklift traffic and heavy use
- - Flatness tolerances meet TR34 warehouse spec
- - Preferred in distribution centres and logistics hubs
- - Suitable for coatings, densifiers, and polish systems
Trowelled Finish
- - Applied manually or with small trowel machines
- - More textured surface with less uniformity
- - Prone to higher dusting over time
- - Suitable for light traffic or external bays
- - Harder to achieve consistent flatness in large areas
- - Not ideal for high-wear warehouse interiors
- - Requires prep before any coating or sealing
Is power floating always needed in warehouses?
Not always, but it's strongly recommended for any space with forklifts, racking, or line markings. It improves durability, reduces dust, and ensures a flatter finish.
Can I apply coatings on both types of finish?
Coatings adhere better to power-floated surfaces when properly prepared. Trowelled slabs may absorb more material and show inconsistent finish if not ground or profiled before coating.
Which finish is better for anti-slip treatment?
Trowelled surfaces naturally offer more texture, but power-floated floors can be treated with aggregate-broadcast coatings for controlled slip resistance in critical zones.