Epoxy vs resin flooring: what's the difference?
The short answer: epoxy is a type of resin. 'Resin flooring' covers several chemistries. 'Epoxy flooring' is more common in American usage, while UK specifiers and contractors usually say 'resin flooring' and then name the system.
The main resin families
- Epoxy: rigid, hard and chemical-resistant. Widely used for coatings and self-smoothing floors.
- Polyurethane: more flexible, with better UV stability. Often used as a topcoat or where some movement is expected.
- Polyurethane concrete: a heavy-duty screed for wet, hot and chemical environments such as food production.
- MMA (methyl methacrylate): cures very quickly, even at low temperatures. Useful where downtime has to be kept to a minimum.
How to choose
Start with conditions, not chemistry: traffic and loads, chemicals and cleaning regime, temperature, slip resistance, how much downtime you can accept, and the state of the existing slab. A good contractor will survey the site before recommending a system.