Flooring is the most important feature of any warehouse. It is the foundational feature on which the entire warehouse stands and has operated round the clock for years. Here’s where tonnes of goods are loaded, unloaded, stored and shifted. Here’s where machines like forklifts and warehouse staff co-exist. That is why it is imperative to invest in the proper warehouse flooring.

To understand this topic better, let’s explore the various warehouse flooring options and their salient characteristics.

Warehouse Flooring & Its Importance

The term “warehouse flooring” refers to the materials used to create industrial floors in warehouses. Understandably, warehouse floors are not like your house or office floors. These are “heavy-duty” floors as they need to bear various weights and kinds of loads and withstand continuous operations without wearing away easily.

A good warehouse flooring material should be:

• Able to withstand high-impact usage
• Withstand variable temperature differences
• Economically priced with low maintenance
• Safe for staff
• Safe to handle warehouse equipment
• Durable for many years

Also last but not least, the flooring material should also add an aesthetic value to your warehouse.

If you are pondering why you need to invest in proper warehouse flooring, it’s time to think again. Let’s not forget that your floor supports static goods that weigh tonnes, sometimes, without a break, not to forget the constant transit of machines and men. These are the prime reasons you need a strong, stable warehouse floor.

It is important to achieve a suitable finish that aligns with the margins, tolerances, devices, and storage system. Your industrial rack manufacturer will suggest various options given the importance of proper warehouse flooring. Moreover, new materials now enable warehouses to have the perfect surface for installing storage systems with high capacities.

Here’s a list of warehouse flooring types to look out for if you plan to invest in one.

5 Investment-Worthy Warehouse Flooring Options

1. Epoxy Flooring

Epoxy resin, the material used in this flooring, is extremely strong and stable. Epoxy floors are preferred for many features that make them a worthy investment. They are:

• Easy to clean because they reduce dirt accumulation.
• Anti-corrosive and waterproof.
• Resistant to traction, which causes cracks.
• Supportive of large vehicle movement
• Non-polluting with minimal environmental impact
• Resistant to thermal events.
• It is an electrical insulator (because of the resin)

2. Polyurethane Flooring

Polyurethane is popular for its:

• Temperature resistance
• UV rays and solar heat resistance
• Abrasion and impact resistance

And that’s not all. These floors are known for being waterproof and aseptic. These dual features ensure minimum dust accumulation, thereby preventing the formation of microorganisms.

3. Polyurethane Cement Flooring

With its excellent resistance to chemicals and temperature changes, polyurethane cement flooring is highly durable and provides great firmness for warehouse floors. Does your warehouse deal specifically with food items, pharmaceutical goods, and chemicals? Then this is the flooring for you.

4. Polished Concrete Flooring

As the name implies, this flooring type largely consists of concrete, one of the most resistant construction materials. What’s best about polished concrete floors is that it comes in attractive colours and dazzling mirror effects. They are also highly popular for their:

• Waterproof properties
• Chemical resistance
• Economic price
• Easy maintenance
• High durability

5. Clean Room Flooring

Want to keep your warehouse floors fully sanitized without any harmful residues? Clean room flooring is fast becoming the choice for warehouses dealing with drugs, food products, and cosmetics. Its advantages include:

• Temperature resistance
• Reasonable pricing
• Contamination resistance

Another important aspect that will help you zero in on your choice is the flooring characteristics. Here’s a quick look at what you should look for before paying your bill.

Characteristics of Quality Warehouse Flooring

A quality warehouse flooring can be deemed worth your investment if it is:

• Easy to clean and maintain a safe and hygienic environment. ( A dirty warehouse is an absolute no-no, no matter what you store.)
• Able to withstand abrasion, wear and tear, and heavy impact usage. Your flooring should have the ability to withstand the impact of constant rolling, cutting, sliding, and rubbing. ( The concrete composition and the hardness of the topping material are what you should look out for.)
• Waterproof and slippage-resistant. ( You simply cannot risk the safety of your staff and goods because of flooring that does not aid your effort to prevent such accidents.)
• Provides favourable workplace conditions and simplifies your operations. ( Check if the flooring material aids the safe movement of machinery and is easy to clean.)
• Resistant to oil, grease, and hydrocarbons. Such materials are required for forklifts. However, they can stain your floor and sometimes pose safety risks. ( You do not want that in your warehouse.)
• Able to withstand disasters like fire, flood, and humidity. ( These measures provide high levels of confidence and protection for warehouse employees and goods.)
• Combines qualities like load-carrying ability, sound structure, appropriate tolerances, and wearing surface performance. ( Such flooring will be effective, economical, and highly functional for years.)

When it comes to investing in your warehouse, flooring is one aspect that should never be compromised. Analyse well and pick the right flooring option to make it worth your time, money, and effort.

Your racking and shelving options are as important as your warehouse flooring. Choose Donracks, Chennai, for the best and safest racks and shelves. Want to know more about your options? Just give us a call today!