Everything You Need To Know About Epoxy Flakes And ‘No-Hacking’ Anti-slip Solutions

When researching for the right long-lasting anti-slip floor coating, you may come across service providers that promise a toxic-free, hack-free, or even quick-drying Epoxy Floor Coating solution.

With our own experiences as homeowners and industry experts, we feel that it is our duty to point out what might not be the best anti-slip solution for home or business owners. Below is a side-by-side comparison chart that compares Epoxy Flakes Coating techniques to Nano-G Anti-slip Floor Coating solutions.

Nano-G’s completion time might vary according to the surface area our solution has to cover. Smaller, less humid areas are able to dry within 24 hours after project completion, but larger outdoor areas might take 48 hours or more. Please discuss with the supervisor on the day of your appointment to get a more accurate estimation of when your anti-slip floor coating will be completely dry to use.

What is Epoxy Flake Coating?

Epoxy Flake Coating is an anti-slip method that spreads a layer of Epoxy chemicals on the floor before adding coloured flakes on top as a way to create texture and patterns. These Epoxy chemicals include a resin material and a hardener that has to be blow-torched to fuse and create a new surface. While it may be a popular search item that pops up whenever you Google anti-slip solutions, there are some things you need to know when considering Epoxy-based solutions. 

Epoxy Flake Coating, a coating method commonly used in public toilets or industrial places. 

1. Epoxy Flake Coating preparation stage can get very noisy!

As part of the preparation stage, your service provider might choose a grinding method to apply their flake coating. This means the on-site technician will sand your tiled floors with a machine in order to make a rough surface. This is because there is a specific profile that lets epoxy to properly bind and stay on the floor.

Epoxy Flake Coatings need a specific type of surface in order to help the material to stick onto it.

That being said, this grinding process is incredibly damaging to your tiles, especially if you had installed very expensive high-quality bathroom tiles. There is no turning back once you use this method. Grinding will create scratches on the surface, effectively ruining the original quality of your tiles.

2. Epoxy Flake Coatings will change the overall appearance of your floor.

The way this anti-slip treatment works is by creating a hard, thick layer on top of your existing floors. To avoid a weird clear-watery look, some service providers have taken to adding coloured flakes to their epoxy mixture to give their treatments more texture or design work. Whether or not the finished design would look the way as advertised is up to the skill level and experience of the contractor working on your floors.

This anti-slip method will drastically change the way your tilework looks, replacing it with a different design all together. Also, take note that the grout lines of your tiles will show through your new epoxy flakes coating surface.

However, Nano-G’s Anti-Slip Floor Coating is able to maintain the appearance of your tiles while still providing the slip-proof properties you need for your toilets, bathrooms, or kitchen areas. This is because our experts need only to apply a transparent micro-grain texture on your tiles that doesn’t get slippery- even when wet or soapy! The best thing about Nano-G’s Anti-Slip Floor Coating is that it doesn’t cause any changes to your original tile work, unlike Epoxy Flakes coating.

3. Wet Epoxy emits strong and harmful fumes into the room.

The Epoxy Flake Coating process requires the binding of chemicals in high temperatures to form a thick and hard layer on your floor. Due to the nature of the way this treatment is done, it’s best for homeowners to not be near the work area. The person laying down the Epoxy materials also has to be mindful about keeping the room properly ventilated and for themselves to be in proper protective wear to prevent these fumes from causing damage to their lungs. 

Back in 2018, a 71 year old man was found unconscious from inhaling too much Epoxy fumes while painting Epoxy on the top basement floor. The worker was then sent to the emergency department where doctors found traces of Epoxy fumes on his breath.

On the contrary, Nano-G’s Anti-Slip Floor Coating solution doesn’t emit harmful or toxic smells while it’s being applied. Therefore, you and your family may still be present in the home as we carry on our work.

Nano-G has received several reports from ex-workers of epoxy companies that reveal despite using gloves and enforcing the use of protective gear, their hands become swollen after a long day's work with epoxy flakes coating materials. Many of these workers decide to come to Nano-G as they noticed our solution is eco-friendly and non-toxic. That means that even if the solution would get onto their skin, it wouldn't have as drastic of a reaction as epoxy materials have.

4. Wet Epoxy has a really long drying time.

On top of these unpleasant harmful fumes, your home will be exposed to, you will have to bear in mind that the solution takes really long to dry. In fact, the longest amount of time you might have to wait for your Epoxy to dry completely can take more than 7 days, sometimes even go up to 30 days!

Imagine after your contractor has finished applying the Epoxy Flakes coating and you’re STILL unable to use the bathroom. It is extremely inconvenient for homes with elderly and pregnant women! You could close off your toilet for a few days and set up a ventilation fan to keep the fumes out… but it’s not that simple. Your family will still be exposed to harmful chemicals for a good few days. This is especially risky for those suffering from asthma. 

With Nano-G, we ensure our experts conduct their work in a professional manner that respects your time and keeps things safe for you. As our non-toxic solution doesn’t involve the fusing of strong chemicals, we only need less than 24 hours to properly prepare and cover a 15 sq ft toilet or bathroom. Your well-being while we provide our service is our top priority.

5. Epoxy doesn’t breathe and traps moisture below its surface. Your new Epoxy floors may… peel!

If the air is too humid during application time, moisture will get absorbed into the wet Epoxy or get trapped under the coating layer, causing cracks to form on its surface once it is fully dried.  The surface wouldn’t look as good once it is peeled or bubbling. Nano-G, however, is a transparent water-based coating that wouldn’t change the appearance of your floors. Therefore, our solution peeling off or being an eyesore will not happen.

When applying the Epoxy coating, a contractor has to take extra care that the floor has no water droplets or residues beforehand. This is a little more complicated when treating concrete, the material you find between (a.k.a the grouts) and underneath (a.k.a. the concrete slab) your tile work, as they tend to absorb moisture. Usually, an extra measure you would be recommended to take is to not wet the floor whenever you’re using the toilet a few days before the on-site work. Still, it will take quite some time before the water to fully evaporate and it is best to not rush this stage.

There are special measures contractors need to take during the wet Epoxy’s drying time as well. If the air is too humid, moisture will get absorbed into the wet Epoxy or get trapped under the coating layer, causing cracks to form on its surface once it is fully dried. 

6. If you experience problems with your new Epoxy floor- it’s going to be really complicated to fix.

Epoxy Flake Coatings require careful scraping and grinding done by professionals to remove if there should be any issues. That’s because proper Epoxy work dries into a thick hard layer that is meant to withstand scrapes and pressure for a long period of time. It’s an especially complicated process to rectify coatings in toilets or bathrooms with existing tiles underneath. If the contractor is not careful, they may crack or cause further damage to your tiles (and subsequently your concrete slabs), leading to more costly repair work. 

Our coating does not change the outlook of the tiles, hence it’s unlikely to experience any problems. It is a longer-lasting coating with near-zero maintenance required. If you’re dissatisfied with the outcome of your anti-slip floor, our solution wouldn’t be as much of a hassle.

For example, in one of Nano-G’s previous jobs, our client came back to us with a special request to change the grain sizes on their swimming pool deck to be finer. On their next available date, we came over, cleaned and dried the pool area, and reapplied a new Nano-G Anti-Slip Floor Coating layer on the deck that suited our client’s preferences better. While we will advise the suitable grains you should get for your homes, you may call us back to come and retouch the floor if you prefer a less grainy surface.

7. Epoxy Flake Coatings require an expert touch.

It goes without saying that handling the strong chemicals used in Epoxy work should be left to experienced professionals. Not only do they know how to properly prepare the work area, they also come equipped with the right materials, attire, and industry know-how for quality workmanship.

Not just any Tom, Dick and Harry can pull off a proper Epoxy Floor Coating. Amateur mistakes can lead to unsightly floors with stains and marks.

Despite the risks and health hazards that come with an inexperienced hand, it is ultimately your own decision on what type of service you’d like for your home.

For Nano-G, we believe that if you have the option to, why change the look of your surfaces when their appearance isn’t the issue?

What’s important is that we keep the home slip-free for our elderly, pregnant, or at-risked loved ones.

Oftentimes, slips and trips lead to more serious injuries. Keep your household safe before it’s too late! If you’re still unsure about why Nano-G is a more beneficial choice for your floors, drop us a message to find out what we can do to help you fix your slippery floor problems!

Interested but need more information? We’re here for you, message us on these platforms:

Facebook m.me/nanogmalaysia
WhatsApp nanog.wasap.my
Or give our hotline a call at 1800-18-6266