Resin Flooring: The Smart Sustainable Choice
In the fast-evolving world of design and construction, flooring systems play an integral role in the functionality, aesthetics, and durability of any project. Resin flooring, with its exceptional versatility and high performance, has quickly become a leading choice across various sectors, including industrial, commercial, healthcare, and residential environments. With a unique blend of strength, customisation, and sustainability, resin flooring offers architects and specifiers a reliable, tough sustainable solution.
FeRFA – The Resin Flooring Association – represents the UK’s foremost manufacturers, contractors, and suppliers within the resin flooring, screeding, and surface preparation sectors. With members across the UK, FeRFA is dedicated to promoting the extensive benefits of resin flooring systems and setting the benchmark for standards across the industry. This editorial will explore the key advantages, applications, and specifications of resin flooring while demonstrating how these systems contribute to sustainable, long-lasting construction practices in line with UK standards.
Fostering Collaboration for Success
A successful flooring project depends on strong communication and collaboration between architects, specifiers, client, and manufacturers and specialist contractors. Early involvement in the design phase enables resin flooring experts to understand the unique requirements of each project—whether focused on load-bearing capacities, chemical resistance, or slip prevention. This dialogue is key to identifying the right resin system, thus minimising risk and ensuring long-lasting performance that aligns with the architect’s vision and the project’s functional demands.
Aesthetics and Performance
Although aesthetics are an important consideration for any flooring system, performance must always take precedence. Resin flooring uniquely combines both, offering visually striking surfaces that stand up to the demands of high-traffic environments. By specifying resin floors, architects achieve the perfect balance between design and functionality, delivering a system that enhances the overall look of a space while ensuring durability, safety, and structural integrity throughout the building’s lifecycle.
Sustainability
Sustainability is now a cornerstone of modern construction, and resin flooring systems are evolving to meet this growing demand. By incorporating low-VOC formulations and using recycled or bio-based materials, resin floors contribute significantly to the reduction of embodied carbon and improved indoor air quality. These
environmentally friendly characteristics align resin flooring with major green building standards such as BREEAM and LEED, ensuring architects can meet stringent environmental goals while maintaining performance.
Resin flooring’s long lifespan and minimal maintenance requirements also reduce waste and the need for frequent repairs, offering a cost-effective and eco-conscious solution.
The FeRFA Standard
FeRFA has set the gold standard for resin flooring in the UK, offering a comprehensive framework for quality, safety, and best practices. All FeRFA members adhere to stringent guidelines, ensuring that resin systems comply with key British and worldwide standards, including:
The FeRFA Standard is designed to provide architects and specifiers with confidence in the performance, compliance, and sustainability of resin systems, ensuring that each project meets the highest professional standards. By specifying resin systems aligned with the FeRFA Standard, architects can be assured of a flooring solution that delivers in both the short and long term. To find out more, visit www.ferfa.org.uk.
The FeRFA Guide to the Selection of Synthetic Resin Flooring is an essential resource for specifiers. It provides detailed recommendations on the correct resin flooring systems based on application, performance requirements, and industry standards. Specifying resin systems in line with the FeRFA Standard guarantees that flooring installations will not only meet but exceed the functional needs of the project, ensuring long-lasting performance and compliance with UK regulations. A library of FeRFA Guidance Notes and Technical Resources are available on the FeRFA Website.
| Type | Name | Description | Duty | Typical Thickness |
| 1 | Floor Seal | Applied in two or more coats Generally solvent or water-borne | Light | Up to 150 μm |
| 2 | Floor Coating | Applied in two or more coats Generally solvent free | Light/Medium | 150 μm to 300 μm |
| 3 | High Build Floor Coating | Applied in two or more coats Generally solvent free | Medium | 300 μm to 1000 μm |
| 4 | Multi-layer Flooring | Aggregate dressed systems based on multiple layers of floor coatings or flow applied floorings, often described as ‘sandwich’ systems | Medium/Heavy | > 2 mm |
| 5 | Flow Applied Flooring | Often referred to as ‘self-smoothing’ or ‘self-levelling’ flooring and having a smooth surface | Medium/Heavy | 2 mm to 3 mm |
| 6 | Resin Screed Flooring | Trowel-finished, heavily filled systems, generally incorporating a surface coating to minimise porosity and provide a wearing surface | Medium/Heavy | > 4 mm |
| 7 | Heavy Duty Flowable Flooring | Having a smooth surface | Heavy/Very Heavy | 4 mm to 6 mm |
| 8 | Heavy Duty Resin Flooring | Trowel-finished, aggregate filled systems effectively impervious throughout their thickness | Very Heavy | > 6 mm |
The why chose Resin Flooring
Resin flooring systems offer a multitude of advantages, making them an ideal choice across a wide range of sectors:
Durability and Resistance: Resin floors provide exceptional toughness, making them ideal for environments exposed to heavy foot traffic, machinery, and chemical exposure. Epoxy and polyurethane systems offer long-lasting protection against wear and damage, particularly in industrial and manufacturing settings.
Hygiene and Maintenance: The seamless, non-porous nature of resin floors makes them highly hygienic, preventing the accumulation of dirt and bacteria. These qualities make resin flooring the preferred option for healthcare facilities, laboratories, and food preparation areas, where hygiene is paramount.
Design Flexibility: Resin flooring offers endless customisation options, with a wide range of colours, finishes, and textures available. From minimalist residential designs to bold commercial spaces, resin flooring can be tailored to suit any aesthetic vision. Moreover, functional customisation—such as safety markings and anti-slip zones—can also be incorporated to meet regulatory requirements.
Safety and Slip Resistance: Safety is a critical consideration in commercial and industrial environments, and resin flooring systems can be specifically engineered to reduce the risk of slipping. This ensures compliance with stringent health and safety regulations, particularly in areas prone to moisture, chemicals, or heavy foot traffic, such as manufacturing facilities, warehouses, and commercial kitchens.
Applications Across Sectors
The adaptability of resin flooring makes it suitable for a diverse range of applications:
Industrial and Manufacturing
Designed to withstand significant mechanical stress and chemical exposure, resin floors are perfect for heavy-duty applications in warehouses, factories, and chemical plants.
Healthcare and Laboratories
Hygiene and durability are crucial in these sectors, and resin floors deliver seamless, easy-to-clean surfaces with chemical resistance, ensuring long-term performance and safety.
Retail and Hospitality
The customisation options of resin flooring make it an excellent choice for spaces that need to balance aesthetics with durability. Resin floors can handle high foot traffic while providing an eye-catching, easy-to-maintain surface.
Residential
Resin flooring is also becoming increasingly popular in high-end residential projects, offering a sleek, modern aesthetic with the added benefit of durability and low maintenance. It is also an ideal partner for underfloor heating systems, delivering both comfort and energy efficiency.
For more information or to connect with accredited FeRFA members, visit www.ferfa.org.uk.
| Name | Contact Information |
| Tracey Glew (CEO) | [email protected] |
| Millie Walker (FeRFA Support) | [email protected] |
