Polyurethane & Epoxy Systems
Polyurethane coatings and screeds are renowned for being tough and extremely hard-wearing. These hygienic flooring systems are ideal for health care and food and beverage clients as they offer slip resistance, impact resistance and chemical resistance at a high degree. Polyurethane resin flooring is highly resistant to UV light meaning that over time these floors won’t discolour when exposed to any UV light. Combining durability and performance, polyurethane floors are completely seamless and also offer different options when it comes to decorative designs.
Polyurethane can be applied to a variety of different surfaces including wood, metal and plastic and with many benefits that go along with this type of flooring. With a good amount of flexibility, it’s much less brittle in comparison to epoxy flooring solutions, yet still has extremely durable properties.
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Polyurethane Resin Flooring Explained
Polyurethane (PU) resin flooring is one of the most widely used systems in food, drink and process environments. It covers two quite different products, and choosing between them, or between PU and epoxy, depends on what the floor will face day to day.
PU screed vs PU coating
Polyurethane screeds, often called PU cement or PU concrete, are heavy-duty systems typically laid at around 6mm to 9mm thick. They are trowelled or flow-applied and are built for impact, heavy traffic, hot washdown and chemical attack. Our Birmingham brewery and Newcastle food factory projects both used 6mm polyurethane screeds, and our Northern Monk Brewery floor used a 9mm heavy-duty PU screed.
Polyurethane coatings are much thinner, usually applied by roller as a seal or topcoat. They are UV stable, more flexible than epoxy coatings and good at resisting abrasion and scuffing, which makes them a popular finish over epoxy or as a coloured seal in warehouses, workshops and showrooms.
Where polyurethane beats epoxy
Epoxy is hard, chemically resistant and cost-effective, but it is relatively rigid. Polyurethane systems are generally the better choice where:
- Thermal shock is a risk, such as hot water or steam hitting a cold floor, or ovens and fryers next to chilled areas. PU screeds tolerate rapid temperature changes that can cause rigid systems to crack or debond.
- Steam cleaning and hot washdown are part of the hygiene routine. Heavy-duty PU screeds are typically designed for this, with thicker grades handling higher temperatures.
- Food production needs a seamless, hygienic and slip-resistant floor that copes with fats, sugars, dairy and organic acids. See our food grade flooring page.
- Cold stores and freezers need a floor that stays flexible at low temperatures. Our cold store flooring page explains more.
- UV exposure could cause an epoxy finish to yellow.
Polyurethane vs epoxy at a glance
- Flexibility: PU is more flexible and less brittle; epoxy is harder and more rigid.
- Temperature: PU screeds handle thermal shock and hot washdown; epoxy suits stable, ambient conditions.
- UV stability: PU resists discolouring; many epoxies can yellow in sunlight.
- Moisture tolerance: PU screeds are often more tolerant of damp substrates; epoxy may need a damp-proof membrane.
- Typical uses: PU for food, drink, breweries and cold stores; epoxy for warehouses, workshops and dry manufacturing areas.
For a fuller comparison that includes fast-cure systems, read our guide to epoxy vs polyurethane vs polyaspartic flooring.
A typical PU screed installation
On our Newcastle food factory project, the floor was mechanically ground with vacuum extraction, a damp-proof membrane was applied with an aggregate scatter for adhesion, and a 6mm polyurethane screed was hand-laid with steel float trowels. 100mm resin coving with stainless steel trim and flexible jointing around drains completed a seamless, hygienic finish.
Frequently asked questions
Is polyurethane flooring better than epoxy?
It depends on the environment. Polyurethane is more flexible and handles thermal shock, hot washdown and UV better, so it is usually preferred in food, drink and cold store areas. Epoxy is harder and often more cost-effective for dry warehouses, workshops and manufacturing areas at ambient temperatures.
What is a polyurethane screed?
A polyurethane screed, also called PU cement or PU concrete, is a heavy-duty resin floor typically laid at around 6mm to 9mm thick. It resists impact, chemicals and high temperatures, which makes it a common choice for food factories, breweries and commercial kitchens.
Can polyurethane flooring be steam cleaned?
Heavy-duty polyurethane screeds are typically designed to tolerate hot washdown and steam cleaning, with thicker grades coping with higher temperatures. Thin PU coatings are less suited to this, so the system and thickness should be chosen to match your cleaning regime.
To discuss polyurethane flooring for your site, call 01782 865099 or request a quote.
