Industrial & Epoxy Coatings

Industrial coatings in Burnaby and Metro Vancouver are a specialized scope that goes well beyond standard commercial painting. Manufacturing facilities, food processing plants, pharmaceutical production environments, and chemical handling areas need coating systems that resist chemical exposure, mechanical abrasion, moisture, and thermal cycling — and they need to be applied correctly to deliver the performance they're designed for. Burnaby Commercial Painting Co applies industrial coating systems as a primary service, not an upsell.

Epoxy Floor Coating Systems

Epoxy floor coatings are the most commonly specified industrial floor system in BC manufacturing and warehouse environments. A complete epoxy floor system typically has three layers: a penetrating epoxy primer or shot-blast profile to ensure adhesion to the concrete substrate, a body coat at 60–80% solids (or 100% solids on high-traffic applications), and a topcoat in the desired surface finish — standard gloss, satin, or a urethane topcoat for UV and chemical resistance. Anti-slip broadcast aggregate is added to the topcoat at wet film stage in food processing, wet manufacturing, and loading areas.

Surface preparation for epoxy floors is non-negotiable. Epoxy bonds mechanically to concrete — the surface needs to be shot-blasted or diamond-ground to a CSP (Concrete Surface Profile) 3–4 for most epoxy systems. Oil contamination is neutralized with degreaser and moisture-inhibiting primer before any epoxy goes down. Moisture in the concrete slab is the single most common cause of epoxy floor failure in BC — we test with a relative humidity probe or calcium chloride test and address the moisture condition before applying the coating system.

Wall Coatings for Industrial Facilities

Industrial wall coatings are typically epoxy-amine systems on concrete block or tilt-up concrete, applied at 4–8 dry mils per coat. For food processing environments, we specify smooth, gloss, light-coloured finishes that show contamination clearly and survive daily hot-water and chemical washdown cycles. Healthcare and pharmaceutical environments typically require anti-microbial additive in the finish coat and no horizontal ledge surfaces where bacteria can accumulate — details that affect the specification and the application method.

For facilities with chemical exposure — acid, caustic, solvent, or petroleum product — we specify chemical-resistant epoxy or vinyl ester coating systems and provide product data sheets confirming resistance ratings against the specific chemicals present. Generic "chemical-resistant epoxy" is not a specification — the resistance rating varies enormously between products and between chemical types.

Scheduling Industrial Coating Projects

Industrial coating projects almost always require production shutdowns or section-by-section phasing, because the coatings need cure time before the area can be returned to service. A standard 100% solids epoxy floor system requires 24–72 hours before foot traffic and up to 7 days before full chemical resistance is achieved, depending on temperature and humidity during the cure window. We work with your operations team to phase the project so production impact is minimized — working one warehouse bay or production zone at a time, during scheduled maintenance shutdowns, or during overnight and weekend windows.