Understanding FeRFA Flooring Standards: Choosing the Right Resin Floor for Your Facility
When specifying a resin flooring system, understanding exactly what your site demands – and selecting the right solution – can sometimes feel overwhelming. With so many product types and technical terms involved, it is easy for the process to become confusing and time-consuming.
At Industrial Coatings Ltd, we regularly support customers with questions such as:
• Which resin flooring system is most suitable for food production environments?
• What thickness is required to cope with regular forklift traffic?
• Which option is best if downtime on site must be kept to a minimum?
For facilities managers, project managers, engineers, architects, warehouse operators and contractors, the FeRFA standards offer a reliable structure for choosing the correct system before work begins.
FeRFA’s classification framework groups resin flooring into eight clearly defined categories, ranging from simple floor seals through to ultra heavy-duty systems. Each category is determined by overall thickness, durability, and intended use, helping specifiers and end users communicate clearly and make informed decisions.
FeRFA Resin Flooring Classification Table:
|
1 |
Floor Seal |
A thin, two-or-more-coat system, often solvent- or water-borne, that protects and enhances the existing substrate. |
Light Duty |
Up to 150 µm |
|
2 |
Floor Coating |
A solvent-free, two-or-more-coat system that provides a hard-wearing and decorative finish with improved resistance to abrasion. |
Light to Medium Duty |
150 µm to 300 µm |
|
3 |
High Build Floor Coating |
A thicker, solvent-free epoxy coating that offers excellent wear and chemical resistance for industrial and commercial floors. |
Medium Duty |
300 µm to 1000 µm |
|
4 |
Multi-layer Flooring |
A "sandwich" system built with multiple layers of coatings and aggregates. It is often used for decorative purposes, like acrylic flake systems. |
Medium to Heavy Duty |
> 2 mm |
|
5 |
Flow Applied Flooring |
Also known as "self-smoothing" or "self-leveling," this system is seamless, durable, and resistant to many chemicals. |
Medium to Heavy Duty |
2 mm to 3 mm |
|
6 |
Resin Screed Flooring |
A trowel-finished system that is heavily filled with aggregates and sealed to minimize porosity. |
Medium to Heavy Duty |
> 4 mm |
|
7 |
Heavy Duty Flowable Flooring |
A heavy-duty, seamless floor designed for areas with heavy traffic and chemical spills. It can be installed relatively quickly. |
Heavy to Very Heavy Duty |
4 mm to 6 mm |
|
8 |
Heavy Duty Resin Flooring |
A trowel-applied, aggregate-filled system that is very durable and impervious throughout its thickness. It is highly resistant to impact, abrasion, and chemicals. |
Very Heavy Duty |
> 6 mm |
Every industry has different operational demands, whether manufacturing, logistics, engineering or food processing. We always recommend assessing:
1. Traffic Levels
Pedestrian use, pallet trucks, forklifts, static loads or continuous heavy movement. Typically classified as light, medium or heavy duty.
2. Required Lifespan
Is this a short-term refurbishment or a long-term infrastructure investment?
3. Environmental Exposure
Will the floor be exposed to cleaning regimes, oils, acids, solvents or other aggressive substances?
4. Hygiene Standards
Does the area require wash-down procedures, inspections, regulatory compliance or low-odour application?
5. Aesthetic Finish
Colour, gloss level, anti-slip profile and overall visual appearance.
Whether you are refurbishing a warehouse, fitting out a food production facility, or choosing between a rapid coating solution and a long-term flooring system, Industrial Coatings Ltd is here to support you.
We provide:
• Technical guidance aligned with FeRFA standards
• Assistance with product and system selection
• Support for specifiers, contractors, buyers and end users
• Access to trusted, high-performance resin flooring brands
From initial enquiry through to delivery, our team offers practical, project-focused advice designed to save time, optimise budgets and ensure the correct system is specified first time.
