For an Ottawa shop, what separates a thin coat from a broadcast epoxy floor?

A thin-coat epoxy is a coating rolled onto the prepared slab. A broadcast system adds aggregate, such as aluminium oxide, quartz or coloured flake, scattered into a wet coat and then sealed over, which gives the surface texture.

The practical differences for a shop come down to a few things worth understanding before you get quotes.

A thin coat leaves a smoother surface; a broadcast system leaves texture. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 851 (Industrial Establishments), s.11 says a floor used by workers shall "not have any finish or protective material used on it that is likely to make the surface slippery." No slip-resistance number is set in that regulation or in the Ontario Building Code, so the choice of texture is a judgment call, not a formula. The 2024 Ontario Building Code (O. Reg. 163/24), s.3.8.1.3.(2) requires walking surfaces in a barrier-free path of travel to be "stable, firm and slip-resistant," again without a number.

Surface profile matters for both. One manufacturer's data sheet asks for about CSP 2 and above for a polyaspartic system; another asks for CSP 3 to 4 for a resinous epoxy system. The contractor should confirm what profile the product requires and how they will achieve it.

Return to service comes from the data sheet. One 100%-solids epoxy data sheet lists foot traffic at 24 hours and light vehicles at 72 hours; the data sheet for your specific product governs, and the contractor should build the closure schedule from it, not from a general promise.

On cost, published 2025-2026 contractor ranges put commercial and industrial-grade epoxy at about $8 to $15 per square foot installed, with lighter commercial systems from about $5 per square foot. The aggregate, any additional coat and extra prep work all show up in the quote. Surface prep, when quoted separately, runs about $1 to $3 per square foot; check whether the quotes you receive include it.

Before signing, ask the contractor for the product data sheet and the safety data sheet for every product they plan to use. Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, s.38(1.1), an employer whose staff remain on site during coating work must have the SDS available to those workers. Also ask whether the slab has been moisture-tested: one epoxy data sheet sets a limit of 80% relative humidity, and a result above the product's limit changes what primer or system is appropriate.

Ottawa Commercial Epoxy's request form on this page sends your project details to local floor coating contractors listed in the Ottawa Construction Network directory.