Protecting the substrate: Concrete floor coatings

By Dani Sheehan. 

Find out how commercial roofing contractors can leverage their coatings expertise to expand into concrete floor systems. 

In a recent CoatingsCast™, Karen Edwards sat down with Ryan Zabel of APF Polymer Surfaces to talk about what defines a high-performance floor coating system and why success comes down to understanding the environment, not just the product. 

Performance starts with end use 

While many customers initially focus on how a floor will look, Ryan was quick to reframe the conversation, sharing, “The appearance is very, very important. And that’s usually what we start with. Then, we can bring in the durability, the slip resistance, the chemical resistance... all depending on what the environment is going to be.” 

He described a two-step approach when working on projects: collaborating with architects and specifiers upfront, particularly for new construction, then working alongside contractors to evaluate whether the specified system truly fits the application. As an example, he asked, “What would you put on this floor that is going to be exposed to high temperatures, hot water, high impact, heavy loads?” In many cases, that answer likely differs from the original specification, now favoring durability and performance over decorative finishes. 

This is where product versatility becomes critical. APF’s Poly 600 (P600), for example, is designed as a high-performance topcoat with strong abrasion resistance, UV stability and adhesion directly to concrete. It can be used across a range of systems, giving contractors flexibility to match the coating to the space. Ryan noted that it can even be applied directly to concrete in some cases or built into multi-coat systems for exterior or high-demand environments.  

Expanding your offerings with confidence 

APF provides training and education to help contractors understand system design, surface preparation and installation best practices. For commercial roofing contractors who do not already offer floor coatings, the tools, materials and application methods often overlap with roof coatings. If you understand coatings, substrates and jobsite variables, you may already be well-positioned to succeed. 

Listen to the full episode to explore how commercial contractors are successfully adding floor coatings to their offerings and get a closer look at APF’s P600 system.