Wow Clodaghdorgan!

This is going to be a great discussion ;-)

I have used resin and concrete around the world and I have to say in the UK I was the most disappointed with the result. In saying that, the past few years the UK has started to get better quality products and better skilled labour in this department as demand grows. I would trust larger companies and ensure your specification and requirements are very clear.

Resin floors are typically used in industrial situations, so it will last and provide other strengthening properties if required. You will get a seamless surface (which most people aren't used to in a home) so in terms of design, that is the thing to be aware of. What questions I would ask myself if I was to specify a resin floor (especially in white) are:

1. Is a white continuous surface going to give me the specific look and feel that I want in my home?

2. Do I want a high gloss finish or a matt one?

3. Can I achieve the look that I want in another (cheaper) way?

4. What is my substrate?

5. What company am I going to trust to deliver this product from start to finish and to whom I can call on for any repairs or maintenance, supply specific cleaners etc. especially if you are planning on getting underfloor heating installed with it. Am I going to get a warranty? (Do not skimp on the company).

I have to admit, I am confident to use resin and I love it. It is hygienic, anti-slip, beautiful, modern and flexible. But you are going to get a very specific look. A high gloss or even matt in this case will show up dirt, hair and rolled up balls of I don't know what! But it is easy to clean! The most important things I would suggest once you have dealt with what you are going to lay it on is to ensure that you have specific cleaners that will protect your floor rather than damage it and a UV and stain resistant coating. You will hate your floor forever if you don't!

My biggest worry personally would be how I can get an excellent high end result for a cost that I could afford. If you are tossing up between a stone, large format designer porcelain tile or a resin floor, then your costs might actually be quite similar. But if you are looking at a £50 / meter budget, I would expect to triple my cost. When it comes to seeing dirt & scratches, I had a black timber floor once that drove me round the bend, so it can happen with any material including tiles, but as a rule high gloss, lots of light and one single colour typically is a recipe for seeing lots of dirt... But it is beautiful!

I hope that helped you! I have attached some pretty pictures (Not mine) that I thought will help you visualise what your floor will look like. I found a high gloss white, matt white, more concrete looking grey, matt grey and a high gloss smokey one just because ;-)

I'd love to know what you chose in the end, keep me updated!

Jo x

Hi Clodaghdorgan,

I don't know if you're still researching this, but I came across it and had to offer our two cents! We are a residential resin flooring company and provide luxury poured resin floors - I'd second much of the advice Jo gave you to be honest.

Overall we'd advise that a high-shine or gloss floor is the most likely to show scratches, dirt, hair etc. - hence why our resin floors are all a matt-silk finish. Much more durable! However there's no real reason why white should be much more high-maintenance than any other light colour - we've done quite a few family homes with white (or very pale grey/taupe) floors. We offer care guidelines for our floors that may be of help.

I've attached a couple of our projects to consider - there are loads more where that came from so do let me know if you'd like to discuss it further!

Best wishes

Isobel (Sphere8)

Hello - this is many years later, but would like to know if you went with a resin flooring and if so are you happy with the results?