The designer’s guide to choosing colours and patterns for epoxy floors. Staring at colour charts not knowing what to do can be somewhat overwhelming.

And trying to figure out what epoxy flooring will actually look like in your space, you’re not alone.

PM Industries installs epoxy floors in all sorts of spaces and they’ll tell you the design choices people make can really transform a space.

But if you get it wrong it can make a space look kind of … odd.

Choosing colours and patterns for epoxy floors is honestly one of those decisions that seems simple until you actually have to make it.

Epoxy floors aren’t just about having a strong durable floor anymore, they can be designed to look modern and even luxurious.

Why design choices matter more than you think

People may think of epoxy flooring and think of garages or industrial floors, which is not wrong. Epoxy floors are used for high traffic floors and floors that need to withstand heavy chemicals and more.

However over the recent years epoxy flooring has become a big thing. You can have your floor designed with metallic flakes or even have it designed to look like marble.

Epoxy flooring used to be purely functional. Factories, warehouses, industrial spaces. Grey or maybe beige if you were feeling fancy.

If you have a space where people notice the details and if reflects your business, epoxy is a great choice. Because you can make a space look high end fast. Places where aesthetics actually matter and people notice.

The colour and pattern you choose affects how the whole space feels. Light colours make spaces feel bigger and brighter. Dark colours can make large spaces feel more intimate but might make small spaces feel cramped.

Patterns add visual interest but can also hide imperfections and wear better than solid colours. Or they can look busy and dated if you choose wrong.

Understanding your colour options

Solid colours are the most straightforward epoxy floor option.

This means one single colour which is nice and clean and simple. Epoxy can be tinted to almost any colour so your choices are endless.

Light colours like light grey, beige, off white are popular for garages and workshops because they brighten the space and show dirt less than pure white.

But they do show stains and marks.

Medium tones like mid grey, tan, sage green hide dirt and wear really well. They don’t show all stains and spots but also still look sleek and modern.

Dark colours like charcoal, navy, deep brown look really sleek and modern.

Especially popular in showrooms and retail. But they show dust and scratches more, and can make spaces feel smaller if you’re not careful with lighting.

Bright colours are possible but think carefully before going bold. That bright blue or red might look amazing initially but could feel overwhelming after a while. And if you ever want to sell, bold colours can put buyers off.

Flake systems and how they work

Decorative flake epoxy is probably most popular pattern option. Coloured vinyl flakes broadcast into wet epoxy then sealed with clear topcoat.

The flakes come in different sizes. Small flakes create subtle texture. Medium flakes are most common. Large flakes make bold statement but can feel busy in small spaces.

Colour combinations are endless. Single colour flakes for subtle look.

Multi-colour blends for more visual interest. You can go monochromatic, contrasting, complementary. Depends on the vibe you want.

Coverage density matters heaps. Light broadcast where you see mostly base colour with scattered flakes. Medium broadcast is balanced mix.

Full broadcast where flakes completely cover base colour.

Full broadcast hides imperfections best and creates most texture. Light broadcast shows off base colour more and feels less busy. There’s no right answer, just what works for your space and taste?

Flake systems are brilliant for hiding minor concrete imperfections, creating slip resistance, and disguising wear over time. Dirt and scratches just blend into the pattern.

Metallic epoxy effects

Getting metallic epoxy flooring means you can create swirling marble designs which look luxurious and high class.

It can look like you’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars on new marble flooring but really its durable epoxy doing its job.

You can create this marble looking effect with metallic pigments in epoxy that move and swirl as it cures, creating unique patterns. No two floors end up exactly the same which some people love and others find unsettling.

You can choose different colours like silver and gold and bronze and coppers. You can customise it to your home while still keeping its classic look.

This makes some people nervous. If you need to know exactly how something will look, metallic might not be for you.

If you’re okay with beautiful but unique results, it’s amazing.

You can really transform a space with this flooring. You can turn a retail shop into a high end shop or transform your kitchen from drab to fab.

Common mistakes people make

If you want  bright space choosing a light colour might not work so well once you realise every tire mark shows up. If you go with shade in the mid range its more forgiving.

However when you choose too dark that can also create problems. Dark floors need serious lighting to work.

Choosing trendy colours and patterns that are super Instagram trendy right now but probably wont be next ears?

Not considering how epoxy floor will work with walls, equipment, vehicles, furniture already in space. The floor doesn’t exist in isolation.

Sometimes people start to forget about actual functionality and get caught up with how it looks.  Beautiful metallic floor in busy workshop that shows every scratch and mark? Not practical.

Not getting proper samples in the actual space. Colours look completely different in reality versus photos or tiny samples in different lighting.

Making the final decision

The first step to new flooring is figuring out what you need verse what you want. Both are important, but needs come first. Do you need it to be durable?

Do you value the look of it more or how long it lasts? Do you want it to be slip free? Theres heaps of different things to ask yourself before making a choice.

Also consider how long you’ll be using the space for. 5 years? 20 years?

5 years you can go with something bolder but if you’re thinking closer to 20 you may want to play it safe, timeless makes more sense. Think about how long you’ll have this floor.

Sleep on it. Don’t make final decision same day you see samples. Live with the options for few days, see how you feel.

PM Industries and other experienced installers can guide you through decision process but ultimately it’s your space and your choice. The good ones won’t push you into something you’re not comfortable with.

The beauty of epoxy is versatility. Whatever look you’re after you can most likely make it happen. Customisation is one of the bets parts of epoxy flooring.