34 YEARS.
STILL GOING.

Case Study

Nuflorz Inc. – 34-Year-Old Epoxy Floor Still in Service

Client: Eagle Comtronics, Syracuse, NY
Year Installed: 1994
Status: In service – no action required

Background

A floor built to outlast its building

In 1994, Eagle Comtronics, a Syracuse-based manufacturing facility, hired Nuflorz Inc. to install a large commercial epoxy coating system throughout its plant. The project was awarded to Nuflorz after a prior industrial flooring contractor failed to meet the facility’s schedule and quality expectations.

Nuflorz was retained to remove the failed installation and replace it with a specified 20-mil epoxy coating system. More than three decades later, the floor remains in excellent condition and continues to serve the building’s new owners — a lasting testament to proper preparation and quality workmanship.

Nuflorz Inc. has specialized in industrial floor coatings for more than 35 years.

Original Project Details

• Scope: Remove the failing epoxy floor system installed by the previous contractor and replace it with a high-performance three-layer poured flooring system.
• Timeline: Scheduled for completion in two weeks.
• Location: Eagle Comtronics manufacturing facility, Syracuse, NY.

Issues Encountered With the Previous Installation

1. Inadequate floor preparation. The previous contractor did not properly prepare the concrete substrate. The Blastrac shot-blast machine was operated too quickly, which prevented the complete removal of sealers and foreign materials needed for a quality bond.
2. Delamination. Sections of the newly installed epoxy began to chip and delaminate from the concrete substrate almost immediately.
3. Contamination of the bond surface. The coating had been applied directly over roof tar, chewing gum, adhesives, loose nuts and bolts, steel shot, and miscellaneous debris. The previous installer failed to properly clean, sweep, or prepare the substrate.

Analysis

Upon investigation, the root cause was clear: the previous contractor had not thoroughly prepared the concrete for a resinous coating. Without a properly profiled, clean, and contaminant-free substrate, no coating system can achieve the adhesion required for a durable industrial floor.

Corrective Actions Taken

1. Full removal of the failed coating. The entire previously installed epoxy surface was removed through a combination of grinding and re-blasting.
2. Aggressive surface preparation. The concrete was aggressively shot-blasted, edges were hand-ground, and the entire floor was vacuumed and cleaned prior to coating. All manufacturer requirements were followed.
3. Proper application procedures. Nuflorz applied an epoxy primer followed by a 100% solids epoxy topcoat, installed in accordance with the specified three-layer poured flooring system.

Outcome

With proper preparation, cleaning, and application, the new high-performance flooring system was a success. The floor delivered exactly what a light manufacturing environment requires: strong adhesion, a durable wearing surface, and a clean, maintainable finish.

Eagle Comtronics reported improved satisfaction with the quality of the finished floor, along with noticeable improvements in maintenance, safety, and forklift travel conditions.

Thirty-four years later, Nuflorz recently revisited the facility with the new property owner. The floor remains in excellent condition and continues to serve its intended purpose — no action required.

Lessons Learned

The principles that determine whether a floor lasts two years or thirty.

1. Contractor selection is critical. Choosing an experienced, proven resinous flooring contractor is essential to ensuring strong adhesion and long-term performance.
2. Preparation drives performance. No coating system — regardless of cost or specification — can outperform the substrate it is bonded to. Thorough shot-blasting, cleaning, and edge detailing are non-negotiable.
3. Quality workmanship adds lasting value. A properly installed industrial floor remains an asset to the building decades after installation — even through a change in ownership.

Conclusion

This case study highlights the importance of selecting a qualified installer who follows the fundamentals of resinous flooring: thorough preparation, precise application, and continuous improvement. These are the practices that determine whether an epoxy floor lasts two years or more than thirty.

The value added to this facility 34 years ago remained a selling point to the new owner — further proof of Nuflorz’s ongoing commitment to delivering quality service and long-lasting installations.

Avoid paying for a new floor twice. Make the right call once.

For 35+ years, Nuflorz has installed high-performance commercial and industrial flooring across Syracuse, Central New York, and the surrounding region. Manufacturing, warehouse, defense and aerospace, healthcare, food and beverage, pharmaceutical — wherever the floor has to perform, we build it to last. Get Started ↓