Your ESD floor buying checklist
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here are a number of things to consider when purchasing ESD flooring. Some of the key considerations are:
- ESD Electrical Properties
- Physical Performance Characteristics
- Aesthetics
- Maintenance Requirements
- Operational Concerns
- Installation Issues such as Subfloor Conditions
- Cost
All these criteria play an important role in the selection process. Yet one that's often overlooked is physical performance characteristics. Often a product that meets the ESD requirements is selected, yet is not suited to the physical demands of the environment, such as heavy rolling loads.
Also, be aware that ESD properties for glue-down products are reported under lab conditions using simulated substrates and one type of adhesive. Any reputable ESD flooring manufacturer will test its product and provide the results to prospective buyers, including what type of substrate and adhesive were used. One important detail from this testing is the type of substrate used for the test. If the ESD tile was tested on backer board and your flooring is concrete, it may not be as effective once installed on your floor.
With StaticStop interlocking tiles, FreeStyle ESD and SelecTile ESD, we do not have that issue as all the materials that minimize static electricity are within the tiles. In other words, with StaticStop tiles, the floor substrate is almost irrelevant. The ESD minimization will be the same no matter what the substrate.
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