Freezer & Walk-In Cooler Epoxy Flooring
Thermal-Shock Resistant • Seamless • Slip-Safe
Built for extreme cold, heavy loads, and hygiene. Priority One Epoxy Flooring installs durable, easy-to-sanitize resin flooring systems for freezers, walk-in coolers, and refrigerated production areas. Seamless, slope-to-drain, and ready for rapid installation anywhere in Vancouver & BC.
Cold-Room Flooring Experts
📞 604-761-1605Seamless • Hygienic • Thermal-Shock Resistant • Fast-Cure Options
Freezer & Walk-In Cooler Epoxy Flooring — Vancouver & British Columbia
Thermal-Shock Tolerant • Hygienic • Slip-Resistant • Moisture-Managed
Walk-in coolers, freezers and refrigerated prep areas demand more from their floors than standard commercial spaces. Surfaces endure sub-zero temperatures, thermal cycling during door openings, constant condensation, frequent washdowns and heavy point loads from racks, carts and pallet jacks. Priority One Epoxy Flooring designs and installs resinous flooring systems engineered for cold environments—delivering a seamless, hygienic surface that resists cracking, spalling and staining while supporting daily sanitation protocols and food safety programs. We specify the right stack for each temperature zone—urethane cement (polyurethane mortar) for thermal shock and wet service, high-build epoxy & quartz broadcast for abrasion and slip control, polyaspartic or aliphatic polyurethane topcoats for stain and chemical resistance, and MMA/fast-cure options where ultra-low temperature return-to-service is required. Integral cove bases, slope corrections and drainage integration complete a system that’s easier to clean, safer to work on and built to last.Why Freezers & Coolers Need Purpose-Built Resin Floors
Cold storage and refrigerated service areas create some of the harshest conditions a floor can experience. Concrete substrates shrink at low temperatures and expand when warmed, causing stress at joints, terminations and door thresholds. Routine cleaning introduces hot water or chemical sanitizers that create thermal gradients—a classic cause of thermal shock and surface failure in conventional coatings and tile systems. Condensation and frost introduce continuous moisture, while salts, sugars, proteins and fat residues challenge cleanability.- Thermal-shock resistance — Floors must tolerate splash temperatures well above ambient while the slab stays cold.
- Moisture management — Condensation, defrost cycles and washdowns require closed-pore, seamless surfaces and robust slope-to-drain.
- Slip control in wet/cold — Micro-textures tuned to maintain traction without trapping soil or creating cleaning headaches.
- Rolling & point loads — Racks, pallet jacks and stacked product demand abrasion-resistant, high-compressive-strength systems.
- MVT tolerance — Moisture vapour transmission (especially above ground or on green slabs) calls for compatible primers or mitigation strategies.
- Hygienic details — Integral cove base, sealed penetrations and monolithic thresholds reduce harborage points.
Where These Floors Perform
Walk-In Coolers & Refrigerators (0–10°C)
Coolers in restaurant kitchens, commissaries, groceries and prep areas need slip-resistant, easily sanitized floors with dependable slope to drains. Epoxy build coats with a quartz broadcast provide uniform texture, while polyaspartic/urethane topcoats deliver stain resistance against juices, sauces and brines.- Fine to medium texture for wet traction
- Low-sheen finishes to reduce glare under LED lighting
- Integral coves at wall junctions for faster washdowns
Freezers & Blast Freezers (< 0°C to –30°C)
Hard-frozen environments demand urethane cement builds or fast-cure MMA hybrids engineered to handle extreme cycling. We address threshold stresses, seal pilaster bases and detail around door heaters to prevent cracking and frost heave.- Thermal-shock tolerant to hot wash water
- Detailing at drains, trench grates and insulated curbs
- MVT-aware priming for problem slabs
Cold Docks & Staging
Loading docks and cold staging lanes see forklift traffic, compression from racking and temperature swings. High-build epoxy with quartz and urethane topcoats provide abrasion resistance and clear linework for safety zones and travel paths.- Medium texture for combined wet/dry service
- Impact-resistant build at dock plates and thresholds
- High-visibility safety markings
Food & Beverage Production
Processing lines, protein rooms and produce prep areas benefit from dense, closed-pore surfaces that resist fats, acids and salts. Urethane cement in wet production and epoxy/quartz in corridors provide a cohesive, cleanable envelope.- Sanitation-friendly micro-texture
- Integral coves and slope corrections
- Options for antimicrobial additives (supplemental to SOPs)
Cold-Room Flooring Systems We Install
We’re material-agnostic. Our specifications are built around your temperatures, traffic, cleanliness targets and shutdown windows. The systems below are the most effective for walk-ins, freezers and refrigerated plants:Urethane Cement (Polyurethane Mortar)
The industry standard for thermal shock, wet service and heavy loads. Urethane cement bonds tenaciously to properly profiled concrete, resists hot-wash delamination and cures to a dense, non-dusting surface. Ideal for freezers, blast freezers, wet production rooms and threshold rebuilds.- Handles extreme temperature swings
- Compatible with integral coves, drains and curbs
- Available in smooth to lightly textured profiles
High-Build Epoxy & Quartz Broadcast
Perfect for coolers, corridors and docks requiring abrasion resistance and tunable traction. The quartz broadcast produces a uniform micro-texture that cleans predictably and supports colour-zoned traffic and sanitation programs.- High-solids, low-odour options for occupied facilities
- Fine/medium textures to balance traction and cleanability
- Pairs with aliphatic polyurethane or polyaspartic topcoats
Polyaspartic & Aliphatic Polyurethane Topcoats
These topcoats add stain, chemical and scratch resistance with adjustable gloss. Polyaspartics can reopen quickly, minimizing downtime for coolers and docks that must return to service fast.- Rapid turnarounds; night/weekend install friendly
- Low-sheen finishes reduce glare on bright task lighting
- Clear or pigmented with linework and graphics
MMA / Fast-Cure Systems (Select Areas)
Where sub-zero installation or ultra-fast cure is essential, we can design MMA or hybrid stacks with strict ventilation and odour control. These are valuable for critical-path thresholds, tight shutdowns and phased freezer retrofits.- Serviceable at very low temperatures
- Phased by zone for continuous operation
- Gloss and texture control for cleaning SOPs
Slope, Drainage & Hygienic Detailing
Cold-room performance depends as much on details as on chemistry. We survey existing slope, identify ponding points and detail drains, thresholds and penetrations. Where slope is inadequate, we install tapered mortar or urethane cement build-ups to direct water to trench or point drains. At perimeters, integral cove bases create a flush transition for faster squeegee work and fewer harborage points for biofilm.Critical Detailing
- Monolithic terminations at door thresholds and dock plates
- Sealed penetrations around posts, conduits and anchors
- Insulated curb and pilaster base transitions
Moisture & Vapour Considerations
- Moisture-tolerant primers for elevated MVT
- Mitigation membranes where needed
- Profiles matched to concrete surface profile (CSP) targets
Our Installation Process for Freezers & Coolers
We execute cold-room projects with meticulous planning, phasing and QA so your team can maintain operations wherever possible. Every project includes documentation of substrate conditions, cure checks and reopening criteria.- Site Assessment & Testing — MVT and pH testing, adhesion pull tests, surface contamination checks, slope mapping and drainage review. We identify thermal bridges and high-stress thresholds.
- Containment & Ventilation Plan — Negative air, odour control and traffic separation. We coordinate freezer shutdowns/defrost cycles and protect adjacent product.
- Substrate Remediation — Crack injection, spall patching, joint rebuilds and moisture mitigation where required.
- Surface Preparation — Shot blasting or diamond grinding to the specified CSP, thorough HEPA vacuuming, and verification of profile and cleanliness.
- Primers & Build Coats — Moisture-tolerant primers as needed; urethane cement or epoxy build layers to target thickness; tapered slope corrections and integral coves installed.
- Broadcast/Topcoats — Quartz broadcast for traction; polyaspartic/urethane or select MMA topcoats tuned for gloss, stain resistance and turnaround.
- QA & Handover — Adhesion and cure confirmation, coverage rate logs, re-open timing documented; delivery of care & maintenance instructions and warranty.
Need to keep product moving? We can phase by aisle or box-out thresholds and docks for overnight reopenings, limiting downtime to critical areas only.
Safety, Cleanability & Compliance
Cold-room floors should reduce incident risk while simplifying sanitation. Our micro-texture options provide reliable traction in wet, cold conditions without becoming overly rough or porous. Closed-pore topcoats resist absorption, making soils and residues easier to release during cleaning. Linework and colour zoning reinforce one-way travel paths, no-go zones and emergency egress visibility.Slip-Resistant Profiles
- Fine to medium quartz gradations for wet/cold traction
- Texture tuning for mop vs. auto-scrub workflows
- Low-glare sheens for eye comfort under bright lighting
Cleaning & Sanitizing
- Compatible with neutral and alkaline detergents
- Closed-pore finishes reduce soil binding and odours
- Integral coves speed squeegee work and cutoff times
Maintenance & Lifecycle Value
Compared with tile and grout, resinous floors lower cleaning labour and avoid recurring grout failures in cold, wet service. With routine care, these systems maintain a professional appearance and consistent slip resistance while protecting the underlying slab from freeze-thaw and chemical attack.Daily & Weekly Care
- Dry sweep or dust-mop to remove granular soils
- Auto-scrub or damp-mop with neutral cleaner
- Rinse thoroughly; avoid harsh abrasives or waxes
Long-Term Value
- Lower lifecycle cost than tile/grout under cold, wet service
- Topcoat refresh extends stain resistance and appearance
- Local wear repairs during scheduled shutdowns
Pricing, Scheduling & ROI
Pricing varies with square footage, system thickness, substrate repairs, moisture mitigation, slope corrections, drain detailing and temperature constraints. While cold-room-ready resin systems cost more upfront than thin paints, they typically deliver a lower total cost of ownership by reducing cleaning labour, limiting unplanned shutdowns and avoiding premature failures. We provide itemized proposals with alternates for budget control and phasing options to keep operations moving.- Transparent, itemized estimates
- Night/weekend work windows and accelerated cures available
- Written warranty and care documentation
Case Snapshot — Grocery Walk-In Cooler & Freezer Retrofit
A regional grocery store needed to replace failing tile in a 1,400 sq/ft walk-in cooler and a 900 sq/ft freezer. The existing floor had cracked grout, poor slope at drains and slippery conditions during peak deliveries. Our team created a three-phase plan to keep product moving: we removed tile, repaired substrate spalls, installed moisture-tolerant primer and urethane cement builds with integral coves. In the cooler we broadcast quartz for a fine texture and finished with a satin polyaspartic topcoat; the freezer received a low-sheen build tuned for traction at sub-zero temperatures. Drain bowls were reset, thresholds rebuilt monolithically and linework added for safe travel paths. The store reopened each area on schedule with documented cure checks and cleaning SOPs. Results: faster washdowns, improved traction and a floor built to handle daily thermal cycling.Service Areas — Where We Work
Priority One Epoxy Flooring serves restaurants, groceries, commissaries, cold storage and food & beverage processors across British Columbia:- Metro Vancouver — Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Surrey, Delta, Coquitlam
- Fraser Valley — Langley, Abbotsford, Chilliwack
- Vancouver Island — Victoria, Nanaimo, Courtenay
- Sea-to-Sky & Interior — Squamish, Whistler, Kamloops, Kelowna
Frequently Asked Questions
What flooring is best for walk-in freezers?
Urethane cement (polyurethane mortar) is typically recommended for freezers and blast freezers due to thermal-shock tolerance, wet performance and bond strength. Select MMA/fast-cure solutions can be used for tight shutdowns or very low-temperature installs with proper ventilation.Can you install flooring in an active cooler without full shutdown?
Often, yes. We phase work by aisle or cordon small zones, use rapid-cure topcoats and coordinate defrost windows. Threshold and dock areas can be boxed out for overnight reopenings.How do you address ponding water and icing?
We test and map existing slope, then install tapered mortars to re-establish fall to drains. We reset drain bowls, seal penetrations, add integral coves and verify slope during punch to limit ponding and refreeze risk.Will the floor resist common stains and sanitizers?
Yes. Our closed-pore topcoats resist staining from brines, sauces, sugars and cleaning agents. Satin or matte sheens reduce glare and help identify soil for faster cleaning.What is the typical timeline and warranty?
Small coolers can reopen in 24–48 hours using select rapid-cure options; full freezer retrofits vary by scope and substrate condition. We provide written warranties and deliver a care guide tailored to your system.Upgrade Your Freezer & Walk-In Cooler Floors
Improve safety, speed up cleaning and reduce lifecycle costs with a floor designed for cold environments. Request a site assessment for a tailored specification, phasing plan and warranty options.THE PREFERRED COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL FLOORING CONTRACTOR
