Start with the right people
Business owners planning an epoxy floor often ask whether it will meet the Americans with Disabilities Act or local building codes. A flooring contractor is not the authority on that question, and we do not certify that any floor meets ADA or code requirements. Accessibility and building requirements are set by federal, state and local rules and interpreted by your building official, architect or accessibility consultant. What we can do is explain which floor-related topics to raise with them so the coating plan fits whatever they require. We did not find a high-view video on ADA requirements for coatings, so this post draws on technical videos about slip resistance and system selection.
Topic 1: slip resistance
Accessible routes and work areas need floors people can walk on safely, including people using mobility aids. Coatings can be smooth or textured. Rust-Oleum Canada, in a short video with more than 57,000 views, shows how an anti-skid additive is mixed into a floor coating for additional slip resistance. Professional systems also use broadcast aggregates or textured top coats. Ask your building official or design professional whether a particular slip-resistance measure or test is expected for your space, and choose texture accordingly.
Topic 2: wet and greasy areas
Kitchens, wash areas and entries need more attention to traction. LearnCoatings, in a video with more than 77,000 views, warns that a floor system must match its use, including exposure to hot water, or it may fail. Discuss both slip resistance and chemical and heat resistance for these areas.
Topic 3: changes in level and transitions
Where an epoxy floor meets another surface, such as carpet, tile or an exterior threshold, the edge creates a change in level. Accessibility guidelines address changes in level and transitions, and your design professional can tell you what applies. Ask your installer how edges will be finished: tapered, feathered, or with a transition strip, and how thick the system will be at the edge.
Topic 4: joints and gaps
Control joints and expansion joints can create openings in a walking surface. Ask how they will be treated, filled or bridged, and whether the treatment satisfies requirements for openings on accessible routes as interpreted by your building official.
Topic 5: evenness and surface quality
Uneven floors and lips at repairs can be hazards. Wolf of Concrete, in a video with more than 240,000 views, explains how grinding with appropriate diamond tooling, cross-hatched passes and patching creates a consistent surface before sealing. A well-prepared, level substrate is the foundation for a safe floor.
Topic 6: moisture and long-term performance
A floor that blisters or delaminates creates new trip hazards. Concrete Network, in a video with more than one million views, recommends testing the slab's moisture vapor emission rate before applying epoxy, because epoxy can delaminate if the rate is too high. Ask how moisture will be tested.
Topic 7: color contrast and markings
Some facilities use color changes, striping or markings to define walkways or hazards. Coatings can include those. Your safety advisor or design professional can say whether any are needed.
Inspections and documentation
Ask your installer for product data sheets, safety data sheets and any slip-resistance test information the manufacturer publishes, so you can share them with your building official or inspector. Do not rely on marketing claims.
What we will and will not claim
We will help you plan a floor around the requirements your building official or design professional gives you. We will not claim that a floor is ADA compliant or code certified, because that determination is not ours to make.
FAQ: Does a textured floor guarantee compliance?
No. Texture improves traction, but compliance depends on the full set of requirements for your space.
FAQ: Who decides what applies?
Your local building official, along with your architect or accessibility consultant.
Restrooms and service areas
Restrooms, janitor closets and service corridors often get coated floors because they clean easily. These areas also see water. Ask about cove bases that run the coating up the wall a few inches, which make cleaning easier, and about texture near sinks and drains. Ask your building official whether any specific finish requirements apply to those rooms in your occupancy type.
Ramps and sloped areas
Coating a ramp or sloped floor raises extra traction questions because slopes increase the chance of slipping. Texture may need to be heavier on slopes than on flat areas. Discuss ramps specifically with your design professional, who can tell you what applies to slope, landings and surfaces.
Phasing work in an occupied building
If your business stays open during installation, plan how accessible routes will be maintained while parts of the floor are closed. Temporary routes, signage and scheduling work after hours are common approaches. Ask your installer for a phasing plan and share it with your building manager.
Changes of use
If you are converting a space from one use to another, such as warehouse to retail or garage to gym, requirements may change. Raise the planned use with your building official early, before choosing a floor system.
Keep records
Keep copies of product data sheets, SDS documents, any slip-resistance information from the manufacturer, and the installer's scope. If questions come up at an inspection or later, those records show what was installed and why.
Plan your commercial floor
Austin Epoxy Flooring Pro works with business owners in Austin and Georgetown. Call (512) 325-5434, open 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Related pages
Related pages on our site: Commercial epoxy flooring: what business owners need to know; Commercial coating scope, traffic and cleaning; Slip-resistant options for restaurant kitchens; Warehouse epoxy flooring guide; Commercial epoxy joint preparation.
Call 512-325-5434 (open 24 hours, 7 days a week) or request a free estimate.
Sources
How to Apply Rust Oleum Anti skid Additive | Concrete Garage Floor Coating | Optional Step — Rust-Oleum Canada (YouTube, 57,157 views as reported 2026-10-14)
Epoxy Floor Peeling? Here are the Reasons (and how to prevent it) — LearnCoatings - Epoxy Flooring Training (YouTube, 77,791 views as reported 2026-10-14)
Grind and Seal vs Polished Concrete Floors: Which is Better? — Wolf Of Concrete (YouTube, 241,338 views as reported 2026-10-14)
Drawbacks of Epoxy Flooring — Concrete Network (YouTube, 1,084,981 views as reported 2026-10-14)