FUNCTIONAL, HIGH-DESIGN FLOORING FINDS ITS FOOTING
Versatility and durability draw growing interest in residential market
We demand more of our homes than we used to. So instead of allowing the garage to become a messy, underused space where junk goes to die, we exploit every square inch of the increasingly valuable real estate.
That will only intensify as more and more Canadians work from home, either remotely or in a home-based and online businesses.
Perhaps that why Quebecbased B-protek, which installs durable, handsome epoxy and polyaspartic flooring, has caught the eye of consumers. Along with homeowners who want to make current living spaces more useful, they appeal to those looking for quick-to-install upgrades prior to resale.
The company has been around for almost a decade, has 30 franchisees from Eastern Canada to Manitoba, and expects to be established across the country by 2024.
These types of flooring already have widespread application in commercial and industrial settings, proving their durability in retail stores, nightclubs, car showrooms, residential interiors, and garage floors. You've probably already seen polyaspartic (also called polyurea) on garage and commercial floors. Small embedded flakes give it a signature terrazzo-like effect.
B-protek CEO Nicolas Desjardins' clever move was to bring these versatile, accessibly priced options to residential settings, where they can be installed in hardworking basement, garage, and outdoor spaces, or add functional style to kitchen, home office, pantries, and other indoor spaces.
Desjardins considers either an ideal alternative to conventional choices. “These products make the floor waterproof, easy to clean, and more resistant to staining. And they brighten the room, so your living space is more enjoyable,” he says.
The two types of surfaces are chosen depending on the site circumstances; franchise staff can help with the decision.
Polyaspartic surfaces are flexible, so they stand up to the freeze-and-thaw cycles of a Canadian winter. Along with being UV- and salt-resistant, that makes them a sensible choice for interior residential garages, exterior concrete stairs, landings, walkways, and patios.
Epoxies are less flexible but can be put on in thicker coats to get a deep mirror effect. The colour choice is extensive, and the company has done some interesting spaces using metallic epoxy. Other designs have threedimensional effects that give the illusion of craters, clouds, or swirling water.
Special-effect finishes are fashion-forward, but consumers are still mostly drawn to the light and medium grey tones, says Desjardin, adding that clay and mocha tones are gaining.
There are also statement-making colours — sapphire blue, juicy red, and sunny yellow — that would be especially fun in spaces for kids. It's also possible to get a clear epoxy coat, in either a gloss or satin finish, over concrete that's been diamond-ground and smoothed. The satin finish sounds like a particularly attractive way to anchor a casual, modern room.
Maintenance for both surfaces is pretty much sweeping, and washing with soap and water. I like that there are no joints to get dirty.
The company's visibility will be boosted through a partnership with celebrity designer-contractor Brian Mccourt of HGTV'S Backyard Builds and Home to Win. Mccourt's a B-protek fan, he says, because the surfaces “appeal to my renovation mindset — they're fast, easy, and affordable — and to my design sense with their stunning finishes.”
The primary application is concrete but custom work is available. “We can apply most of our interior systems on wooden subfloors if they follow the building code to accept a ceramic-tile floor,” says Desjardin.
There's an environmental benefit as well, he continues.
“It's not just that they are low- or no- VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds), but we are affordably revamping a space that's going to make it feel new for 20 to 30 years. That's way better than going into demolition mode.”