When it comes to heavy-duty, hygienic, and safe floors, two systems are most commonly considered: broadcast sand floor coatings (typically based on epoxy or polyurethane resin) and urethane cement flooring systems. Each offers specific benefits, and choosing the right one depends on the conditions of your space — including temperature changes, chemical exposure, cleaning frequency, and slip safety requirements.

While both are known for their durability, chemical resistance, and slip resistance, they serve different purposes and excel in different conditions. Let”s break down the key differences and the best applications for each solution.

Broadcast Sand System

A broadcast sand floor (also known as a quartz broadcast floor) is built with safety in mind. This is a multi-layer epoxy system that incorporates silica sand or colored quartz between coats. It typically consists of a primer, a base coat, a full broadcast of sand or quartz, and a topcoat. This creates a textured surface with enhanced traction — even when wet or oily, chemical resistance, and decorative appeal.

Key Benefits:

• Excellent slip resistant commercial flooring
• Seamless and easy to clean
• Visually appealing with multiple color and aggregate options
• Ideal for light to moderate thermal and chemical exposure
• Cost-effective and fast to install
• Good for warehouses, garages, and prep areas
• Typical Thickness: 1/8” to 1/4”
• Surface Texture: Medium to aggressive, depending on sand size
• Ideal For: Slip resistant commercial flooring in warehouses, garages, kitchens, restrooms

Want to dive deeper into the benefits of broadcast sand floors and how they work? Click here to explore more.

Urethane Cement System

Urethane cement — also known as polyurethane concrete — is a premium industrial floor coating system specifically engineered to perform under the most extreme conditions. This seamless, heavy-duty flooring solution combines urethane resin with specially graded cement and aggregates, forming a monolithic layer that chemically bonds to the concrete substrate.

Unlike standard epoxy systems, urethane cement is designed for harsh industrial settings where thermal shock, chemical exposure, and heavy mechanical loads are everyday challenges. It can be installed on damp concrete without risk of failure and is often the flooring contractor’s top choice for food processing, beverage production, and pharmaceutical plants.

Key Benefits:

• Withstands thermal shock from steam and hot water
• High resistance to acids, alkalis, and grease
• Superior impact resistance
• Moisture-tolerant during installation (ideal for damp concrete)
• Meets USDA and FDA hygiene requirements
• Long service life in extreme environments
• Typical Thickness: 3/16” to 3/8”
• Surface Texture: Smooth to lightly textured (broadcast can be added for traction)
• Ideal For: Extreme environments with hot washdowns, heavy equipment, or chemical spills — like food processing, breweries, and pharmaceutical plants

Want to learn more about why urethane cement might be the best choice for your facility? Click here to learn more about this system. Or simply reach out to us — we’re here to help you choose the right solution for your specific environment.

Key Differences

Typical System Thickness

• Broadcast Sand Floor System:
  Ranges from 1/8″ to 1/4″ (125–250 mils). This multi-layer system incorporates layers of epoxy and broadcast silica sand or quartz aggregate to build a thicker, impact-resistant, and slip-resistant commercial flooring surface. Ideal for industrial and commercial applications that demand durability, traction, and longevity.
• Urethane Cement System:
  Typically 1/4″ to 3/8″ thick (250–375 mils). This is the most robust solution for extreme environments such as commercial kitchens, breweries, and food processing plants, where thermal shock, heavy traffic, and harsh cleaning chemicals are common. Urethane cement also performs well on damp concrete and offers strong adhesion even in high-moisture conditions.

Choosing the Right System by Facility Type

• Commercial Kitchen

Best Choice: Urethane Cement

Commercial kitchens face constant heat, steam, spills, and cleaning chemicals. Urethane cement is thermal shock-resistant, moisture-tolerant, and antimicrobial, making it the safest and most durable solution for this type of space.
While a broadcast sand floor can be used in some kitchen zones (e.g., dry prep areas), it lacks the high heat and steam resistance that urethane systems provide.

• Pharmaceutical Facility

Best Choice: Urethane Cement or Broadcast Sand (depending on zone)

Pharmaceutical environments require seamless, hygienic, and chemical-resistant flooring. Urethane cement is ideal for cleanrooms and production areas due to its resistance to harsh sanitizers and temperature fluctuations. Broadcast sand systems may be used in less critical areas like packaging or administrative zones, where decorative and anti-slip finishes are desirable. Where high hygiene, chemical resistance, and resistance to steam sterilization are required, urethane cement is unmatched. It meets FDA and USDA standards, forms a seamless and non-porous surface, and is resistant to cracking under temperature shifts.

• Brewery or Distillery

Best Choice: Urethane Cement

Brewery floors are exposed to hot water, caustic cleaners, acids, and constant moisture. Urethane cement handles wet conditions and thermal cycling better than epoxies.
Although a quartz broadcast floor can provide slip resistance and visual appeal in tasting rooms or retail areas, urethane cement should be used in production zones.

• Food Processing Area

Best Choice: Urethane Cement

These facilities are often cleaned with steam or boiling water and must comply with stringent hygiene standards. Urethane cement is FDA-compliant, offers excellent resistance to organic acids, and bonds well to damp concrete, making it a safer choice than epoxy in this context. Broadcast floors may be used for walkways or packaging sections where thermal shock is less of a concern.

• Auto Repair Shops & Service Bays

Best Choice: Broadcast Sand Floor

Automotive shops require slip-resistant flooring that can handle oil, grease, and tire abrasion. Broadcast epoxy systems provide excellent traction, chemical resistance to automotive fluids, and are visually customizable, allowing zoning for safety or branding. Urethane cement is often overbuilt for this setting unless extreme temperatures or heavy impact are involved.

• Commercial Garages & Parking Areas

Best Choice: Broadcast Sand Floor

For indoor parking structures, maintenance bays, or commercial garages, broadcast systems offer traction, durability, and UV-stable options for partially exposed zones. They also allow for color-coded markings, which are useful for lane definition or designated parking.

• Cold Storage & Walk-In Freezers

Best Choice: Urethane Cement
These areas experience constant low temperatures and thermal cycling during cleaning or defrosting. Urethane cement handles these temperature fluctuations without cracking and provides strong moisture resistance, making it ideal for refrigerated spaces.

• Commercial Dishwashing Areas

Best Choice: Urethane Cement

Dishwashing zones are exposed to boiling water, steam, harsh cleaning agents, and constant moisture. Broadcast sand systems often fail under such conditions. Urethane cement resists thermal shock and moisture, ensuring long-term performance.

• Veterinary Clinics & Animal Care Facilities

Best Choice: Broadcast Sand Floor

Animal care spaces benefit from the hygienic, seamless, and slip-resistant surface of quartz broadcast flooring. It resists pet waste and cleaning chemicals, is easy to sanitize, and provides enough traction for animals without being overly rough. It also offers better design versatility to create a welcoming, clean look.

• Commercial Bathrooms & Locker Rooms

Best Choice: Broadcast Sand Floor
These areas require a waterproof, slip-resistant surface that’s easy to clean and looks modern. Broadcast systems are ideal due to their grip, stain resistance, and anti-microbial topcoats. In contrast, urethane cement might be too industrial and aesthetically limited for public-facing spaces.

• Cafeterias & Dining Halls

Best Choice: Broadcast Sand Floor

Dining areas need safe, attractive, and easy-to-maintain flooring that complements interior design. Broadcast floors allow for decorative quartz blends and custom colors, making them ideal for high-traffic but visually important areas. Urethane cement lacks the decorative finish flexibility for these front-of-house applications.

• Showrooms & Retail Spaces

Best Choice: Broadcast Sand Floor

Retail stores and showrooms benefit from the aesthetic variety of quartz broadcast floors, which offer durability with design freedom. Urethane cement is more functional than beautiful — broadcast epoxy systems provide enough performance while maintaining visual impact.

• Education Facilities (Hallways, Labs, Restrooms)

Best Choice: Broadcast Sand Floor

Schools and universities require low-maintenance, safe flooring that resists foot traffic and occasional spills. Broadcast systems offer the necessary durability and can be color-coded or branded for specific zones or departments.

• Food & Beverage Retail (Bakeries, Delis, Prep Counters)

Best Choice: Broadcast Sand Floor

These small-scale food prep areas often don’t experience the extreme cleaning or temperature conditions seen in industrial kitchens. Broadcast floors are sanitary, cost-effective, and pleasant in appearance, making them ideal for deli counters, front-end food prep stations, or bakery backrooms.

• Dairy Processing Plants

Best Choice: Urethane Cement

Dairy products are acidic, and the floors are regularly cleaned with hot water and sanitizers. Urethane cement offers superior resistance to organic acids and meets hygiene requirements for these sensitive environments.

• Chemical Manufacturing or Mixing Rooms

Best Choice: Urethane Cement

These spaces often involve exposure to strong acids, alkalis, and solvents. Urethane cement provides the highest level of chemical resistance, making it the most durable and safe option in chemical-heavy environments.

• Laboratories (Non-cleanroom Zones)

Best Choice: Broadcast Sand Floor

For labs that do not require the extreme chemical resistance of urethane cement (such as educational or analytical labs), broadcast epoxy offers enough protection while providing a smoother, easier-to-maintain surface.

Cost Comparison: What’s More Expensive?

When choosing between a broadcast sand system and urethane cement flooring, budget plays a major role — and the cost difference can be significant.

✓ Broadcast Sand Flooring: The More Affordable Option
In most cases, broadcast epoxy or polyurethane sand floors are more budget-friendly. The materials are less expensive, installation is quicker, and surface preparation is generally simpler (if the slab is dry and in good condition). This makes it an excellent choice for commercial garages, restrooms, showrooms, and other medium-duty environments where thermal shock and extreme chemical resistance are not major concerns.

✓ Urethane Cement: Higher Initial Cost, Long-Term Value
Urethane cement systems typically come with a higher upfront cost due to more complex materials and labor-intensive installation. However, in high-demand environments like food production or chemical processing, the durability, thermal resistance, and lifespan of urethane cement often justify the investment.

Summary: What’s the Better Choice?

• Choose Broadcast Sand if you want a decorative, slip-resistant, and budget-friendly floor for moderate industrial or commercial settings like garages, restrooms, and packaging areas. If you’re working with a limited budget and need a durable, attractive, slip-resistant floor — broadcast sand is your best bet.
• Choose Urethane Cement if your space involves steam, chemicals, wet environments, or extreme cleaning. It’s more expensive, but provides unmatched performance for food production, cold storage, and pharmaceutical areas. 

Want to know the most important part of any flooring installation? It’s not the coating itself — it’s surface preparation. No matter how advanced the system is, without proper prep, it won’t last. 👉 Read more about why floor preparation matters here.

As a trusted epoxy flooring contractor, we help you evaluate your environment’s exact demands and install flooring that performs under pressure. Whether you need a durable floor coating, non-slip epoxy floor, or a system that handles daily sanitation, we ensure your project meets safety, performance, and compliance needs.

Contact us today for a free quote. 

We will help you choose the ideal flooring system for your facility.