In addition to adequate bearing strength, abrasion resistance and the best possible characteristics with regard to cleaning and maintenance, certain special properties are demanded of industrial floors, depending on the type of service, e.g. an extremely level and flat surface in computer-controlled high-racking warehouses, resistance to various chemicals and solvents in production halls, laboratories or tank farms, electrical conductivity in areas with a potentially explosive atmosphere or freedom from pores in clean rooms, e.g. in the pharmaceutical and electronics industries.

Industrial floors are mostly complex multi-layer structures, e.g. consisting of subgrade, sub-base, moisture barrier layer, load-bearing concrete with expansion joints and settlement joints, overlay and special wearing courses.

The latter may consist, for example, of bituminous coverings, fibrous or polymer concrete, epoxy resin-based reaction polymers, polyesters, polymethyl methacrylates or polyurethanes, plastic (e.g. PVC) or elastomers (e.g. synthetic rubber) as tiles or from the roll or ceramic coverings.