Frequently Asked Questions

Richter Industries installs commercial resinous flooring systems and polished concrete in Texas. Our primary work includes:

• Epoxy and urethane coating systems— using Sherwin-Williams high-performance products including Resutile HTS, Resuflor Deco Flake SB, and Resuflor MPE systems
• Urethane cement systems for commercial kitchens and industrial settings— specifically Polycrete SL, Polycrete MD, and the Polycrete SLB/MDB broadcast systems that include self-leveling urethane cement
• Polished concrete— for retail, office, warehouse, and commercial spaces
• Moisture mitigation systems— using Resuprime MVB 3831 for slabs with elevated vapor transmission

We are a commercial flooring company. We do not install residential garage floors or decorative coatings for home use. Our clients are general contractors, commercial property owners, facility managers, franchise operators, and property developers.

Epoxy flooringis a two-part coating (resin + hardener) applied to the concrete surface. Sherwin-Williams products like Resuflor MPE, Resuflor DecoFlake, and Resuflor Glaze are epoxy-based systems. They're durable, cost-effective, and appropriate for medium-traffic commercial and light industrial applications. Standard epoxy is not thermally flexible — it can crack under repeated temperature swings.

Urethane cement(also called cementitious urethane) is a polymer-modified cementitious system that installs at 1/8" to 1/4" thickness. The Polycrete system from Sherwin-Williams — including Polycrete SL, Polycrete MD, and Polycrete SLB/MDB — is what Richter Industries uses for commercial kitchens, food service, and heavy industrial applications. Urethane cement resists thermal shock, chemical exposure, and impact far better than standard epoxy.

The short version:Standard commercial or warehouse space → epoxy system. Commercial kitchen, food production, or heavy industrial → urethane cement (Polycrete).

Commercial flooring cost varies based on the system, square footage, slab condition, and project complexity. The most important factors are system type, slab condition, and square footage and access.

A thin-film urethane system (Resutile HTS) costs less than a full Polycrete SL urethane cement installation — because the two systems are designed for completely different applications. Specifying the cheaper system for a demanding application costs more in the long run.

Richter Industries does not quote without a site visit. Contact us at 830-500-8826 or richterindustriesllc.com to schedule a pre-bid walk. We give you a system specification and a price — and we stand behind both.

Installation timeline depends on the system and square footage:

• Surface preparation (day 1–2):Shot blasting and/or diamond grinding profiles the slab. Must be completed before any coating goes down.
• Thin-film systems (Resutile HTS, etc.):1–2 days installation. 24–48 hours before foot traffic.
• Broadcast epoxy systems (Resuflor Deco Flake SB):2–3 days. 48–72 hours before light traffic.
• Urethane cement systems (Polycrete SL/MD):3–5 days. 7 days minimum before forklift traffic; full chemical resistance at 7–14 days.

Resinous coating systems are temperature-sensitive. We do not install below 55°F ambient or slab temperature. Contact us early in the project planning process and we'll work into your schedule.

Moisture vapor transmission (MVT) is the movement of water vapor upward through a concrete slab from the soil below. In Texas, slab moisture is a real concern — soil moisture levels fluctuate, humidity drives vapor pressure, and concrete is not truly waterproof. If moisture vapor gets trapped under a resinous coating, the coating loses its bond. You see it as bubbling, blistering, or delamination — sometimes within months of installation.

Before any installation, Richter Industries performs moisture testing per industry standards (ASTM F2170 in-slab relative humidity probes or ASTM F1869 calcium chloride). If moisture levels are elevated, we installResuprime MVB 3831, a Sherwin-Williams moisture-mitigating epoxy primer designed specifically for high-vapor-transmission slabs.

We test every slab. If moisture is present at levels that would compromise the coating, we address it before we coat. That's how Richter Industries prevents the callbacks that haunt other flooring contractors.

Yes — working with general contractors is our primary business model. Richter Industries operates as a flooring subcontractor on commercial construction, design-build, and renovation projects throughout Texas.

We understand how commercial project schedules work. We come to pre-bid site walks, provide accurate system specifications and pricing, coordinate with other trades, and show up when we say we will. We provide the documentation GCs need: material safety data sheets, warranty information, and cure schedule records for project files.

We also offer pre-bid consultation at no charge. Bring us into a project during the bid phase and we'll walk the slab, identify any issues that will affect scope and price, and help you build the right flooring spec into your bid.

Contact Tony or Richter Industries, LLC: 830-500-8826 · richterindustriesllc.com

For commercial kitchens and food service environments in Texas, self-leveling urethane cement is the correct system — not standard epoxy. At Richter Industries, we install the Polycrete system (Sherwin-Williams) for all commercial kitchen applications:

• Polycrete SL— 1/8" to 3/16" self-leveling urethane cement. Handles thermal shock from dishwashers and steam cleaning, resists cooking oils and cleaning chemicals, installs as a seamless floor with coved base.
• Polycrete MD— 1/4" urethane cement for higher-traffic commercial kitchens or where additional build thickness is required.
• Polycrete TF Plus— Urethane cement cove primer for the wall-to-floor cove base required by Texas health code in food preparation areas.

Standard epoxy cannot handle the thermal cycling in a commercial kitchen. Temperature swings from 35°F walk-in coolers to 170°F steam equipment will crack standard epoxy coatings over time. Urethane cement maintains flexibility through that temperature range.

Texas DSHS requires commercial kitchen floors to be smooth, impervious, and cleanable — a properly installed Polycrete system with integral cove base meets those requirements.

Slab condition directly determines whether a resinous floor will perform. Richter Industries evaluates slab condition on every pre-bid site walk. Here's what we look for:

• Surface profile:Resinous coatings require a concrete surface profile (CSP) appropriate to the system — typically CSP 2–4 for thin-film epoxy, CSP 3–5 for urethane cement. Shot blasting and diamond grinding achieve the correct profile.
• Existing coatings or contamination:Old VCT adhesive, paint, oil contamination, and previous coatings must be removed before installation.
• Surface defects:Pitting, spalling, and surface cracks can be filled and leveled. Structural cracks and active joints need to be assessed differently.
• Moisture:Every slab gets tested. Elevated moisture requires mitigation before coating.
• Flatness:Significant flatness variation may require a self-leveling overlay before the finish system.

Let us walk the slab. We'll tell you exactly what it needs before we quote the work.

Yes. Richter Industries stands behind our work. Our warranty covers installation defects — delamination, premature coating failure, and bond failures that result from our installation process.

We also work within Sherwin-Williams' product warranty program for the systems we install. The combination of a quality installation warranty backed by a Sherwin-Williams product warranty gives commercial owners and GCs documentation that protects the project long-term.

Before any installation, Richter Industries documents slab conditions, moisture test results, and the specified system. That documentation protects both the owner and Richter Industries if questions arise later.

For warranty questions specific to your project, call Richter Industries, LLC at 830-500-8826.

Richter Industries LLC is based in New Braunfels, Texas, and serves commercial clients throughout the Central Texas region and beyond.

Primary service area:New Braunfels · San Antonio · Austin · San Marcos · Kyle and Buda · Seguin

For larger commercial, industrial, and manufacturing projects, we travel throughout Texas. Scope, timeline, and logistics for projects outside the primary service area are discussed during the pre-bid consultation.

To discuss a project in your area, call 830-500-8826 or contact us at richterindustriesllc.com.