Microcement guide

Microcement vs epoxy

Both give you a seamless surface, but they’re made differently and suit different jobs. We supply both, so here’s how to choose.

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The short answer

Microcement is a thin coating based on cement, trowelled by hand to give a natural, hand-finished look. Epoxy is a resin. Most epoxy floors are poured, with a glossy, uniform finish that’s common in garages and workshops.

We make Politura, a traditional mineral microcement, and supply ErreLAB resin-based microcements, sometimes called epoxy microcement. ErreLAB is epoxy indoors too, but it’s trowelled by hand to look like microcement, and it can go on walls as well as floors.

If you want the closest thing to polished concrete, choose Politura microcement. If it’s going in a shower or wet room, choose an ErreLAB resin system, which is waterproof at every layer.

At a glance

Politura: Mineral microcement
ErreLAB: Epoxy indoors, polyurethane outdoors
Showers: ErreLAB
Application time: Politura 2–3 days, ErreLAB 4–5 days

Microcement and epoxy resin side by side

	Politura microcement	ErreLAB epoxy resin systems
Made from	Cement, quartz sand and polymer resin	Water-based epoxy indoors, polyurethane outdoors
Look	The closest we do to polished concrete	Microcement, stone and metallic looks
Water	Water resistant through its sealer, away from direct water	Waterproof at every layer, including showers and wet rooms
Where it goes	Indoor floors, walls and worktops	Floors, walls and worktops, with outdoor versions for outside
Over tiles	We recommend removing tiles first	Yes, it’s our system for going over tiles
Application time	2–3 days	4–5 days
Colours	27	Over 250

When to choose each

It comes down to the look you want and where it’s going.

Choose Politura microcementFor a true mineral finish with the closest look to polished concrete, on indoor floors, walls and worktops away from direct water.

Choose ErreLABFor showers, wet rooms and going over tiles, or for stone and metallic looks. Spatolato is made to mimic traditional microcement, with better performance.

Outside, or lots of sun?Use the Outdoor versions: Spatolato Outdoor or Pietra Continua Outdoor. They also suit rooms with lots of big windows, for extra UV resistance.

Not sure?Our Find My System tool or our technical team can point you to the right one.

Questions about microcement and epoxy

Is microcement better than epoxy?

It depends on the job. Epoxy floors aren’t all hard wearing, as it varies by product. ErreLAB’s epoxy systems are much harder wearing than many ordinary epoxy floors, and they go into showers and wet rooms. Politura microcement gives the closest look to polished concrete.

Is ErreLAB microcement?

Yes, ErreLAB systems are resin-based microcements. They’re decorative resins made to mimic microcement, stone and metallic finishes, rather than cement-based like Politura.

Can epoxy go on walls?

Yes. ErreLAB’s epoxy systems are trowelled by hand, so they can go on walls as well as floors, and into showers.

Which is better for a bathroom?

For showers and wet rooms, an ErreLAB resin system, which is waterproof at every layer. Away from direct water, Politura microcement is fine too. See our bathrooms guide.

Which is harder wearing?

Both are hard wearing. ErreLAB’s epoxy systems, such as Spatolato, are much harder wearing than many ordinary epoxy floors, and harder wearing and more stain resistant than traditional microcement.

More microcement FAQs →