Costco Epoxy Flake Stairs, Expo Boulevard, Vancouver
This project took place at the Costco location on Expo Boulevard in downtown Vancouver, where a heavily used stairway needed a floor finish that could stand up to constant foot traffic while keeping a clean, consistent look. We coated the treads, risers, and two stair landings so the whole run reads as one cohesive surface.
The colour throughout was a hybrid flake blend in Mudstone with anti-slip additives, chosen so the finished stairway stays safe underfoot and holds its appearance in a high-volume retail setting. The flake blend also helps hide the everyday wear that shows up quickly on busy stairs.
Project Video
The Challenge
Stairways in a store like this see thousands of trips a day, and the existing surface had to be brought back to a sound, clean base before anything new could go down. A staircase also mixes horizontal and vertical surfaces, which do not accept the same product, so the treads, risers, and landings each needed the right coating for their orientation.
On top of that, the work had to happen without spreading dust and debris into the surrounding areas of an operating facility, which shaped how we set up the site before grinding began.
Concrete Preparation
We started by removing any existing coatings, then filled cracks and imperfections in the floor before diamond grinding to create a clean, smooth, and profiled substrate. This gives the new coating a mechanically sound surface to bond to. Please note that this preparation does not guarantee concrete levelling.
To keep the rest of the space clean during the work, we set up temporary dust containment walls using plastic sheeting to create a sealed environment, and we ran an air scrubber to purify the air and minimize dust, debris, and odour throughout the process.
The Treads and Landings
The 24 treads received an epoxy flake system in the Mudstone hybrid flake colour with anti-slip additives. The two stair landings were finished in the same Mudstone hybrid flake so the walking surfaces match end to end.
Hybrid vinyl flakes do more than add colour. They help reduce the visibility of indentations, cracks, or accumulated dirt and debris that can emerge over time, which is exactly what you want on a surface that never gets a rest. As with any flake floor, we cannot be held responsible for loose debris, dust, or insects that may become present within the coating, and any minuscule air bubbles that may form will not compromise the floor structural integrity.
The Risers
The 26 risers were finished with epoxy mastic paint colour-matched to Mudstone so they blend with the flaked treads. Epoxy coatings are best suited to horizontal surfaces because their high viscosity makes them impractical to apply on vertical faces. For vertical surfaces like risers, epoxy mastic paint is the right choice. This specialized formulation adheres and covers well on vertical surfaces and provides durable protection while keeping the look consistent with the rest of the stairway.
The Result
The finished stairway gives Costco a durable, slip-resistant surface that carries a single Mudstone tone across every tread, riser, and landing. The flake blend keeps the stairs looking clean between deep cleanings and disguises the marks that heavy use leaves behind, and the anti-slip additives keep traction where it matters most.
For a retail environment that runs long hours every day, this kind of finish protects the concrete underneath while giving the space a maintained, professional appearance. If you manage a store, showroom, or public building with stairs that take a beating, we can spec a flake system suited to your traffic and safety needs.
Related Pages
For more on the systems and spaces behind this project, see our pages on: epoxy coatings, retail and showroom flooring, commercial epoxy flooring, our project gallery.
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