ESD & Static-Control Flooring
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is invisible, instantaneous, and expensive. A single discharge event can destroy sensitive electronics, corrupt data, compromise pharmaceutical batch integrity, or trigger equipment failures in critical infrastructure. Standard epoxy and concrete floors provide no static protection — and in low-humidity environments, they actively generate charge buildup.
DTI installs electrostatic dissipative (ESD) and static-control flooring systems for facilities where static is a compliance requirement, not an afterthought. Every installation is grounded and tested to ANSI/ESD S20.20 standards before the facility returns to operation.
Completed Project
Opener Solutions
Opener Solutions' Palo Alto facility required ESD-safe flooring across its operations floor to protect sensitive hardware from electrostatic discharge events. DTI specified and installed a grounded ESD epoxy system, tested post-installation to confirm resistance values within the ANSI/ESD S20.20 compliance range. The finished floor provided both functional static protection and a clean, professional surface appropriate for a technology environment.
How ESD Flooring Works
ESD flooring systems work by controlling the electrical resistance of the floor surface — preventing charge from accumulating on people, equipment, and materials moving across it. There are two performance categories:
10⁶ – 10⁹ ohms surface resistance
Dissipates static charge gradually and safely. The standard specification for most electronics manufacturing, data center, and laboratory environments.
Below 10⁶ ohms surface resistance
Faster charge dissipation for environments with the most sensitive equipment or explosive atmospheres. Less common — required only when the ESD specification calls for it explicitly.
Both categories require a proper ground connection from the floor to an earth ground point. An ESD floor with no ground path provides no protection. DTI installs ground straps and verifies continuity as a standard part of every ESD installation.
Industries We Serve
Circuit boards, semiconductors, and electronic assemblies are vulnerable to ESD damage during production, testing, and assembly. ESD flooring in manufacturing lines protects components from the moment they enter the facility floor.
Server hardware and networking equipment can be damaged by discharge events during installation and maintenance. ESD flooring is standard specification in Tier II and above data center environments.
Cleanroom flooring must meet both particle-generation requirements and static control specifications simultaneously. DTI installs ESD systems compatible with ISO cleanroom classifications — low-outgassing, seamless, and verified to resistance spec.
Static charge in pharmaceutical production environments can cause powder agglomeration, contamination, and product quality failures. ESD flooring is required in many GMP-regulated production areas.
Prototype development, testing labs, and R&D environments handling sensitive components require static control as a baseline facility requirement.
High-volume industrial operations with automated equipment, robotics, or sensitive control systems benefit from ESD flooring in critical zones — preventing costly downtime from equipment faults caused by electrostatic events.
Installation & Testing Process
Every DTI ESD installation follows a structured sequence from substrate assessment through post-installation testing. Compliance documentation is provided at project close.
Compliance Standards
- • ANSI/ESD S20.20 — installation compliance standard
- • ANSI/ESD STM7.1 — post-installation resistance testing method
Substrate assessment
Evaluate concrete condition, moisture vapor emission, and existing floor systems.
Surface preparation
Mechanical grinding or shot blasting to correct surface profile. Crack and joint repair completed before ESD system application.
Ground strap installation
Copper ground straps installed to connect floor system to earth ground.
ESD system application
Primer, ESD conductive basecoat, and dissipative topcoat applied in sequence.
Post-installation testing
Resistance measurements taken across the floor surface using a concentric ring electrode to ANSI/ESD STM7.1 test method.
Documentation
Resistance test results documented and provided to the client for compliance records.