Home Epoxy Coatings
Epoxy coatings are excellent alternatives for commercial, industrial and residential floors. With many options to choose from and the longevity of the flooring is almost unbeatable. Industrial epoxy floor coatings will last anywhere from 15 to 30+ years depending on the application you choose. The cost can range from $2.00 to $10.00 per square foot.
I have been doing epoxy floor coatings for over five years and we are seeing more and more customers coating their garage floors and turning them into living spaces. No more ugly gray concrete with oil stains all over it. We see big screen televisions installed in garages and bars on wheels that can be rolled out in the center of the garage. Football games, nascar, baseball, etc. More and more people are turning their garage into living space. Most garage floors are between 400 and 800 square feet and up, and that’s like adding another room to your house, but it’s already there, when the party’s over, pull over, and it’s like a showroom.
Epoxy coatings aren’t just good for garage floors, they’re great for basement floors, too. If you have a basement that has water issues, epoxy flooring is perfect. The epoxy is waterproof, no more having to pick up the mat and replace it every time it rains, just take out the vac and vacuum or wipe it down and the problem is solved. Epoxy floors are mold and mildew resistant and allergen free, and did I mention they are chemical and stain resistant and easy to clean?
Not all epoxies are the same. We use 100% solids epoxies and offer a five year guarantee on all our floors. Big chain store epoxy has fillers and will peel or flake off in 6 months to a year. So when looking for epoxy, look for 100% solids, you will pay a little more for it, but well worth the money spent.
The preparation of the floor is everything, the pores of the concrete must be opened before applying the coating. Floor preparation begins with removing oil stains and sealers or any other contaminants, epoxy will not adhere to oil or other contaminants. The second step is to grind the top surface of the floor with a diamond grinder or shot blaster to open up the pores. acid etching does not open the pores sufficiently. You will also need a good vacuum because the dust is terrible and very dangerous to breathe in. The third step after the pores are opened is to clean the concrete with a vacuum and a leaf blower works great, you need to get the dust off the floor. . Water is not a good idea unless you are going to let the floor dry for a while before coating, as it will turn the epoxy white. If your floor has cracks, this is a good time to make repairs and I’ll get to that later. You are now ready for the epoxy and we recommend following the manufacturer’s instructions on application techniques if you are going to do it yourself.
Cracks can be repaired with a couple of different methods depending on the severity of the cracks. The general rule of thumb is that if you can fit a credit card in the crack, it should be fixed. We start by chasing the crack with a crack-piercing knife to open up the crack and remove any loose aggregate. clean the crack well with compressed air and you are ready to repair. There are numerous crack repair epoxies on the market. We used an epoxy sand mix to repair our cracks, but you must follow your manufacturer’s recommendations. After the epoxy dries, grind down the repaired area and clean it and it is ready to recoat.
Epoxy systems available
Single Spread: A layer of epoxy with flakes or quartz spread on the epoxy with a UV resistant top coat.
Double coat: one coat of flake or quartz dusted epoxy on the epoxy, a second coat of epoxy applied on top of the first coat of flake or quartz dusted a second time. A UV resistant top coat applied over the top.
Epoxy Coat or Solid Color System – Typically two coats of solid color epoxy applied at 10 mil thickness per coat. It is mainly used in industrial applications, as this system is the lowest cost with the same durability.
Quartz-colored Quartz Sand Epoxy is broadcast in the base coat and typically requires a double coat of quartz. this is one of the most durable floors due to quartz. excellent flooring for restaurant kitchens, porches and more.
Epoxy Flakes: An epoxy base coat with a vinyl chip spread into the epoxy with a UV resistant top coat. Garage and basement flooring and many other applications. single or dual drive systems available.
Metallic Epoxy – A 100% solids epoxy primer coat and metallic epoxy topcoat can be topcoated with urethane. used for decorative applications
Rather, if you are looking for a durable floor or decorative application, you can achieve it with epoxy coatings. Epoxy coatings are usually two parts of epoxy containing part A and part B. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to use the epoxy, or better yet, hire a professional to do the job for you. Never mix more epoxy than can be put down in 20 minutes as the epoxy will begin to set, usually two or more people are required to make an epoxy floor. There are classes available to learn how to epoxy coat if you’re interested in learning the process. Classes are expensive and you can rent the equipment, but sometimes it’s best to hire a professional to do the work for you.
Epoxy flooring is a beautiful flooring option to choose from, you can view pictures of finished flooring on our website for ideas and color charts are also available. Our website is http://www.specialeffexonline.com.