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All Around Surfaces is located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Owner Greg Muller has more than twenty-five years of experience in commercial, residential, and industrial coatings. You can also visit our About Us page to know more about our company and services.
Many industrial and commercial buildings have used epoxy flooring for years. It is normally installed over concrete floors because it is durable, smooth, and is considered high-performance. It is easy to clean and disinfect and is popular with food processing plants.
Because the epoxy garage floor coating needs to be clean and slightly porous, the concrete must be completely cured. If there are any major cracks or chips in the concrete, they need to be patched and repaired.
Old concrete should be tested to see if it was previously sealed with epoxy or other sealants. The best way to test the concrete is to pour some water onto the surface. If the water beads, it is likely the concrete was previously sealed. If the water soaks into the concrete, it is porous and can be sealed.
Epoxy flooring is a two-part liquid that needs to be combined prior to applying. It cures quickly, so there is a limited window of time to apply it. Temperature makes a difference, because if the temperature is unfavorable, the epoxy flooring could bubble and peel.
Epoxy coating is not a paint. It is a two-component product that consists of one-part polyamine hardener and one-part resin. If a color is desired in the epoxy coating, the color is added to the resin prior to mixing it with the polyamine hardener. If no color is added, the coating will go on clear.
Paint for garages needs to dry, and is considered a latex acrylic product while the epoxy coating cures. The reaction of the resin and polyamine hardener cross-links to create a durable hard surface. It will seal the concrete and make the surface resistant to chemicals, abrasion, and staining.
Epoxy paint for garage floors and basements is normally found in home improvement stores. It may have a small amount of epoxy in it, but it will not harden like epoxy coating, nor will it last as long.
The process generally takes one to two days. Prepping the floor is the step that takes the longest. First, the concrete needs to be repaired. Then, any stains will need to be removed before the concrete is diamond ground. After all of that is done, the epoxy can be installed.
Installation of the epoxy coating only takes a few hours, but the curing process could take two to three days. Having said that, it usually is safe to walk on after twelve hours and have light use after twenty-four hours.
If the epoxy coating needs to be cured faster, an increase in temperature can help. The ideal temperature for curing is between seventy-five to eighty-five degrees Fahrenheit. Space heaters are a popular way to speed up the curing.
In a residential garage, epoxy coating is usually limited to one coat. If, however, a second or third coat is required, the coating will need to be sanded with non-aggressive grit sandpaper before another coat is added. The sanding needs to be thorough and cover the whole surface.
Multiple layers of epoxy coating are usually done in industrial settings such airplane hangars, retail stores, showrooms, commercial kitchens, and hospitals. Each coat should be cured for at least twenty-four hours before another coat is applied.
Garage floor epoxy is popular at Sioux Falls car dealerships as it can handle the cars moving around as well as the constant foot traffic. Because they can be colored, the floors can match the company’s logo color or building color theme. As mentioned before, the epoxy flooring is easy to clean and will not stain. It is also popular in hospitals and food handling areas such as commercial kitchens, as it can be sanitized because the surface is smooth and won’t trap bacteria or mold.
The warranty on many epoxy flooring coatings can be fifteen years or longer. It may cost a little more in the beginning, but it will pay for itself in the long run.
If the epoxy floor coating is installed in a residential garage or basement, it can last between twenty to twenty-five years. It is recommended that a clear coat be put down every five to seven years so the floor can maintain its performance and appearance. In commercial settings, it can last ten or more years, however; they will have to put on a clear topcoat more frequently than a residential setting.
Many residential garages are considered the “man cave” in the home. Epoxy coating on garage floors provides the perfect surface to work on. It is durable, hard, it won’t chip or crack, it doesn’t stain, and it’s easy to clean. Plus, it really improves the look and feel of the room as the shiny flooring brightens it up!
For the most part, the epoxy coating is very much like walking on a gymnasium or basketball court. It can get slippery if it is wet. If that is a concern, there is a slip resistance additive called epoxy flake flooring or epoxy quartz flooring that works to reduce this.
Either one of these options offers a textured rather than a smooth surface. If you’d like to see some great applications of epoxy floor in garages, visit our Facebook page for more current examples. Also, if you have questions, you might want to check out our Frequently Asked Questions and Contact Us page.
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