10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT EPOXY
FLOORING
After several years of experience in the chemicals and allied industries especially in the floor coatings business, we’ve worked with countless businesses, manufacturers, retailers, and even those in the healthcare and community services fields.
As we work with clients to determine
the best flooring solutions for their needs, we find ourselves recommending
epoxy floor coatings time after time.
Epoxy is one of the most versatile flooring solutions for all
sorts of commercial, industrial, educational, and healthcare facilities, and it
can be tailored to many different types of conditions and needs.
If you’re not yet familiar with epoxy floor coatings and what
they can do, here are 10 things you should know:
1. Epoxy’s Strength Comes
from Its Chemical Bond
An epoxy coating is made up of two parts—a polypeptide resin and
a curative. They are mixed immediately before they are applied to your floor,
and the resulting reaction causes them to chemically bond to one another and to
the floor itself.
This makes for a coating that is stronger than the sum of its
parts. Epoxy is extremely durable and won’t peel or chip away from the flooring
surface—that is, as long as it was cleaned and prepared properly beforehand.
 |
| BASE BEFORE 3D |
2. Surface Prep Is the
Most Important Part
lazy or improper surface preparation means your epoxy floor could fail almost instantly.One of the worst culprits is moisture. High humidity or vapor
permeating the concrete flooring can prevent the adhesive bonds from forming
while severely slowing the curing process.
This is why it’s vital to get a professional moisture test done
first, and have any problems dealt with before applying an epoxy.
 |
| SURFACE PREPARATION |
3. The Difference Between
Epoxy “Flooring” and “Coating” Is 2mm
While we often use the terms interchangeably, your epoxy
application must be at least two millimeters thick for it to count as
“flooring.” Anything less is an epoxy “coating.”
The difference? Epoxy flooring provides added structural
support, while a coating is just creates a protective layer.
 |
| READY BASE FOR 3D INSTALLATION |
4. Epoxy Can Be Applied
to Most Hard Flooring Surfaces
While we most often talk about epoxy being applied to concrete
floors, epoxy can also be used to provide a protective layer to any hard
surface, including metal and wood subflooring. But again, these surfaces must
be prepared carefully to ensure the epoxy bonds properly to the floor.
 |
| TILED FLOOR READY FOR EPOXY |
 |
| EPOXY ON TILES |
5. Flexible-grade Epoxy
Is Stronger
“Flexible” does not sound synonymous with “strong,” but
flexible-grade epoxy floors are much stronger than their rigid counterparts,
especially in terms of abrasion resistance.
6. Epoxy Flooring Can Be
Beautiful!
The phrase “industrial floor coatings” may not conjure up
beautiful images, but epoxy floors can come in a stunning variety of shades, colors and effects. You
could even apply an epoxy with a metallic sheen that
resembles a shimmering ocean or desert landscape to make a bold statement.
Different colors may be applied in stages, creating dazzlingly colorful
patterns that light up your facility.
7. Epoxy Can Be Combined
with Other Products
There is next to no limit for what epoxy can do. Non-slip layers can be added with
embedded quartz. A urethane topcoat seals off epoxy and creates
one of the most durable commercial surfaces available.
BEFORE AFTER
AFTER BASE CURING AFTER 3D INSTALLATION
 |
| AFTER 3D INSTALLATION VIDEO |
8. Epoxy Can Be Used
Outdoors
Epoxy combined with a gravel-like aggregate can create durable,
attractive, outdoor-ready surfaces. The end product looks like a rice crispy
treat, with hard gravel or pebbles stuck together by an epoxy adhesive.
Do be aware that direct sunlight exposure can cause chemical
reactions in epoxy floors that make them appear to turn yellow or develop a
“chalky” quality within the surface layer. You can avoid this problem by
choosing to apply a UV-resistant coating, or simply limiting the surface’s
exposure to direct light.
9. Curing Takes Time
Epoxy appears to “set” quite quickly, but just because it
appears hard does not mean it is ready. It takes a minimum of 18 – 24 hours
before it can be safely walked upon. Complete curing, where epoxy takes on its
final form and hardness, can take as long as 30 days.
Cooler temperatures slow this process. In fact, application in
temperatures under 60 °F is not recommended since curing takes far too long and
can create problems.
10. You Get What You Pay
For
Cheaper epoxies have as little as 30% to 40% solids by volume,
meaning that once the product dries you are left with 40 percent or less
thickness. Professional products are typically 90% to 100% solids by volume,
leaving you with a better final product, and more of it.
You also don’t want to skimp on labor costs. While a DIY
approach to epoxy may work for your home garage, there’s too much at stake when
you’re dealing with your business’ floors. It pays to hire an experienced crew to install your epoxy floor in
order to avoid costly errors or a final product that doesn’t look quite right.
CALL RICHARD-08036028436
LANRE- 08033003681
MORENIKE 08130887035
YOU CAN VISIT US @ BLOCK B ONDO STATE INDUSTRIAL PARK,AKURE,ONDO STATE
Comments
Post a Comment