Your Garage And Epoxy Floors
Epoxy paints have been in the market for many years. They are used in the industrial floors because of their toughness, durability and resistance to oil and grease. But in the past few years it is being used by homeowners also.
It’s not uncommon to see their application on garage and outdoor concrete floors of many of the householders.These paints can cover dull, gray concrete and provide you with easy to clean surfaces. Some of the many advantages of having epoxy floor paints are that they have a long life, are waterproof and don’t get rusted while offering resistance to heat, salt and acid.Major advantage being it is inexpensive for many homeowners. If your floor has spots that are always wet or sweats then you shouldn’t apply concrete floor paint because there is too much moisture coming from underneath and the paint won’t last very long.
Epoxies are classified into three categories, namely, 100% solids, solvent based and water based. The strongest and the most expensive are 100% solids for being applied by professionals only. The most often used epoxies for industrial applications are the solvent based category.They contain 40-60% solids. If you’re planning to apply solvent based epoxy paint in your garage or basement floor, do provide ventilation in the floor.
They are easily available at any store that deals with industrial goods.Water based epoxies on the other hand are the lowest priced. They are strong enough for being used for residential applications.These epoxies can be found at most home improvement stores. There is quite a vast range of available colors.
Some manufacturers offer computerized color matching also.
Generally the manufacturers claim that these epoxies are good for external applications only. The claims hold good for some of the stronger coatings.Some people live in harsh climate, it would be better if they check out acid-based and acrylic concrete stains before deciding to use paint.
The first step before you apply epoxy paint on your garage floor, is to prepare the floor. If the surface is not properly prepared, the results would be far from satisfactory. You will first need to clean the floor with a hard bristled brush and and then clear away any debris that will result. Next, you should use a mild acid for scrubbing of floor for a thorough cleaning. This technique is also called as acid etching.
Next, you need to scrub the floor with a solution of warm water and soap and clearing that away.At the end of it all, you may still be left with certain water soluble impurities that need to be rid of by scrubbing the floor with a de-greaser and rinsing it off with water.The mild acid does not remove grease and oils from the garage floors. It’s of utmost importance to check that rinsing water is not stuck on the garage floor, for if it remains there, you have to repeat the exercise once again.
After doing these, the garage floor should then be left overnight to dry. The epoxy floor coating applied should be of uniform consistency. You should also see that humidity level is within the acceptable limits ,else the coating may form blisters or get discolored. Generally, two to three coats of paint deliver the required results.
For deriving a long life, proper installation and subsequent regular maintenance are of vital importance.
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Tags: concrete, contractor, decoration, diy, epoxy, flooring, floors, garage, Home, interior, paint