Poor preparation of a garage floor is the most common reason that epoxy flooring fails. Second to that is using a low-quality epoxy product.
When it comes to preparing a concrete floor to accept an epoxy coating, the installer must address all the issues that can hinder a successful application; issues such as stains on the concrete (especially oil stains), moisture, and variations in the concrete, must all be considered. The floor must be thoroughly cleaned, and the pores opened to accept the coating.
Once the floor is 100% clean and smooth, tiny pores must be opened in the concrete so that the epoxy can lock into the concrete. This is done by etching. Etching is accomplished through acid washing and grinding. Every square inch of the floor must be cleaned with the correct amount of acid and ground the right amount – and the process may need to be done more than once. Each step is critical. After that, the concrete must be neutralized and brought back to the proper pH, and all dust must be completely removed from the surface – and we mean ‘all’. If a spot is missed, the coating can peel. And that small spot can grow, and more coating may come off.
In addition to proper preparation, the use of a high-quality epoxy product is critical. Garage floor epoxies found at the home improvement stores are generally water-based with just enough additives to be called epoxies. They are basically the same thickness as regular paint, which is not made for the traffic and abuse that floors get. The coating should be a combination of epoxy and a polyurethane topcoat; that makes it much thicker and way more durable. Epoxy paints found at the DIY store, have dreadful abrasion ratings – usually up to 50 milligrams. This means that when tested, a large amount of epoxy comes off. The lower the amount, the harder the surface, and therefore, the more durable. A commercial-grade, high-quality epoxy coating will have a loss of less than 5 milligrams. That’s why a quality coating will continue to look good for many years.
At Best In Show Garage, we understand the importance of preparing the concrete floor before coating. We spend a large percentage of our time at your home making sure the concrete is ready to take the coating, and hold on to it. In addition, we use the best epoxy products on the market. Our multi-coat resinous system consists of a combination of 100% solid epoxy base coat with a Polyaspartic top coat. This hybrid coating is the industrial grade product most often used in commercial applications.
Contact Best In Show Garage to learn more about our epoxy flooring and professional installation.
