What is Epoxy Flooring?
Reasons for Choosing Epoxy Flooring
To improve the lifespan and appearance of concrete floors in a commercial and residential setting, look to epoxy floor coatings. Besides the aesthetic advantages, epoxy floors are durable flooring that is resistant to wear and tear encountered on industrial surfaces. Epoxy flooring is so simple to maintain and keep clean. Those characteristics make epoxy floors the ideal solution for commercial, industrial, and high-traffic areas.
Airport hangars, machine shops, and other commercial settings prefer an epoxy flooring option because of its toughness and easy maintenance. There is an array of textures, effects, and colors to choose from that make customized flooring possible. By mixing quartz sand with a coating before it is applied creates an anti-slip surface. This application is just one example of the many that are available.
There are endless possibilities. Revitalize any floor or achieve a new look with professional reliability. Enclosed patios, mudrooms, and porches are often overlooked when remodeling. Invigorate these areas with a new look that beautifies the home and increases its value.
Residential Epoxy Surfaces
Any home surface, exposed to extreme conditions, benefits from an appealing, yet strong epoxy application. Our tough surfaces are specifically designed to meet the needs of patios, kitchens, and garages.
Custom flakes and the selection of colors we offer let you add a personalized solution to the flooring in your home. Speak to one of our representatives if you have questions about our rates and services.
Commercial Use of Epoxy
Commercial epoxy applications are a specialty of ours. Our services strongly improve the surfaces of any large area that is regularly subjected to conditions that are hard on floorings, such as airplane hangars and warehouses.
Our service rates are determined by the amount of pre-planning required and the type of surface chosen. We offer special pricing for projects that exceed 25,000 square feet. Additional discounts are offered for projects exceeding 50,000 square feet. Make a call and speak to one of our representatives about our rates and commercial services.
Things to Know About Epoxy
Two basic components, resins, and hardeners are mixed to produce epoxy. A highly durable surface of plastic is formed when the components bond. The coating is then firmly bonded to the surface, or substrate, below. An extremely resistant floor option results. Depending on the surface, a variety of epoxy flooring solutions is offered. Some options include the following.
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Anti-static
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Flaked
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Self-dispersing
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Self-leveling
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Terrazo
The anti-static surface is used for commercial purposes where static needs to be eliminated for sensitive machinery and equipment. By adding quartz sand, a self-dispersing, anti-slip floor is created. Preserve industrial floors with epoxy that resists oil, salt, abrasions, chemicals, and marks.
For residential surfaces like kitchens, self-leveling options are applied. The self-leveling nature and the 100 percent solids formula yield a smooth floor that feels and looks brand new as soon as it dries. They are simple to clean. Colored flakes or chips are features of decorative flooring that also provide an anti-slip property. Terrazo is ideal for large areas of decorative flooring.
Customizable Flakes and Chips
Pigments, fillers, resins, and other additives make up the flakes and chips. The irregular shapes and array of available chip or flake colors make epoxy flooring highly customizable.
Use of Metallic Coatings
Consider a coating of metallic epoxy for a decorative, elegant, and unique look. It is a two-component epoxy that is 100 percent solid with a metallic pigment added. After the metallic base primer coat application, a squeegee or roller is used to apply a second coat. An optional UV resistant or 100 percent solids epoxy urethane coating can be added. Metallic epoxy floors have a smooth, glossy finish that does not go unnoticed. A unique mixture that is designed as a particular flooring solution is created.
The Epoxy Application Process
A few careful steps, that are not overly complicated, are required in the process of epoxy application. The most important phase is preparation. Cutting corners or making mistakes can cause application problems later on.
The substrate needs to have a slightly rough texture, but must be level, free of cracks, and clean in order for a tight epoxy bond to form. Concrete needs to be in place for 60 days and not sealed before applying an epoxy coating to it. Water beading on concrete can be an indication that the surface has been sealed and is in need of removal.
Grease and dirt must be removed completely from the floor. Any residue of oil or dirt on the substrate surface can cause epoxy not to bond properly. Unattractive bubbling can appear throughout the epoxy flooring.
Many “Do It Your Selfers” go the route of “Acid Etching” their concrete slab as a way to prepare the surface for a coating. There have been many instances of the acid etching technique failing to provide the proper bond needed for the coating to latch onto. We use large concrete grinders attached to certified vacuums that take off the tight trowled finish of your concrete. Taking off this layer exposes the pores of the concrete and roughens it up enough so that the material we use, which is manufactured to be applied on grinded surfaces can have the strongest bond possible for a longer lasting floor.
The cleaning phase cannot be rushed. A careful selection of cleaning products is important. Some cleaning products serve the purpose, while others do not work well or are extremely harsh. Renting a cleaning machine is another option. Regardless of the choice, cleaning must be thorough. We suggest having an experienced technician carry out the application process due to the importance of cleanliness. The professional complete the job without oversights or errors.
Protect restoration and repair with the self-leveling property of epoxy. Increased light reflectivity makes for a beautiful floor that is easy to clean and slip-resistant. Completing the application and following the principles of painting typically take two hours. The installation begins in a back corner and proceeds toward an exit. Stepping on the flooring is not allowed for a minimum of 24 hours. Proper epoxy curing may take two or three days.
Safety Hazards to Avoid
When applying epoxy, thin protective gloves can be worn. However, when handling any industrial cleaning agent such as acetone, thicker, solvent-proof gloves are needed.
The hardener, used in epoxy, is the more toxic of the two components. No matter what surface, when applying epoxy, heed all safety precautions. When safety is not a priority, the wonders of epoxy can become dangerous.
The Epoxy Flooring Approach We Use
We use commercial tools, grinding machines and industrial-grade products to clean the surface of the floor. Our products have been tested to ensure they retain the highest durability. Any residue from dirt, grime, or grease is eliminated by our use of large surface grinders. We use hand scrapers on areas hard for machines to reach. The result is a pristinely, deep cleaned area.
Unlike other flooring companies that clean the surface once, we repeat the cleaning process until the surface is cleaned completely. When cleaning areas prone to build-up, we perform degreasing, drying, and cleaning processes as often as needed.
We understand the risks cleaning products and epoxy compounds pose when handled improperly. Because we care about our clients and employees, we are committed to the highest safety standards.
Ensure the Job is Done Right by Hiring a Professional
There are kits available from hardware stores and online for those who are ready to apply epoxy flooring in a garage or kitchen, or wanting to move forward with a commercial setting epoxy floor. What many people fail to consider is the physical labor doing the job entails. Attempting the job on your own will likely end up being a much greater undertaking than you imagined.
It takes hours of backbreaking cleaning and prep work, without a guarantee that the flooring won't peel and bubble, or that the mixture will completely adhere to the surface. Using an epoxy kit may cause the quality of the surface to suffer.
The need to hire an experienced professional to repair the installation is highly possible. Hiring a professional from the start saves time and money. Our professionals have installed thousands of epoxy floor coatings in residential and commercial settings. We are committed to high standards of safety that ensure our clients and staff are protected.
If you want to learn more about our commercial or residential rates or services, or have a question about epoxy flooring, email us. You may also talk to one of our representatives in more detail about epoxy floor options by calling.