Concrete by its very nature is a hard substance and working with it is even harder. Done right and it will add great value to your space. Done wrong and well… it wastes your time, effort and money.
Concrete floors are sturdy and efficient, that’s a given. But they can start to look boring and drab and are extremely difficult to style. The good thing is that you can add style to your floor without replacing it entirely. How to do that? Epoxy coating!
Any professional contractor is aware of how essential it is to prep a concrete floor before epoxy coating but what’s more important is knowing HOW to do that. The experts at Centerport Epoxy Floors were kind enough to share from their years of experience on how to get that floor ready for epoxy coating:
Thoroughly Clean The Concrete Floor
The coating is not going to stay on a dirty and greasy surface so the first and the very basic step is to get that floor clean. The floor should be completely dust and residue-free. For this purpose, a heavy vacuum cleaner is used to get rid of any dust and debris. To degrease, a brush with hard bristles and industrial cleanser is used and then rinsed with water.
Choosing The Right Type Of Cleaning Method
This step can be anything from Diamond Grinding, Etching, Shot Blasting, Scarification and Scabbling. All these methods are used to prep the floors before applying Epoxy but the most used are Diamond Grinding and Shot Blasting.
The purpose is to restore the smoothness of the surface and make it even for proper application of epoxy. Grinders can also be used effectively to level uneven joints or high spots of 1/16 to 1/8 inch.
Levelling And Flatness
This may be one of the most expensive parts of this prepping, but it is crucial to the uniform application of the epoxy. They are both achieved at the same time. This will ensure that the final product is not misbalanced, and the floor is not grinded more from any side. Often patching holes affects flatness so this step of the way is paid extra attention to.
Patching Holes And Cracks
You will often see that over time there may have been cracks and some small holes on the concrete surface, but they can be easily fixed. Using appropriate products that set as hard as concrete fixes that problem of cracks. After the floor is dry, the imperfections are sanded by a sand paper so any bumps are removed.
Cleaning Again And Epoxy Application
After the cracks and holes are filled and sanded, the floor is dusted and moped again, epoxy is mixed and is applied. You can add different textures and colors for epoxy to suit your house or whichever place you’re applying it to.
Now that the secret’s out, that does not mean you go ahead and start prepping and epoxy coating your floor all by yourself. Prepping the floor is a long and tiring task and epoxy is a tricky, if not toxic, material to work with. Letting the experts get the done is your best bet!