Avoid These Mistakes When Applying Epoxy to Your Home's Concrete Floors
Posted on: 27 March 2018
If your home's garage or basement, or any other such space, has a concrete floor, it's often good to apply epoxy over that surface, to protect the concrete and to give the surface a nice colour and shine. Epoxy flooring can also add traction to the concrete, so there is less risk of sliding or falling, even if the concrete is wet and slick. If you're going to apply epoxy to a concrete floor yourself, note a few common mistakes to avoid, so you know the job gets done right and that the flooring surface is strong and durable, and lasts as long as possible.
Dirty floor
For epoxy to stick to any surface, that surface should be as clean as possible. For a garage floor, it's especially important to clean oil slicks and stains, as any oily material can cause an epoxy to break down over time. You may need to use muriatic acid on the concrete to remove built-up residue and debris, and even a commercial floor buffer to remove the top layer of concrete and stains with it. After washing the concrete floor, you'll also want to use a commercial wet-dry vacuum to remove as much water and moisture as possible, so the floor is dry and ready for the epoxy layer.
Crack filler
Epoxy is not meant to be a filler for concrete, so failing to patch cracks, chips, and other such damage can mean that the epoxy settles into these areas, creating a bumpy surface or looking "gloppy" in some areas. The concrete can also continue to crack and chip even after the epoxy is applied, which can then cause this coating to crack as well. Use a concrete filler or patch kit, or whatever else is necessary, to fill in damaged areas of concrete before applying the epoxy, for an attractive surface that lasts.
Texture
As said, some epoxy coatings can add texture and traction to a concrete floor, but some coatings are actually meant to be very smooth and slick, so that the surface looks like glass. This can be nice for an office floor or display room, but may be unsafe for a home's garage or basement. Choose an epoxy coating with an aggregate added, meaning some type of substance that makes the epoxy bumpy, for added safety and traction. You can even brush the aggregate toward a drain in the basement or garage, or toward the garage entryway, to keep water and other liquids from collecting on the concrete's surface.
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