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Everything About Epoxy Flooring
By covering concrete flooring with durable epoxy coating, you can have an aesthetically pleasing floor that can last 20 years or more and is cost-efficient.
Epoxy is a unique variety of floor coating that is particularly durable and resistant to stains and chemicals. It’s a mix of resin and hardener that is poured over a prepared concrete surface. Once poured, it hardens and becomes an attractive and sturdy floor that is common for hospitals, schools, garages, and more.
Popular Resources
Epoxy Flooring Pictures
Browse a wide variety of photos that show the different colors, patterns, textures, and styles of epoxy flooring.
Epoxy Flooring Patterns
Here you can see the different types of patterns that can be applied using epoxy.
Epoxy Flooring Colors
The color options for epoxy offer a wide variety including solid colors, metallics, and dual-color schemes.
Epoxy Flooring Installation
Here you can learn all about what the process of installing epoxy flooring over concrete entails.
Epoxy Flooring Cost
How much does it cost to install epoxy? Find out initial pricing and what factors can raise or lower this cost.
Epoxy Flooring Maintenance
How do you make epoxy floors last? Here we cover all the requirements of properly maintaining epoxy floors.
As epoxy is USDA approved, these floors are ideal for sensitive commercial settings that need to be sanitized on a regular basis, such as hospitals and restaurants. The seamless application is what makes it so easy to clean.
Take a look at these links for ideas, examples, and tips.
Contemplating Epoxy Flooring?
Is Epoxy Flooring Right For You?
Almost every type of flooring has some advantages and disadvantages. Epoxy floors can be an excellent choice for a variety of settings. However, analyzing both the pros and cons of epoxy is a helpful idea if you’re thinking about installing it in your home or business.
Epoxy Flooring Pros
- Epoxy coatings can last 20 years or more when properly installed and maintained.
- Epoxy is highly resistant to most chemicals, stains, and abrasions.
- Epoxy flooring affords complete customization with a wide variety of colors, patterns, and textures.
- Compared to other floors, epoxy can provide a brighter, more professional appearance.
- Due to its reflective nature, and when using textures, epoxy can be safer by enhancing vision and slip-resistance.
Epoxy Flooring Cons
- Epoxy can be difficult to install and may require professional assistance.
- If not installed exactly to specifications, it may not adhere properly and need to be replaced.
- The application process takes a few days to complete, making installation time-consuming endeavor.
- If the possibility of changing floors in the near future exists, epoxy is difficult and costly to remove.
- If you’re not using textured epoxy, it can become slippery when exposed to spills.
Consider all the pros and cons of epoxy coating to decide if this flooring is right for your home or business. Continue reading to learn more about the installation process and details of epoxy flooring.
Epoxy Flooring Installation
The first step of the installation is preparing the base concrete. This preparation consists of repairing all flaws that are discovered on the concrete slab. These imperfections can be minor cracks, gouges, or stains. Repairs and cleaning can be done with an injectable epoxy crack filler and a powdered concrete cleaner. The next process is important as it will determine how well the epoxy resin will adhere to the concrete. There are two profiling options, the first is with a floor grinder to shave back a layer of the concrete surface. The second is with a shot blaster but isn’t as efficient as grinding.
After the concrete has been profiled, cleaning, inspection, and a moisture check are completed prior to the application. When inspection and cleaning are completed, the epoxy can be applied. First, a coat of epoxy primer is applied to ensure adhesion. While the primer is drying, the epoxy resin is mixed with a urethane hardener. There is a time limit on each application of epoxy, so there is normally more than one person needed to install the epoxy flooring. A base coat is needed before customization can begin. After the base, the metallic pigments, flakes or logos are mixed in or set, respectively. After the epoxy has dried for a few hours, the topcoat is applied as a sealer for the floor. After it has cured for 72 hours, the epoxy floor is ready for use!
Examples of The
Types and Styles of Epoxy Flooring
Metallic Epoxy
Metallic epoxy floors are highly customizable. They can be made to mimic many natural scenes or mixed with a multitude of color combinations.
100% Solids Epoxy
100% solids epoxy does not have water or solvents that evaporate while curing. It retains 100% of its thickness and body after cure.
Decorative Flake Epoxy
This type of epoxy floor has decorative chips mixed in to create a colorful, textured surface to the floor.
Solvent-Based Epoxy
A less popular choice now due to the fumes emitted from the mixture, it is a durable coating best used outdoors.
Colored Epoxy
The simplest form of epoxy. It is applied as either a solid color or with a multi-colored pattern.
Water-Based Epoxy
Water-based epoxies are two-component coatings that exhibit the physical properties of solvent-based epoxies but in a water-reducible formula.
Epoxy Flooring Maintenance
In order to make an epoxy floor last as long as possible, it will need to be properly maintained. Keep the surfaces dirt and grit-free. Dirt and grit will embed and scratch an epoxy floor if allowed to settle there. The ideal approach is to use a shop vacuum with a soft brush attachment. How frequently you vacuum relies on how much dirt and grit are being tracked onto the floor. Avoid using soap-based cleaners because they will leave a film on the floor that builds up over time. Warm water and a mop will get the job done.
Spot clean your floors anytime a spill occurs or grime has been tracked in. Some stains, such as rust, need to be lightly scrubbed with a moderately abrasive scrubbing sponge or a soft brush and warm water. Avoid using steel wool or harsh chemicals as they are too abrasive. Wipe up antifreeze, oil and other car-related chemicals with shop towels or a paper towel and dispose of properly as they can damage the surface of the epoxy floor. Paint, household cleaners and other abrasive liquids need to be cleaned up immediately with towels as well.
If your floor becomes heavily soiled, sweep and vacuum the whole floor thoroughly. Once you have cleaned up all the surface dirt, grime, and grit, use a hard foam mop and warm water to remove all the built-up dirt. After that, you can use clear ammonia and water. Mix two to three ounces of ammonia per gallon of hot water for a second mopping.
Here Are The
Benefits of Epoxy Flooring
Durability
Epoxy is a tough material that is highly resistant against most chemicals and abrasives.
Protective Coating
Epoxy protects your existing concrete from wear and tear that could cause cracks and chipping.
Seamless Surface
This type of flooring provides a seamless surface that is easy to clean and maintain.
Little Maintenance
Although maintenance is required for it to last long, epoxy affords quick and easy maintenance.
Lifespan
Epoxy floors can last decades when installed correctly and maintained properly over the years.
Customization
Aside from the myriad of colors and patterns available, Epoxy can also have logos and graphics laid beneath the clear topcoat.
Frequently Asked
Questions & Answers
How long does it take to install an epoxy floor?
There are several factors that can affect the amount of time that is spent inspecting, evaluating, and assessing what your floor needs before installation can begin. Your contractor must first check and fix issues in the concrete slab prior to the epoxy application. Any remaining coatings or paints need to be removed and cracks, divets, and chipped concrete must also be repaired. After all the preparatory steps are finished, then your contractor will proceed with the installation of your epoxy flooring. Depending on the size of the project and what type of epoxy is being installed the process can take anywhere from 24 to 72 hours.
How much does it cost to install an epoxy floor?
A professionally installed epoxy floor, on average, costs $3 to $12 per square foot, or $750 to $3,000 for a one-car garage, averaging approximately 250 square feet, and $1,200 to $6,000 for a two-car garage, averaging roughly 400-500 square feet. This is all dependant on the type of epoxy utilized, the number of coats you want or need to be applied, and the application technique employed, for example, using a roller, squeegee, sprayer, or trowel.
Can you recoat epoxy floors?
Epoxy floor coating creates a durable, highly-resistant surface that’s typically harder than the concrete beneath it, However, it doesn’t last forever. You can recoat an epoxy floor that has lost its gloss finish or has been damaged. Although you will still need to properly prepare the surface of the existing coating, just as you did the concrete originally, or the new epoxy will not adhere correctly.
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Epoxy Flooring
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