If your goal is to make your floor look great again, then you may want to consider using an epoxy coating on your floor. It prolongs the lifestyle of your floor and also gives it a touch of elegance. Epoxy flooring is created when a protective substance is applied over the surface of a prevailing layer of concrete. The epoxy material is transparent, making your floor shiny. Epoxy material is sturdy and strong, making it ideal for flooring applications. Epoxy is also dirt-proof and waterproof, meaning that it’s easy to clean. However, if the epoxy coating is not installed correctly, then it won’t perform to your expectations. Here are some of the reasons your epoxy coating may not end up performing optimally.
Improper Preparation
Before installing the waterproof epoxy for concrete, the concrete floor is supposed to be adequately prepared. This is a task that requires a lot of time and effort. However, most people are not aware of this, and don’t give it the time and attention to detail it deserves, resulting in substandard work. That’s why their epoxy coating lets them down. Therefore, if you are planning of doing an epoxy coating, then you should first make sure that your floor is thoroughly cleaned, with no moisture left. Also, ensure that preparation coats are done before the epoxy coating installation begins.
Bad Concrete
If your concrete is disintegrating, tainted with oil, or unstable, then it may cause the epoxy flooring to fail. This is frequently the case when people are trying to renovate old garages. If this is the situation you find yourself in, it’s better to first replace the old concrete.
Mixing
The whole process of epoxy installation is quite delicate and prone to mishaps. Mixing chemicals requires a keen attention to detail, and you must never deviate from the chemical formulas you’re instructed to use. For best results, stick to the provided instructions.
Air Quality
If the room is not adequately ventilated, then the epoxy coatings will not be able to cure appropriately. Heavy humidity and ambient moisture in the air can also introduce severe problems in the process of installing epoxy.
Moisture
If your concrete contains moisture, then the epoxy coating is likely to fail almost immediately. This typically happens when the floor isn’t placed on a good foundation, or when there are leaking pipes underneath your floor.
Incompatible Substrate
Epoxy coatings are tough, which makes them attractive as a protective layer for flooring. However, they can’t function in an inappropriate substrate like wood. The floor’s adhesive capability and its tensile strength must be considered when assessing whether the floor is suitable or not. Plywood, for instance, is too flexible for the epoxy coating. Its tendency to expand and contract as a result of temperature variations are too much for the epoxy to endure. This causes the epoxy coating to peel off, crack, and tear.
Using the wrong primer
Epoxy and paint have similar properties. For example, both are in liquid form, but with time, they can develop into a solid coating on the surface. Again, using the right primer for epoxy is essential to get strong adhesion. Therefore, one should use a primer that meets the specific requirements of your concrete.
Epoxy coating can give your home or business some added elegance, but if it fails, it becomes a rather expensive eyesore. Therefore, if you intend to install the epoxy on your own, be sure to avoid these pitfalls, or forego the headaches and engage a professional to do it for you.
