If you’re a beginner to epoxy coating, here are some tips to help you get started: Prepare your floor properly, wear spiked shoes, and be sure to wear gloves.
You’ll also want to test the epoxy coating for adhesion, bubbles, and cloudiness. When in doubt, use a paint stick to remove the settled colored tint.
And finally, wear spiked shoes – they’re a bit slippery on the epoxy coating! If you are interested in getting in touch with a professional, consult an epoxy flooring contractor through here.
Preparation of the Floor
In order to apply an epoxy coating to a concrete floor, proper preparation is essential. If a floor is too hard, it will not adhere to the coating properly.
In order to prevent this problem, you can prepare the surface by shot-blasting or sand-blasting the concrete. If you do not have the time to perform this task, you can hire a professional to do it for you.
There are several ways to prepare a floor for an epoxy coating. First, you can use a high-pressure nozzle or a brush to apply the coating. Regardless of the method, the floor should be prepared before the epoxy coating is applied.
It is a good idea to work in sections rather than one large area at a time so the epoxy does not dry too quickly. Next, you can use a roller to spread the epoxy over the floor.
You should start at the back of the room and work your way to the front. Make sure to leave the room open for ventilation after the epoxy application.
Testing for Adhesion
Before you begin to apply your epoxy coating, you need to test the substrate for adhesion. Some materials do not adhere well to epoxy, and most of these issues can be traced back to surface contamination.
While some contamination is obvious, some are subtle and can affect adhesion. In order to have good adhesion, you must prepare the substrate as best as possible.
Below are some ways to test for adhesion when applying an epoxy coating. Crosshatch tape test: The crosshatch tape test is a laboratory test that evaluates the adhesion of thin coatings.
This test uses a cross-hatch pattern with several preset blades. The test is conducted with a cutting guide and a special cross-hatch cutter to ensure parallelism.
Once the tape is removed, the test area is examined and rated. This method is standardized in ASTM D3359.
Testing for Bubbles
A veteran contractor will be familiar with the proper procedures for preparing the substrate and applying the coating without causing outgassing. For example, mixing the epoxy solution at too high a speed can cause more bubbles than necessary.
Mixing it at low speeds should be done at 300 RPM, not higher. Another mistake some contractors make when applying an epoxy coating is adding solvent.
This solvent is a vapor that escapes and can cause pinholes, so it is best to avoid it altogether. While the surface of an epoxy coating should be smooth and bubble-free, bubbles can form inside the coating or on the backside of the film.
Moisture can also react with the epoxy and increase its tendency to form bubbles. Consequently, it is imperative to test for the presence of bubbles before applying the floor coating.
It may be difficult to anticipate the exact location of bubbles, but testing for them is essential to preventing problems.
Testing for Cloudy Appearance
If you have a glossy clear tabletop and you apply epoxy to it, you might be surprised to see the finished product look cloudy after a couple of days.
This can occur for many reasons, including not allowing the epoxy to fully cure and being exposed to high humidity or water contamination. In some cases, you can easily remedy this problem by simply sanding through the cloudy epoxy.
Regardless of the cause, it’s important to test your finished product for a cloudy appearance before you begin work on the full project. High-performance coatings are thick and viscous, making them difficult to work with.
To avoid this, try to use high-quality paint, which has a high viscosity to help reduce air bubbles and trapped lint.
Ensure the environment is dust-free before you start the application by turning off the HVAC. In addition, wear a protective suit when working around the epoxy coating.