epoxy paint

make Epoxy Floor Coating by your hand

2010-01-14T13:35:00.000-08:00

While there are a number of professional floor coating companies that operate both nationally and internationally, installing your own epoxy floor coating can be a cost-saving and fulfilling way of getting the job done. Although a garage or exercise area might not be the show off room of your house, installing attractive floor coating can help make it more appealing and save money on costly repairs of unsightly cracks and blemishes.

Preparing the Floor and CleaningAddingexpoxy to floor paint

The first step in applying epoxy floor coating is cleaning the floor. All furniture and other items must be cleared from the area, and then any stains should be cleaned as best they can. If a stain is too difficult to clean with consumer or industrial products, consider using a sander, a sandblaster or a high powered grinder across the entire floor space. This can smooth out the floor and make it ideal for epoxy coating. The process is especially important if there is an old layer of paint, epoxy or some other sealant still present on the floor. To test for sealant, pour a small amount of water onto the floor. It should soak in. If it doesn’t, and instead forms beads of water on top, the floor has already been sealed.

Moisture is another thing to avoid. A method recommended by Ezine is to tape down a 3 x 3 piece of plastic tarpaulin for two days and then check it to see if there is moisture gathered on the underside of the plastic. If moisture is present, consider some other form of coating.

Once the floor has been tested for suitability, the sander or grinder comes into play. If you do not own or have access to a grinder, putting a board of sandpaper on the end of a long stick or pole and using this tool like a mop can do the job for you. All divots, chips and incorrectly aligned joints need to be repaired. If there is a break in the concrete, the crack should be filled to make the disjunction level. Any sprouting nails or screws should be driven in or tightened so they aren’t out of alignment when the primer is applied.

Each of these preparation steps may be performed multiple times to ensure the whole surface is well prepared for priming. The process may take several days.

Primer Application

Once the entire floor surface has been prepped for coating, it is time to apply the primer. The primer is applied just like paint and allowed to settle for several hours before the epoxy goes on. This process is very simple and requires general painting tools, like a roller and a splash pan. Directions on the epoxy bottle should be followed, but they generally resemble the following instructions:

First, cover the floor in a thin layer of water. Then, dump all your needed epoxy on the ground. Using a roller pin on a pole, spread the epoxy out in a thin layer across the entire floor space. Allow the epoxy to set, usually for about five to six hours.

Finisher Application

Once the primer has dried, it is time to apply the second coat: epoxy finisher. The finisher is applied in the same manner as the primer, minus the water basing. Once the finisher has been allowed to set over night, the floor should look like a show room. A quick sweep and a polish and the floor will be attractive, easy to clean and damage free

What is Garage Floor Epoxy Paint and how to it Work

2010-01-14T13:31:00.000-08:00

You can purchase garage floor epoxy paint at most home improvement and hardware stores as well as many online websites. There is no doubt about it, a new coat of paint on a drab concrete floor will make the space look clean and bright.

However they don't always work the way you expect. Frequently applying what may seem inexpensive paint costs more in the long run when it starts to chip and delaminate.

First a little about concrete. Concrete on grade and especially below grade like in a basement will have moisture issues. Water will run along your foundation walls and eventually get under you concrete slab. Excessive moisture pressure under the slab will start pushing moisture vapor upwards through the airholes, capillaries and cracks in the floor. Moisture vapor pushes salts upwards through the concrete as well. If you've ever noticed a perpetual dust on your concrete floor well this is the cause.

You may try and sweep the floor but to know avail, the dust keeps coming back. At this point you may figure that you've done your best trying to clean the surface and what the heck I'll just paint the floor, maybe add a few extra coats. This doesn't work since garage floor epoxy paint won't stick to dust for long. Of course it will look good when you're done but that's the last time it will look good and goes downhill from there. You may even notice within a few days a few small chips. From there it just gets worse.

There are a few solutions that will help increase the adhesion of floor paint. Start by checking your floor for signs of moisture. Put a rubber mat down on the floor or tape plastic to the surface in a few spots and wait a few days. If you find condensation or it gets wet underneath you will need an epoxy waterproof coating that works as a topical moisture barrier.

If the floor is free of moisture or is above a basement you should etch or have the floor mechanically prepped with a shotblaster or floor grinder. It is important with concrete to profile the surface area providing more floor for the paint to stick to. Many manufacturers suggest an acid etching solution. The problem with an acid etch with a liquid is that you will be applying a very diluted ineffective solution on the floor. You might feel good that you etched the surface but it probably didn't work. In addition to a diluted acid concrete is never flat. The water and acid solution will flow to the low spots having minimal impact on the high spots.

You can use a gel acid which can be rolled on providing an efficient predictable result. Gels provide an effective profile that works on the high spots as well as the low spots. Then the gel can be cleaned off.

If you will be driving on your surface keep in mind that the friction created from driving get your tires hot. Floor paints do not have the capability of handling extreme temperature changes which is why you see floor coatings come off the floor under tires. In the garage you really need a high performance system. It's worth the extra money to do it right. If your floor has low impact and is free of moisture a properly etched surface with a garage floor epoxy paint will suffice. If it doesn't perform it's likely moisture and salts causing the problem.

Edward Winslow is a real estate and construction professional who writes and speaks about ways to add value to residential homes and commercial properties. He also provides online marketing strategies for manufacturers of specialty products like garage floor epoxy paint and http://www.etchingconcrete.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Edward_Winslow

Epoxy Painting a Concrete Floor in your Garage or Basement

2010-01-14T13:21:00.000-08:00

An epoxy paint job can make your run down, dingy garage floor look shiny and brand new. This type of paint not only pleases the eye but it also improves functionality. Epoxy is simply a resilient flooring option that works to resist oil stains, hot car tires, water, and wipe clean present staining. Colored epoxy paints are great for hiding imperfections and blemishes on garage or basement floors. Do it yourself and follow these steps when you are ready to apply a new epoxy floor in your home or work area.

The Supplies You Will Need:

-A hard bristled broom
-A pressure washer or water hose
-Paint rollers, brushes, and a paint tray
-A concrete etcher
-Masking or painter’s tape
-Epoxy Paint
-A ladder or working easel for ceilings if necessary

1. The first step is to clear the floor completely of furniture, cars, and tools.

2. Next you want to sweep the floor and eliminated all dust and debris.

3. Then you should pressure wash the floor and allow drying to take place over a period of 24 hours. This will ensure the smoothest and most accurate texture possible.

4. Mask or tape off all the areas in which you do not want to apply the paint.

5. Prepare the concrete surface for painting by utilizing a concrete etcher. You will pour this material onto the surface and scrub it down with a hard bristled broom. Allow an ample time for drying.

6. Now you will want to apply the concrete primer. First you want to begin with the edges and trim, and work your way to the middle. This job is easily done using a paint roller. Again, let this completely dry before proceeding.

7. Next, you can apply the epoxy paint. Again, use a roller and allow for drying between coats.
After that, you will notice a shine you haven’t seen in years. When you want to epoxy paint a basement or garage floor be sure to follow these steps carefully and tackle your paint job with pride.