Typically, the most heavily tracked areas will deteriorate the quickest. So it’s not a wonder that floors can wear faster than other parts of a home or building. Garage and basement floors often get the brunt of the attack because they are heavily used and suffer the most from fluctuating temperatures. Another source of frustration is that these floors are often concrete. Concrete floors, once they begin to crack and develop holes, will rapidly compromise the safety and functionality of the space. There aren’t many remedies to a worn concrete floor, but one of them is to apply a barrier between it and its environment in the form of an epoxy coating.
Epoxy is a two part adhesive that cures (dries) by chemical interaction. The two chemicals that react are a resin and a hardener, and once cured they produce a durable, impenetrable coating that bonds to any surface it’s applied to. Part of what determines how strong the epoxy bond is whether or not water or a solvent base is used in the epoxy compound. Use of 100% epoxy solids ensures the tightest bond possible – making the floor stronger and more durable.When getting ready to rescue concrete basement or garage flooring by applying an epoxy application, it’s necessary to repair the areas on the floor where there is cracking or missing pieces. This is completed by first using a floor preparation material to scrub the floor of any grit and mortar. Next, if you notice your floor does not present a smooth surface for epoxy application, use floor patches, fillers or joint sealers to mend it (if your floor requires no further maintenance then you‘re ready to lay epoxy). Some websites have an entire page dedicated to repairing floors prior to an epoxy paint treatment. Some also list each reparative product, how it works, and how to use it.
Once all mending is complete, the concrete floor is ready for application. The epoxy should be mixed and poured per the company’s specifications. In the case of most epoxy products, they have a simple process: thoroughly mix Part A and Part B together, and then pour over the concrete. That’s it! There’s no measuring and no additional chemicals to mix with the resin and hardener. Just spread the epoxy over the floor and sprinkle the anti-slip fleck. Fleck is available in numerous shades, leaving it up to the buyer to choose their favorite.
