What is an Epoxy Topcoat and Why Is It needed?
First thing you need to know is that epoxies and topcoats are two completely different products. Epoxies are either a base coat or a middle coat, but always a coat that gets a coating over it, which we call a topcoat. Why? because topcoats are made to be chemically harder than the epoxy coatings they go over. Epoxies are made to provide thickness and adhesion. Topcoats are made to provide durability and UV protection, so it is crucial you know about topcoats. Please be aware of the fact that applying a clear version of an epoxy over a pigmented layer of the same epoxy does nothing, even if you add in UV additives. It is still an epoxy and not a topcoat. It does not have the impact rating nor the abrasion rating needed
Are There Different Kinds of Epoxy Floor Coatings?
The best floor epoxies are solid based with 100% solids being the best type. What does that mean? It means that with 100% solids you are getting 100% paint so that whatever you put down is what you get. With epoxies that are not 100% solids, whatever percentage lower than 100% is the percent of the paint that will evaporate away as it dries. The part that evaporates is either solvents in the case of solids paints or water in the case of water based epoxy paints. For example, if an epoxy is 50% solids it means that 50% of the coating you apply will evaporate away as it dries. The lower the percentage of solids the lower the quality is a good rule of thumb, with water based paints being the lowest quality. The one exception is Primers. Primers usually have a lower percentage of solids because they are made thinner to kind of soak into the pores of the concrete. So it is ok for primers to be low solids, just try not to use water based primers.
What can I do to prepare for your arrival?
Household goods and/or items to not be coated around will need to be removed from the area during the installation and curing process. Depending on the type of flooring your choose, and other factors like time of year and temperature, the curing process may take up to 5-6 full days before your floors are completely cured. In most cases, you can walk on your new floors after 24 hours of the final application, however, you will need to wait at least 72 hours before you start replacing your items.
Will my new epoxy flooring be slippery?
Depending on your specific flooring choices, your floors may have a slightly textured surface and feel or a smooth, glass-like surface. In most cases, your new epoxy flooring system will be no more slippery than regular concrete when it’s wet. If you are concerned about how slippery your new epoxy flooring will be, there are slip resistant additives that can be added to the top coat that will help with this issue
Seamless flooring and floor coatings should be mopped on a regular bases with a neutral soap or detergent, and completely rinsed. Be sure not to use the detergent at a concentration higher than that recommended by the manufacturer of the floor cleaning material.
Be sure to test any cleaner that you haven't used before on a sample of the Seamless Flooring Material or Seamless Floor coating.
Mop should be rinsed often. Synthetic mops tend to work better on textured surfaces than cotton mops. The water should be changed frequently as well. Smooth floors are easily cleaned this way. It may be necessary to give extra care to areas that are subject to heavy traffic, hard rubber wheels, and steel wheels that leave marks. In these situations you can use the methods used for textured floors for these more difficult to remove contamination.
Textured systems may require the use of a stiff bristled brush or floor scrubber to reach to bottom of the anti-skid texture.
Can I know how long does the floors last?
If properly maintained, an epoxy floor can last up to 10-20 years or more. Deco-Coat Flooring guarantees the best since we were founded with love for quality workmanship, paired with affordable pricing and great customer service. Our product represents us so we take the floor coating and staining process very seriously. We assure you that your epoxy floor will last for incredible amounts of time.