NOTICE: Legal notices, Terms of Service, warranty information, disclaimers, health warnings,
etc. are required reading before using website, ordering and/or using Products. Any such use and/or ordering, online
or by telephone, shall constitute acceptance and knowledge of all such terms.
This is your starting point page (with lots of internet links)
for learning about all kinds of epoxy floor coating options, from low cost garage epoxy floors, to decorative home
floors, to high-end commercial work floors.
while writen for cement floors the methods and products will also work on wood/plywood and metal floors
READ ABOUT PRIMER OPTIONS/CONCERNS AT OUR PRIMER PAGE
primers improve bond to the cement and can reduce air bubbles coming
out of the cement and getting trapped in the epoxy - CLICK HERE
What can go wrong -
The Problem Page (air bubbles - blisters etc). A must read. There are situations and things, some completely outside
of your control or knowledge that could cause problems when you are dealing with epoxy floor coatings. The final
decision to epoxy or not, surface preparation, which products to use, how to apply etc. are all you responsibility,
not withstanding suggestions, comments, options, we may offer to you. Read our legal section CLICK HERE (www.epoxyproducts.com/legal.html) for more details and disclaimers.
Products and problems will be similar with all companies and vendors. We simply are willing
to 'educate' you about them. We share the good news and the potential for bad news with you. We like educated and
informed customers, even if we scare some of them away. I don't think any of 'other companies' have a 'What can
Go Wrong Page" on their web sites!
Many people and companies opt to use a coating contractor to select and to apply their epoxy floor. This way many
or most of the issues that can cause problems shifts from your responsibility to the contractor's responsibility.
This is one reason why the contractors get paid so well. A few bad calls by the contractor and he's in debt and/or
out of business.
We DO NOT have a list of contractors or other service providers that we recommend.
EXAMPLE OF DIY GARAGE FLOOR WITH CHIPS - ACTUAL CUSTOMER EXAMPLE
- CLICK HERE
Note: basements are like garages, but with much more serious moisture
problems that could cause a coating to fail. Some coating manufactures simply don't recommend their products for
basements to avoid these potential problems
At the bottom of this page we also have links to some of our competitors
as well as some "how to" sites on epoxy floors.
BEFORE WE BEGIN: Our approach here at Progressive Epoxy Polymers,
Inc., is to educate you about epoxy floors and then offer you all the options. This also means you'll have to make
a good number of decisions. Some people really like this 'information based/take charge of it yourself' approach.
Other people get upset because we do not offer/provide a stock/one approach 'kit' that they can purchase without
having to do any of the 'homework' that begins below. So, if you're looking for that off the shelf kit with a five
minute decison process, you're at the wrong epoxy floor site.
Before we get into the kinds of floor epoxies, application, etc. we have another web page that give more of the
broader picture and general pluses and minuses of epoxy floors - sort of the bigger picture before you focus on
down to the specifics on this page - to visit www.epoxyproducts.com/beginfloor4u.html (click here).
In a nutshell: 3 kinds of floor epoxies:
1) thick, shiny, no solvents or odor - can be slippery when wet; serious commerical
stuff - called: INDUSTRIAL FLOOR EPOXY ---
2) water-based floor epoxy - thin - will not hide cracks or flaws but functional
and the most user friendly. Sometimes used as a primer under option #1. called: WATER BOND ---
3) solvent based thin epoxy with anti-slip grit - tan color only. Use by itself
or over other epoxies. called ROUGH COAT------
EPOXIES WITH COLORED CHIPS - you pick chip colors and percentages from online
color chart. Several different methods to apply - generally a 1 to 4 coat system - you must decide! How much or
how little surface prep and primer or no primer - also you decision! We only provide the products - with enough
options to get your head spinning.
Note: the common floor epoxy sold in the big box stores is typically a water-based
floor epoxy.
1) Bio Vee Gloss™ - a non epoxy, clear acrylic waterbased concrete sealer (a good, cheap, alternative). CATALOG LINK
2) Industrial Floor Epoxy™- a solvent free epoxy. Can be used as is or with chips
or plain/colored sands. Add grit for anti-slip. Colors: light gray or beige. CATALOG LINK
2-b) various clear solvent free epoxies for sealing in colored chips, etc. Can
also be pigmented (we carry several colors of epoxy pigments) for additional sovlent free floor coating options
(much like the Industrial Floor Epoxy mentioned above). CATALOG LINK
3) Water Bond™ - waterbased floor epoxy (or can be used as a primer under the
Industrial Floor Epoxy). Easy to apply. Add grit for anti Slip. Color: medium gray. CATALOG LINK
4) Rough Coat™- a solvent based, tan colored epoxy with fine grit already in
it. Nice texture. Can be painted over for a different color. CATALOG LINK
5) Deck Plus™ - a waterbased non-epoxy coating with rubbergrit. Best applied
with hopper gun spray unit. Can be troweled on in small areas (boats decks, steps, etc.). Exterior sidewalk type
texture. Can also be mixed into latex paint for 'grit in paint' look. Colors: tan or gray. CATALOG LINK
6) Acrylic Poly UV plus™ (gloss or satin) - a high solvent, 2 part urethane often
used as a clear coat over epoxies because it will keep the epoxy glossy and will keep it from yellowing. Found
in the Non Epoxy/Urethane section of our catalogs. Best if applied over a coat of thinned epoxy when used on wood.
CATALOG LINK
7) Aluthane™ - an aluminum filled moistured cured urethane. A general purpose,
high perforance, high solvent, metallic coating. Often used on metal or wood structures, it also makes a touch,
durable, gray/silver floor coating that can be applied at low temperature. Found in the Non Epoxy/Urethane section
of our catlaogs. CATALOG
LINK
8) India Spar Varnish™ - old fashion oil based varnish for wood surfaces. Best
if applied over a coat of thinned epoxy when used on wood. CATALOG LINK
Links:
These products are discussed/linked to below and on other related pages.
Getting Started
note: these epoxy systems will also work on wood, metal and fiberglass surfaces.
Step 1: Is your cement floor suitable for coating?
What kind of surface prep can you do or are you willing to do? This is best discussed in our
'garage/basement page" Some folks get away with just sweeping and painting. Others do all sorts of prep. It
is your call (we cannot make that call for you!). You usually don't know if you have done enough util it is too
late. http://www.epoxyproducts.com/garage4u.html
What is your objective? protect the cement and easy to sweep (functional) or 'showroom'? Are you willing
to take the time, effort and cost required for a fancy multi coat system? It could be a 1 to 7 coat system. Want
to have that paint clip look? - there are several different application methods and different coatings to consider,
not counting the color, percent of each color and how thick you want to put the chips down. See http://www.epoxyproducts.com/chips4u.html
A water based epoxy system or a thicker solvent free epoxy floor coating? You'll need
to decide this before you can proceed. See Water based epoxy option below.
You can select (or may require) anything from a 1 coat system thru a 7 coat system..........
Step 2: Optional step - seal the concrete internally with our Bio
Vee Seal product. Leaves nothing on the surface - reduces or removes musty odors and dampness. Cheap, easy,
no surface prep needed - must be applied direct to the concrete. (about 20 cents per square foot)
USED BY ITSELF, IT WILL REDUCE, OR ELIMINATE, MOISTURE MIGRATION THROUGH CONCRETE FLOORS AND WELLS (THROUGH
THE CONCRETE ITSELF, NOT WHEN MIGRATION IS THROUGH CRACKS). IT IS USED ON CONCRETE THAT IS ALWAYS A BIT DAMP AND
TO END THE 'MUSTY' OR DAMP SMELL IN BASEMENTS, ETC. PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANTLY, BUT LESS OBVIOUS, IS THAT BY REDUCING
OR ELIMINATING MOISTURE MOVEMENT THROUGH THE CONCRETE IT INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF A SUCCESSFUL PAINT OR COATING
JOB ON THE CONCRETE SURFACE (NOTE: THIS PRODUCT WORKS BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE CONCRETE, IT LEAVES NOTHING ON THE
SURFACE). THIS IS BECAUSE MANY COATING FAILURES ARE THE RESULT OF MOISTURE OR VAPOR PRESSURE BUILDING UP ON THE
UNDERSIDE OF COATINGS APPLIED TO CONCRETE.
BECAUSE OF THIS, BIO VEE SEAL IS ALSO A RECOMMENDED, BUT OPTIONAL,
PRE-TREATMENT TO CONCRETE SURFACES THAT WILL BE COATED WITH SOME SORT OF SURFACE COATING.
Step 3: Consider applying a clear sealer over the concrete (instead of a more durable, tougher, higher quality
epoxy floor paint), whether you've applied Bio Vee Seal or not. These medium quality sealers will give the concrete
a shiny wet look and reduce dusting on the surface. Cleaning and sweeping will be easier. Our Solar Gard water-based
acrylic is an example. Note that this step could mean you can never epoxy coat the surface in the future.
THIS PRODUCT IS LISTED IN OUR CLEAR COATINGS SECTION (SECTION D)
CLICK HERE TO GO THERE.
Step 4: Optional step - coat - prime surface with our water based floor epoxy - Water
Bond. Looks like a coat of thin paint - will not hide or fill cracks, chips etc. Leaves original cement non-slip
texture. Water based so it soaks into the cement resulting in a decreased risk of coating adhesion failure (water
based primers may be better than solvent based primers on concrete) . Needs two coats to uniformly cover non-uniform
colored cement. Can be used as a finish or final coat too. (about 30 cents per squ. foot). LOTS
MORE ABOUT PRIMERS.
Step 5: Apply 100% solids epoxy floor paint (Industrial Floor Epoxy - click
here) - will probably need to add anti-slip grit. You can get more fancy here: broadcast colored chips or sand
(plain or colored) for thicker and/or more durable and/or more decorative look. (about 40 cents per square foot
to $2 per square foot for the fancy multicoat systems). This step may include several coats of pigmented and clear
epoxies with chips or colored sands in one or more of the coats.
The Water Bond (step 4) can also be used (and often is) as the first and only epoxy floor coating - instead
of the Industrial Floor Epoxy.
Another option is our Rough Coat™ (thin solvent based, tan colored floor epoxy with non-skid grit already mixed
in) over either the Water Bond epoxy or the Industrial Floor Epoxy.
Step 6: sometimes people topcoat the epoxy with a more color stable urethane (i.e. a snowy white floor) or
clear polyurethane (about 20-30 cents per square foot - may need two coats). We now offer a 2 part urethane clear
coat with max UV blockers that should reduce or stop the UV yellowing of epoxies and maintain a good shine. It
is called Acrylic Poly UV Plus.
NOTES: MANY PEOPLE DO JUST ONE OR TWO OF THE PRECEDING STEPS (#2, #3, #4, #5). RARE FOR PEOPLE TO PRE-TREAT (BIO
VEE SEAL), PRIME WITH WATER BASED EPOXY, TOPCOAT WITH SOLVENT FREE EPOXY (PARTIALLY BECAUSE PRODUCTS COME FROM
3 DIFFERENT SOURCES).
IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING CARPETING, WOOD FLOORS, ETC. OVER A CEMENT FLOOR - YOU REALLY DO NEED TO 'SEAL' THE
CONCRETE (WE HAVE HEARD LOTS OF HORROR STORIES WHEN PEOPLE DON'T DO THIS). YOU CAN USE ONE OR MORE OF STEPS #2,
#3, #4, TO DO THIS.
how much surface prep you do and which combinations of steps to do are tough decisions you'll have to make, as
well as how fancy you want to get appearance-wise with steps #4 and/or #5.
NOTE THAT A GALLON OF ANYTHING SPREAD 1/4 INCH THICK WILL COVER ONLY 6.5 SQUARE FEET. A LOW
SPOT/DIP OR TWO ON YOUR SURFACE CAN QUICKLY THROW YOUR ESTIMATED COVERAGE (GENERALLY 100-150 SQUARE FEET PER GALLON)
OUT THE WINDOW....
Don't leap into a floor coating project until you've made
a decision about how much or how little surface preparation you are willing to do. This could be your biggest and
most critical decision - CLICK
HERE to go to our surface prep page.
Other Options
Basically we walk people thru the floor coating selection process
by figuring out if they will/should use the solvent free Industrial Floor Epoxy or the waterbased Water Bond floor
epoxy. Then the dialog gets into primers, topcoats, etc. based upon the 'guessed' condition of the concrete, the
desired end result (appearance or pure functionality, etc.). But there are other options too.
One can just use our Low V clear water epoxy (which wil yellow in
direct sun) which is often thinned with solvent and used as a optional primer under the Industrial floor epoxy.
It can be used by itself only to seal the floor for a functional surface.
Also, our 1 part aluminum filled, moisture cured urethane (called
Aluthane - click here) - color is 'aluminum' or 'silvery light gray' makes a very tough, easy to
apply, protective floor coating on wood or concrete. I just recently opted to use that instead of epoxy on the
floor of a new yard shed. I was able to apply it with temperatures in the upper 30's (too cold for epoxies!)
GOTO THE FLOOR COATINGS PAGE IN OUR PRODUCT CATALOG - CLICK HERE
The Water Based Epoxy floor option -
Often for home use - less likely to have problems compared to 'regular'
solvent free epoxy that rely completely on surface only bonding. Most forgiving floor epoxy in terms of surface
preparation. It is both the primer and/or topcoat. It is functional but doesn't hide cracks, rough spots etc. That
can be good as it leaves much of the original cement non slip texture in place (unlike the thicker, fault hiding,
solvent free Industrial Floor Epoxy). The common Rustoleum garage floor paint sold in Home Depot, etc. is a waterbased
floor epoxy. Our product is called Water Bond and comes in 1 gal units in med gray.
Select from between a 1 coat system all the way to a 7 coat system
Note the commerical applicators rarely use a 1 coat system, while many
homeowners do. Most professionals use some sort of primer coat, few homeowners do.
A description of each of the 1 to 7 coat approaches is posted on our "garage" page.
Don't leap into a floor coating project until you've made a decision
about how much or how little surface preparation you are willing to do. This could be your biggest and most critical
decision - CLICK HERE to go to our surface prep page.
GOTO THE FLOOR COATINGS PAGE IN OUR PRODUCT
CATALOG - CLICK
HEREWhat can go wrong - the Problem Page CLICK
HERE
LINKS
Related epoxy flooring articles:
RELATED LINKS
Low V - clear epoxy coating (in section D_Clear epoxy subpage) CLICK HERE
Acrylic Poly UV Plus - UV blocking clear coat (in section E_Nonepoxy subpage)
CLICK HERE
Paint Chip info and color chart (www.epoxyproducts.com/chips4u.html) CLICK HERE
We now offer a much safer acid etch product (it is even considered
NON-HAZMAT to ship). It even helps clean the floors. Nearly odorless and fumeless. Will not harm nearby metal surfaces.
Called Prep N Etch™. CLICK
HERE
Rustoleum (Home Depot system) Epoxy Shield (tm) system ---- http://www.rustoleum.com/brand.asp?frm_brand_id=19&SBL=1
------------ note that they call their 1 coat system "good", their 2 coat primer and epoxy "Better"
and their 3 coat primer, epoxy, and topcoat "Best"
CLICK HERE to goto AARON'S Directory of Epoxy Web Sites
CLICK HERE to goto Paints-Coatings-Epoxies Web Site
Inexpensive Special Affects:
The colored quartz sands and vinyl chips add a lot of 'snap' to your epoxy floor, but can be an expensive and
time consuming project (for more info see links section above). There are easy and cheap alternatives: 1) our ELA
link above offers a way to "faux sponge paint" a decorative finish over the epoxy using ordinary latex
paint. 2) we have had exciting looking results using "American Accept" stone look spray paint from Walmart
and Home Depot over the epoxy and then sealing with a clear coat. 3) really neat and cheap - using cheap spray
paint and 'mist' the surface by spraying high and far away. The results are tiny droplets that fall on the dry
(day or two old is best) epoxy surface. Using black, white and an deep orange (etc.) will yield a granite like
look. If things go bad, immediately wipe the fresh spray paint droplets off with a solvent soaked rag and try again!
Practice on a piece of cardboard or construction paper to get the look and colors right before attacking your new
epoxy floor. You might want a clear topcoat over the 'spray paint' (our LPU 100 is the best product for this),
but we are thinking you probably will not need it. Even if the paint droplets do eventually wear off, you can always
reapply......
Just wanted to say Thanks for the great product (Industrial Floor Epoxy) and service on my Garage floor project.
It set up great and once I got the nak for Pot Life times, I was off and running laying down the mixture!!
I should have taken before and after photos but it really came out great and most important, I can see the strength
of the Epoxy as a protective
barrier. I look forward to winter now with all it's wrath! This time I'm ready!
Hope to be in touch soon for other projects.
MarkWhat can go wrong - the Problem Page CLICK
HERE
Don't leap into a floor coating project until you've made a decision
about how much or how little surface preparation you are willing to do. This could be your biggest and most critical
decision - CLICK HERE to go to our surface prep page.
GOTO THE FLOOR COATINGS PAGE IN OUR PRODUCT CATALOG
- CLICK
HEREDisclaimers:
Progressive Epoxy Polymers, Inc. shall not be liable for any injury,
loss, damage, direct or consequential damages arising out of the use of its products. The purchaser/applicator
shall determine the suitability of the products for the intended use. The products are applied by others and Progressive
Epoxy Polymers does not provide any warranties, whatsoever arising in connection with the use of these products.
APPLICATION/SUITABILITY DISCLAIMER. Any suggestions/procedures
offered by Progressive Epoxy Polymers, Inc. are given AS-IS without any warranty and in no way expand the rights
under which you have, or will purchase, this product or related products. Your use of any of these suggestions/procedures
is at your sole cost and risk. In no event shall Seller be liable to you for CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL damages.
You must make an independent determination whether to follow any or all of the above items based upon the numerous
application variables at hand. Consult Seller Warranty Disclaimer and Return
Policy document for additional notifications.
TEMPERATURE AND CHEMICAL RESISTANCE DISCLAIMER. The temperature ranges and/or chemical resistance or pot life information
outlined above is based upon information provided by the raw material vendor or product formulator, or private
tests. It is provided AS-IS without any warranty and in no way expand the rights under which you have, or will
purchase, this product or related products. Chemical resistance can vary depending upon, but not limited to, such
factors as evaporation, temperature, humidity/moisture, surface preparation, interaction with other chemicals,
oxygen levels, and evaporation. Temperature effects on coatings can vary based upon solar heating/coating color,
ventilation, duration of frequency of heating cycle, immersion or moisture levels and fluid flow. Pot life is affected
by temperature, volume of epoxy mixed and shape of the container. Your use of these epoxies under these conditions
is at your sole cost and risk. In no event shall Seller be liable to you for temperature or chemically caused coating
failure or CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL damages. You must make an independent determination confirming the coating's
resistance to the chemicals and temperatures present in your unique situation.
SUGGESTION DISCLAIMER. Any suggestions/procedures offered are given AS-IS without any warranty. Use of website/email/telephone
sugestions and/or procedures is at your sole cost and risk. Buyer is solely responsible for testing the suitability
of Product and determining quantities needed. Buyer is also solely responsible for compliance with local VOC (Volatile
Organic Compound) regulations controlling the purchase and use of Product at buyer's location. Carefully read and
understand all Product application, safety precautions and MSDS information before ordering.
Preparation problem 70%; application problem 12%; environment problem 6%; wrong paint selection 9%; bad paint
1%; adding thinner 2%
"At least 70% of premature coatings failures are traced back to 'surface preparation' whether referring to
wood, concrete, or metal. In a commercial recoating project, the costs (and profit) associated with surface preparation
are about 70% of the job. How extensive the surface preparation is will depend on the performance expectation of
the owner... Know the A, B, C's of surface preparation - visible contaminants, invisible contaminants, and profile."
Dr. Lydia Frenzel, The ABCs of Surface Preparation, Cleaner Times, April 2001, pg. 42-44.
