Epoxy coatings have a reputation for being tough and durable. They have above-average resistance to daily wear and tear and can withstand the harshest chemicals. When it comes to flooring applications, epoxy coatings offer the same kind of performance, however, extra effort in coatings selection, surface preparation and application has to be observed.
In selecting epoxy coatings, the facility manager has to be extra careful and achieve a balance between cost and performance quality. A gallon of low-cost epoxy is suspect in terms of performance, as opposed to a gallon of good-quality epoxy. There are also epoxy coatings products that seem practical and affordable, but during application the epoxy coatings can cover only a few square feet given a certain thickness, unlike quality products that can cover more surface area with the same quantity. Don’t let economics be the sole decision driver. Be shrewd and analytical when choosing the epoxy coatings to use.
To prevent floor coatings failure, proper surface preparation should be done. How to prepare the surface? By removing any possible reasons for coatings to peel off, such as too much dust in the surface when the epoxy coatings were applied. Water vapor and surface moisture can also weaken epoxy coatings, as well as oils and hard-to-remove greases.
Even if another coating is used on the surface, epoxy coatings is always one of the best choices for top coats. When a coating is already applied successfully to the surface, and this coating is compatible with epoxy coatings as a top coat, the epoxy will provide an excellent bond to the previously-applied coating for added protection.