20 May 2020
 Categories: , Blog

If it's time to apply garage floor epoxy coating, first know the preparation basics to make the process easier for you. Every project, including epoxy coat application, can be difficult if you don't understand the preparation process. Preparing the floor for the epoxy coat is critical before you even think of the primer or base coat you will use. Garage floor preparation helps you achieve a fantastic epoxy floor that isn't prone to floor-related problems. Here's is how you prepare your garage floor to make it ready for the epoxy coating.

Give Your Garage Floor a Thorough Inspection

Inspect the floor of your garage before you buy epoxy coating to assess if the concrete will allow it to adhere properly. If you don't inspect it first, you might invest your money on an epoxy coating that won't be suitable for the concrete floor of your garage. If the concrete is painted or sealed, or if you had applied any cure product on it, then epoxy coating won't adhere to it properly. Use mechanical techniques such as grinding to get rid of the sealer so the epoxy can adhere to it more efficiently. If you have bare concrete on the garage floor, sprinkle some water to test if it contains some sealers. If the concrete doesn't contain any sealers, the water won't bead-up, and the concrete surface will not look darker. If the water-test isn't reliable, use an acid etch to test for sealers.

Assess the Concrete's Moisture Content

Although you may just need to look for some moisture signs, it's hard to get accurate moisture content levels without a moisture test. Efflorescence or even damp concrete indicates the concrete is moist and not ready for epoxy coat application. Efflorescence occurs when the moisture under the surface reacts with the concrete salts or lime. The white powder or residue is left behind after the moisture evaporates. Remove the white powder before you apply the epoxy coating to enhance adherence. Moisture testing is critical because even the garage floor that looks dry could also contain moisture that evaporates off the surface before it's noticed. A plastic-sheet test is crucial for flooring that doesn't show any moisture sign.

Clean the Floor Before You Profile It

Cleaning is the next step after affirming that the coating will stick to your garage flooring. You can even sweep it if it doesn't have any greasy residues, old glue or oil stains. If you don't clean the greasy stains and oils, they will hinder epoxy coating from adhering properly. Profile the floor after cleaning it to create an excellent bond. During profiling, you expose your concrete surface pores so the epoxy coat could flow into it more efficiently. You can either grind the surface or apply an acid etch to achieve excellent profiling and then vacuum the flooring before you apply the coating.

For more information, contact a garage epoxy floor coating service.