If your garage floor is currently a polished concrete surface, and you’d like to apply an epoxy coating, getting long-lasting, durable results requires more steps than you may realize. To help you get a professional outcome, we’re walking you through how to prepare a slab and install a polyaspartic epoxy coating on your garage floor.
In addition to following the steps below, be sure to watch our team transform a garage in the video below:
Creating a Surface Profile
For polyaspartic to bond properly to the concrete, a rough surface profile needs to be achieved. In the video above, the slab was heavily densified and sealed, so first, we used the Substrate Technology Inc. Prep/Master Jr. electric floor grinder to penetrate the sealant and densifier and open the slab.
Once this step was completed, we used the IMPACTS 210E shot blaster to brush blast the slab. This created a rougher profile and increased the surface area of the concrete slab, so when the polyaspartic epoxy cures after application, it would “grip” the concrete and ensure a stronger, more durable bond.
Cleaning the Concrete Slab
Because polyaspartic hardens so quickly, it’s important to do proper preparation before mixing the coating. You’ll want to protect the bottoms of the walls and doors with heavy green tape and ensure all dust, shot, and debris have been removed from the surface. Failure to remove dust and debris will prevent the coating from bonding, so it’s important to go over the slab multiple times with a clean, microfiber dust mop and conduct a calcium chloride test to check for any moisture or vapor released from the slab. If necessary, use an acetone wipe to clean the floor and remove moisture.
Why Choose Polyaspartic Floor Coatings
When choosing a floor coating, you’re probably looking at either traditional epoxy or polyaspartic. Unlike epoxy paint, which is a resin polymer, polyaspartic is a newer, hybrid substance that is similar to polyurethane and offers the following benefits:
- Hard, durable finish;
- Resistant to abrasion, chipping, and scratching.
- Very short drying time — one standard layer is ready to walk on in around an hour.
- Odorless with low VOCs
- Doesn’t fade or take on a yellow tint, even with UV exposure.
Preparing Polyaspartic Coatings
We also recommend that you have one of each tool you’ll need for every required step:
- Mixing buckets
- Brushes
- 18-inch rolling pans
- 18-inch rollers
- Pair of disposable gloves
You’ll also need:
- Rags
- Mixing sticks
- Spike shoes
- Tarp
- Electric drill and mixing paddle
- Stand up handle for rollers.
Applying a Polyaspartic Coating to a Garage Floor
Once you have the floor profiled and cleaned, and you have all the supplies you need, it’s time to apply the coating. We recommend starting with a primer coat across the floor, applying it with a roller. To do this, slowly mix Part A into a clean mixing bucket, then slowly add Part B to the bucket, taking care to avoid adding air to the solution. Mix for a minimum of three minutes, then apply, having one person work along the edges with a brush while another member of the team applies the primer with a roller to ensure this step is completed within 30 to 45 minutes.
Once the primer coat is applied and is drying, you can prepare the base “tint” coat using the same steps as the primer — Mix Part A, add colorant if using it, then slowly add Part B and mix for at least three minutes, applying in the same manner. After the base coat is applied, you’ll want to broadcast a heavy coating of chips over the wet surface by literally throwing the chips upward and allowing them to fall.
After one hour, scrape the excess chips using a light motion and clean with a shop-vac. Once this step is complete, apply your clear coat, then allow it to dry for 24 to 48 hours.
Get Your Polyaspartic and Epoxy Coating Materials Today
Whether you need a floor grinder and shot blaster for surface preparation tasks or you need high-quality floor coatings that will hold up to traffic and use, we have everything you need to do the job right. To learn more or to get a free quote on supplies and equipment, call us at 815-472-9754.