Epoxy Coatings are Great Products
If You Know What You are Doing
Part 2 in a series
Our last article went over many benefits of epoxy coatings as compared to other types of flooring for your concrete floor. The appearance of epoxy coatings, the overall cost, the durability, and the customizations that epoxy coatings offer certainly prove it to be a versatile covering for your concrete. But that might sound a little too good to be true. After all, we live in a world of plusses and minuses, give and take, pros and cons. Are there any drawbacks to using epoxy coatings?
There are a few concerns found online at different websites. Interestingly, these concerns all revolve around the problems face by Do-It-Yourselfers — DIY projects. Let’s go over a few online claims about epoxy coatings and explain why hiring the professionals at Nevada Custom Coatings solves all of them.
Longevity of Concrete Coatings
The proper type of epoxy coatings for concrete are designed to last the life of the concrete itself. You should never have to replace or repair epoxy coatings just because of normal wear and tear. It’s created to take a pounding! There are reports of some epoxy flooring that lasts ten years and then starts to come apart. As a result, some people conclude that epoxy coatings are a cheap fix, a temporary covering for concrete. If epoxy begins to fail after 10 years, it means the epoxy was mixed and/or applied improperly. Mixing the product is an important phase of the process and requires experience to do correctly. Likewise, if the concrete was not mixed or cured properly, it could affect how well the epoxy coatings can bond with it. Finally, some people use epoxy paint and think that it qualifies as an epoxy coating. That is not the case — paint is paint and 100% epoxy coatings are a completely stronger material.
Application of Concrete Coatings
Applying any epoxy coating to a concrete floor requires precision and consistency. Each batch needs to be applied at a steady pace with attention to the thickness. Even if you are an experienced handyman or are very familiar with do-it-yourself projects, it’s very difficult to get the materials spread properly on your first go. Fresh epoxy is time-sensitive and offers no pause button. The liquid materials are also very sticky – they get everywhere before you know it. Epoxy coatings also emit fumes in their liquid state. The proper safety equipment and ventilation mitigates the smell and makes it easier to apply. Nevada Custom Coatings has the training and skill to make sure we handle epoxy coatings masterfully.
Removing Concrete Coatings
If not applied correctly, epoxy coatings will show signs of losing integrity, such as bubbles, tears, flakes, or peeling. If you see such symptoms, it typically means the coating was low quality or applied poorly. Even under such circumstances, epoxy coatings are still resilient – much of the application will stubbornly stay adhered to the concrete. That’s what an epoxy coating is supposed to do. Therefore, it becomes extremely difficult to remove completely if you realize you made a mistake afterwards. Removing and replacing such a coating is best left to professionals like Nevada Custom coatings. We have the experience and techniques to remove and replace your epoxy coating completely, thoroughly, and without leaving a dusty chemical mess.
Stick with the Pros – Don’t DIY
As you can see, the cons for epoxy flooring result from a lack of experience, skill, understanding, or quality product. It’s a trade that takes years to learn and master. Nevada Custom Coatings has the knowledge and tools to bring a successful epoxy floor with to every project we take on. You can look through our gallery to see examples of our work. Give us a call or schedule a free consultation online, so we can show you all the pros of epoxy coatings, without the cons.
