Concrete Floor Coatings

Concrete floor coatings. Concrete floor coatings is perhaps my favorite topic to discuss because it is the number one misunderstood topic. Concrete coatings add a coat on top of the concrete. Coatings do not penetrate concrete and they do not offer any type of real protection. Concrete coatings should only be used for what they are meant for – looks. One of the most common types of floor coatings is epoxy floor coatings. Epoxy has a very nice shine and is very strong. Epoxy coatings however can’t stop water and can’t be used where hydrostatic pressure is present. Epoxy coatings trap in air and moisture. Over time, as the epoxy coating breakds down the pressure built up under the coatings causes it to peel and bubble. Yuck! Your nice looking floor not only looks bad – but you may have to make expensive repairs as well. Good news – you can get protection and looks.

If you are one of the millions of people obsessed with epoxy coatings and absolutely have to have the beautiful shine (and I don’t blame you), you still can. It is important to first seal your concrete with a deep penetrating sealer first – think of it as a base coat. Once dry, apply the epoxy coating over it.

Why do I need to seal the concrete before applying epoxy? Simple. A concrete sealer, like the Foundation Armor concrete sealer, penetrates up to 6″. The sealer stops the wicking process in concrete. It reacts with the free lime in concrete and forms and expanded crystalline structure beneath the surface. These crystals fill the pores of the concrete and prevents the penetration of radon, moisture, and water infiltration by capillary action. It also strengthens the concrete by up to 40% to prevent cracking and spalling. The sealer will protect the concrete and the epoxy will give it a nice shine. This is one step you don’t want to miss when coating your concrete floor.