FAQ

We always recommend mechanical preparation. Either diamond grinding (preferred) or shotblasting. 

It is essential that you have a profile on the concrete for the epoxy to bite on to. 

Be careful with shotblasting because it can leave patterns in the floor that can be seen through the coating. 

We never recommend acid etching due to the fact that the acid will penetrate into the cracks and joints, and in most cases cannot be neutralized properly. When you put a coating on top of it, the moisture builds up under the coating, reactivates the acid and begins to deteriorate the surface of the concrete and eventually pushes the coating off. 

That depends on the material and the temperature.

Epoxy is very temperature reactive, the warmer it is, the quicker it sets. Typically when you mix it in a bucket, you want to pour it on the floor as quickly as possible. You normally have at least 20 minutes to squeegee it and roll it before it starts to get sticky. 

By pouring it on the floor, it slows down the chemical reaction. If you leave it in the bucket, it is referred to as “pot life” and will set up much quicker typically within 15 or 20 minutes. 

Believe it or not, yes there is. If installing epoxy in an area that is exposed to changing temperatures, as the temperature rises, it pulls vapors out of the concrete and can create bubbles just like heat rises. 

We typically try to install the prime coat in the afternoon when the temperatures are starting to drop. That reduces the chance of bubbles forming in the coating. Any subsequent coat after that doesn’t matter because the primer has sealed the floor.

Yes there is. You want to apply every subsequent coat of epoxy around 24 hours after the previous coat. If you wait any longer, oils can release out of the previous coat of epoxy and prevent bonding from the following coat. That is referred to as amine blush. If you are installing in high temperatures, that window of time may be shorter.