HELPFUL TIPS FOR APPLYING EPOXY COATINGS

The following are simple tips to help you apply epoxy coatings.  These tips are not substitutes for the manufacturer’s instructions of the product that you have purchased and are considering applying.  We strongly urge you to read and following the instructions accompanying the product(s) that you have purchased.

When applying epoxy coating, consider applying epoxy paint to the bottom 4 in. of drywall, wood, or concrete wall along the floor of the room you are applying the coating.  This will protect the walls when you clean the floor the future.

When preparing your floor for application, consider using a flat-edged shovel or scraper to first loosen any hardened debris on the surface of your floor, once loosened, you can then sweep up the debris with a stiff-bristle garage broom.

To help you clean and prepare your concrete flooring, mix up a batch of water and concrete cleaner/degreaser.  Make sure that you follow the directions on the label carefully.  You can usually find concrete cleaner/degreaser at your local home centers and hardware stores; it will cost approximately $12.  Make sure you use a stiff-bristle hand brush to scrub with and to scrub along the walls and in the corners where a floor power scrubber will not be able to reach. 

Keep the environment safe, by not washing your cleaning products into the storm sewer as the effects of the cleaning products can effect the environmental in various ways.  Please read the product label or call the manufacturer for ways to dispose of the wastewater.  You can look up the Material Safety Data Sheet for the product you use on the Web site www.msdssearch.com.  How to properly handle and dispose of the product should also be listed on the label.  It should also state how to safely disposal of all leftover product and containers.  However, if you are unsure, contact your local city or county environmental office.

Once you have finished etching your concrete surface, you will need to wash the floor with water for at least 10 minutes.  You want to also, make sure that you rinse off the power scrubber brush/pad, before you go back over the floor with the scrubber one last time.  Lastly, you want to rinse your entire garage floor as well as the driveway three or four more times to make sure you have rinsed off chemicals used.  Once you have finished, the surface of the concrete should have the texture and feel of fine-grit sandpaper. 

You can squeegee out any remaining water, and then go over the entire floor with rags to help speed up the drying process.  In addition, by leaving your garage door partially open overnight and running floor fans will also aid in speeding up the drying time.

If you are applying solvent-based epoxy, then you will want to keep some Xylol epoxy thinner and some clean cotton rags handy to clean up any epoxy drips and spills.

Before applying the epoxy make sure that you patch any cracks that are ¼” or larger with an epoxy crack filler.  You also want to fill in any holes or spalled areas.  Make sure that you allow this to completely dry, check label directions for the approximate drying time.  It is vital that this is completely dry before you apply your first coat of epoxy.

Once you have finished filling all the cracks, holes, and spalled areas, you want to then use masking or duct tape to tape directly underneath where your garage door rest when closed.  This will allow you to be able to shut your garage door overnight.  It is important to close the garage door in order to keep out dust, dirt, pets, children, and curious neighbors until the floor is dry.  You will also want to put up a “Do Not Enter” sign across any doorways leading into the garage. 

If you are working with a solvent-based epoxy, make sure that you wear a respirator and keep the garage door open to allow for sufficient ventilation.  You should be able to close the garage door at least an hour after coating.

 Allow the first coat of epoxy to dry for a minimum of 16 hours or according to the manufacturer’s directions. 

 If you do not want the floor to be slippery, you can add non-skid chips to the second coat of epoxy.  Usually these are included with many epoxy-coating kits.  However, if your product does not include “color chips” or “non-skid” chips, you can purchase these wherever you purchased your product.  Color chips/ non-skid chips cost approximately $3-$4 per gallon.

Make sure you read and following the drying times before you walk or start parking your cars on the floor.  For most products, you must wait approximately 3 to 7 days depending on the manufacturer’s directions.  In addition, it usually takes a full month before your floor is fully cured.  This can also depend on weather conditions in your area.

Don’t worry if after all your zealous cleaning and following the manufacturer’s directions to the letter perfectly that you discover a few dime-size holes where your car tires have pulled up some of the epoxy.  Repainting these areas will repair the holes, however, this illustrates that the concrete had not cured adequately before you parked your car on it.