Flooring is an eminent part of designing your interiors. A house is not only made of brick, cement, sand, and walls; the flooring tends to play quite a role here.
While concrete grinding is a permanent part of the process, the following coating can vary. Usually, three coatings appear to be the most popular: Polishing, Sealing, and Epoxy.
Polishing is the most expensive one and offers a shiny result; probably the most lustrous of all. However, the shine fades in no time with regular use.
Sealing is similar to polishing, except it offers less shiny results than the latter. It happens to last longer than its comparison.
Last but not least, Epoxy has gained the fame of becoming the best of both worlds. It aims to achieve the shine that polishing can provide and last as long as sealing can.
This article will talk about the best epoxy flooring finishes for your house, followed by a couple of tips about the same.
Different types of Epoxy Flooring Finishes
Flooring is that part of a house that is very rarely consciously noticed by people, but it embellishes the overall look by a significant percentage. Here are a few examples of epoxy flooring processes:
Two-part Epoxy coating with 100 percent solids
The addition of the phrase ‘100 percent solids’ is for a reason here: it is devoid of any conventional solvents. Two-part epoxy coatings are ideal for a hard and thick concrete surface. Sometimes, decorative chips are present with two-part epoxy coatings to offer an attractive finish.
It hardens within 24 hours of its implementation. The decorative chips appear to add an extra appeal to its design after the completion of the project.
However, the original 100 percent concrete epoxy coating is the most expensive of all and can exceed an average budget. While applying this kind of epoxy coating, be sure to ventilate the room since they give a lot of fumes. Without proper ventilation, it can create problems for you while working on it.
Tips for recognizing a true two-part epoxy coating:
- The product will always come along with the label ‘100 percent solids’.
- It successfully dries up within 24 hours of implementation
- Carries a strong smell calling a necessary requisite for ventilation
- Often paired with decorative chips or vinyl chips
Water-based Two-part Epoxy Coating
These are readily available at any hardware, home improvement, or paint store as ‘low odor’ or ‘low VOC’. It comes off as a stark contrast to the original; it carried a strong smell that necessitated ventilation.
This kind also has a resin with a hardener, but unlike a proper epoxy coating, it uses water as a solvent. Washing the floor up with soap and water post its application is a necessary requirement. It is preferable to get it done while the mixture is still wet.
With water as the solvent, it needs more time to dry and then cure. Usually, the time takes up 2 or 3 days since all the water needs to evaporate from the solution. Anyway, the result is a coating that is somewhat thinner than a correct epoxy coating.
Tips for recognizing a water-based epoxy coating
- The activator or hardener is present with the polymer resin in the two-part
- It takes 2 to 3 days to dry up completely
- The used instrument has to be washed with water and soap
- The process might frequent repetition every few years
One-part Epoxy coating
It is easy to say that this is the cheapest option amongst the others discussed earlier. While the name suggests epoxy, this one is far from a real epoxy product.
An original epoxy coating is characterized by its amalgamation of two different elements: a resin and another a hardener or an activator. However, as the name mentions, it is a one-part epoxy coating which rules out any presence of a second element.
Experts believe this belongs to the category of paint: it can do the job better than any other paint, but it can never produce the coating a true epoxy can.
Tips for recognizing one-part epoxy coating
- These are available in one container- no possibility of two-part mixing
- Dries within an hour of application
- Cleans up easily with the help of water and soap
- Calls for reapplication every few years
How long does it usually last?
Epoxy is nothing but an amalgamation of hardeners and polymer resins: its composition gives rise to an outcome that is bright and durable!
A recent study revealed that epoxy coatings in residential buildings could last up to 30 years, whereas the number is relatively low for industrial buildings- 3 years.
Anyway, there is one way to increase its longevity a little longer- sealing. One of the best websites that can guide you with your queries regarding this is https://www.a1epoxyflooring.com/
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