The Process of Preparing a Floor for Epoxy
If you are looking for the most affordable, most durable, long-lasting flooring option, then look no further because an epoxy garage floor is the choice for you. If you are on a time constraint and trying to refinish a concrete floor, then epoxy is your best bet. However, to receive the best possible finish, the current concrete floors must first be inspected, treated, and repaired before the application begins. Luckily, this process is quite simple, and industry professionals can do it with their eyes closed. Okay, not really, but here is how it works.
First, the application team must remove from the area; this means everything from a giant machine to a speck of dust. It is nearly impossible to complete an excellent epoxy job if your technician has to work around copy machines, table legs, etc. It will also interfere with the drying and setting process.
After that, the floor is mechanically prepared which can happen a multitude of different ways; it is truly up to the professional’s opinion or preference to decide which method to use. Fortunately, every process is incredibly efficient and works very well. The first option is shotblasting which looks similar to pressure washing but instead of using water, the operator uses a stream of steel particles. Your professional may decide to go with diamond grinding, which is removing a very tiny layer from the top of the concrete using diamond saw blades. Lastly, the technician could decide to use the scarifying technique. This method involves multi-tipped cutting wheels that essentially pummel the top layer of concrete and cuts it away. All of these methods reveal a smoother surface that is ready for its application of epoxy.
After all of that is finished, the area must be cleaned and vacuumed to rid the concrete of all the debris created during the mechanical repairing process. When the floor is completely free of all dirt, debris, and other foreign objects, the first coat of epoxy can then be applied. This first layer is the most important because it lays the foundation for the rest of the epoxy.
Depending on how thick you need your epoxy application to be, the technician will do multiple coats. They will wait for the first coat of epoxy to become tacky and dry before applying the second layer. The same goes for the third tier, the fourth tier, and so on.
Then, a top coat will be applied. There are different ways to do this, but most technicians use a polyurethane top coat to further protect the epoxy as well as the surface underneath it. After that, the area will be marked off to prevent anyone from walking over it during its curing. Voila! You have beautiful new garage floor coverings in Wilmington, DE that will last you 20 or more years and look great every year with proper care and maintenance!
Testimonials
My garage was so cluttered and a total mess, I was always embarrassed to have the door open! Not anymore!! Floorguard® helped me design a perfect system for my family, it’s amazing!! Now I keep my garage door open for all to see, it’s organized, and absolutely beautiful!!!
- Pam Orland Park, IL
Really Pleased! Our garage needed some major help – not only was it a mess but the floor was just ugly with all the stains and such. I will agree with the reviewer below – do not go with the cheap imitators! Floorguard not only has a great product, but their installers and service is well worth any extra cost, which is minimal anyway. Our neighbors have commented on how good our garage looks and we’ve recommended them to Floorguard without hesitation.
- Nathan
The garage looks so good! A+ company on every level. Wish I had another garage to resurface!
- Chelsea
My neighbor had a floor done by another company that was new to the industry, boy were they sorry. I went with the experts, Floorguard did an incredible job!!
- Tom T., Orland Park
When it comes to adding value to your business, you can’t go wrong with the superior technology and materials from Floorguard
- Jenny P.
Covering our old, gray garage floor was a great aesthetic and functional improvement. This project requires 2 days: first day preparing the surface (major job requiring right equipment), putting down first coating and sprinkling the flakes. This requires about 4 hours. After this dries, they come back next day and apply the topcoat. They notified us when they would start the work and arrived as promised. They worked diligently, completed the work efficiently, left the work areas and our driveway clean. The owner Steve is a great guy to deal with.
- Bob H.
It was a pleasure dealing with the company’s owner Steve Chaloult. When we called him to give us an estimate, he arranged to come within a few days. We have a very large two car garage. His estimate was a bit more than the first company we called but he seemed very well prepared in showing us samples and very knowledgeable about his product and we just liked him. For personal reasons , we had to delay installation for about a month and he could not be more accommodating. we finally we able to have it done this past week and it was worth the wait. The garage floor is just beautiful and I never would have thought I would say that about a garage floor! We also had the lower walls around the floor done and very glad we did. At one time we were thinking we could do this ourselves using a kit. WHAT were we thinking? This is a job for a professional and we are so glad we used Steve.
- Moira J.
The owner Steve Chaloult was easy to work with and he’s very good at what he does. I highly recommend Floorguard as your contractor if you’re wanting to have a garage floor finished with a durable epoxy like colored finish. Floorguard came when they said they would and cleaned up after they were finished. Floorguard also installs garage storage cabinets.
- Andrew A.
Very responsive, good communicator. Was on time and did a top quality job. Very happy with the outcome.
- Anonymous Homeowner
Great eexperience. Quick and dependable service. High quality. Fair cost.
- John H.