Surface preparation for epoxy flooring is a critical part of a successful installation.  Whether you use a professional service like MCG Epoxy Coatings, or prefer to try the process yourself, there are certain steps which must be followed in order to achieve the best results.  To find out how to prep garage floor for epoxy paint, read on.

No builder worth their salt would ever contemplate starting to erect a structure without first undertaking the necessary groundworks and laying foundations.  Adequate preparation is such a fundamental part of good building practice that a large amount of material published within the trade – and no small proportion of the building regulations – is concerned with what must be done before a single brick is laid.

This principle applies at all levels of construction.  From the ground breaking ceremony for a new skyscraper, to priming a small surface for painting, diligent preparation is the key to getting the best results.  And this is just as true whether you are working on a brand new building, or maintaining or renovating an old one; in fact, building repairs may require even more thorough preparation work in order to make the repairs effective.  For example, there would be no point hanging a pristine new front door on a rotten doorframe.

Similarly, there is no point having an epoxy floor surface installed at your commercial, industrial, or residential property, unless the appropriate preparation is completed first.  Far from just being a paint which is applied for aesthetic effect, epoxy flooring systems have much to offer in terms or practicality and surface protection.  However, these advantages can quickly be negated by inadequate epoxy resin floor preparation.  So when planning surface preparation for epoxy flooring, be sure to bear the following points in mind.

How To Prep Garage Floor For Epoxy Paint

An epoxy or resin flooring system will not function as intended unless the surface it is applied to is clean – really clean.  Simply sweeping the area to be painted is not enough, although it’s a good start in order to remove any large debris.  But for the kind of clean we’re talking about, a filtration device such as an industrial vacuum cleaner is your best bet.  Any fluids, especially any kind of oil or grease, must be completely removed.

The surface must also be sound.  Any loose material, holes or cracks in the substrate can cause an epoxy flooring system to fail over time.  The reason the surface must be so carefully repaired and cleaned is that once applied, the epoxy floor paint moulds itself to the floor’s surface.  And if a mould has any imperfections, the product within will be effected too.  This is why epoxy resin floor preparation is so important.  Next, the substrate must be abraded.  This means it must be given a rough surface to give the floor paint something to grip.

When flooring systems fail, it can cause customers to lose faith in the product.  But with proper epoxy floor paint preparation epoxy flooring systems will give many years of fine service.  Contact us to find out more.

Hygienic, heavy duty polyurethane screed flooring is frequently found in food industry facilities, such as abattoirs, bakeries, breweries, dairies, kitchens, wet and dry food production and processing plants.  This is because polyurethane resin flooring systems are resistant to chemicals found in food production, such as lactic acid which is common in the brewing and dairy industries.  If an epoxy floor is repeatedly exposed to lactic acid, it will often start to show signs of corrosion and yellowing.  Polyurethane, on the other hand, is considered a ‘food grade’ or ‘food safe’ material because it will not react with such ingredients, and because it can be steam cleaned in order to guarantee a the cleanliness of a food-preparation environment (check the specification of your polyurethane floor before steam cleaning – 9mm polyurethane screed flooring should usually be specified for steam cleaned and high traffic areas).

Poly floors are also used for refrigerator and freezer flooring – good thermal shock resistance properties mean polyurethane resin floors have a lot to offer food and drink factories where extreme temperature changes occur frequently as part of production processes.  Polyurethane coatings are also the best resin systems for premises with underfloor heating.

As an abrasion and solvent resistant flooring solution, polyurethane is also suitable for chemical processing plants, engineering workshops, and other commercial and industrial sector applications. Polyurethane floor screeds also demonstrate exceptional performance in heavily trafficked areas, with some customers have reporting that the lifespan of a poly floor is double that of epoxy flooring under certain circumstances.  Polyurethane screed flooring systems also offer many options in terms of customization and decoration.  What’s more, by using polyurethane coatings, covings and wall renders, a ‘closed box’ environment can be created on all surfaces with the same standards of abrasion and chemical resistance as your flooring system.

What makes polyurethane resin floors different from their epoxy counterparts, and what qualities do they share?  Both are durable hard-wearing and waterproof, but beyond that polyurethane has proved to be a superior material in many key ways:

Polyurethane resin floors are more elastic than epoxy, and this flexibility means they are not compromised by slight cracking or movement in the substrate.  This compliments the thermal stability of poly, in that the floor surface will not crack or disintegrate if the underlying material flexes as the temperature changes.  Epoxy flooring is harder, but can prove too brittle for some applications.  Poly flooring is also UV stable, making for a convenient and low-maintenance flooring solution.

Polyurethane screed flooring typically dries more quickly than an equivalent epoxy system on installation, however it will be very sensitive to moisture during that time which is why MCG Epoxy Coatings recommend this product should always be applied by experienced professionals.  Contact us today.