Whilst we normally recommend that professional floor companies are the best people to apply epoxy floor coatings, we accept there are those who might have some experience of flooring, or who are confident that they are capable of going through the whole process themselves. If so, we have 10 excellent tips to help you apply your epoxy floor.
#1 Plan Everything: Before You Start: sit down for a minute or two and ensure you have planned the entire job from start to finish. Also, make sure you have read the instructions for mixing the epoxy resin you are going to be using thoroughly.
#2: Try Some Sample Mixes: As part of your preparation you should try a few sample mixes of the epoxy resin to see what consistencies you create. It will also give you greater awareness of the coating’s physical qualities and how it alters based on the proportions that you mix the two chemicals.
#3: Prepare The Surface: The concrete surface that you are going to be applying the epoxy floor coating to, needs to be prepared properly beforehand. This is especially true of surfaces that may be polished. They need to prepped using grit pads to create a surface that the epoxy solution will adhere to when it is being applied.
#4: Thoroughly Clean The Surface: One of the most common mistakes made by DIYers with regards to epoxy floor coatings is that they fail to get the surface of the floor absolutely spotless. Even tiny pieces of dust or fluff can cause unsightly marks or raised areas, so make sure yours is 100% clean.
#5: Make Sure Conditions Are Correct: Although you are likely to be working indoors, the conditions which exist will make a big difference to how well the epoxy ultimately cures. Before starting, check that the room is neither too hot, as this can impede the epoxy mix bonding, nor too cold, because this can hinder the adhesion of the epoxy to the floor. High humidity is also not desirable when applying epoxy resins.
#6: Let The Epoxy Resin Sit Before Applying It: If you wish to decrease the time it takes for the resin to cure after it is applied. once you have initially mixed it, let it sit for a few minutes before pouring it.
#7: Apply Using A Squeegee And Brush: One method of applying the epoxy floor coating and ensuring it is spread evenly is to use a squeegee. To finish the edges a brush is normally the best option. As you go through this process ensure that there are no air bubbles and that there are no areas with excess epoxy resin.
#8: Applying A Second Layer: Should you require to lay a second layer of epoxy resin, let the first layer dry first, and wait for 2 hours thereafter until it has hardened.
#9: Allow the Epoxy Floor Coating to Cure: This should happen at room temperature so do not use fans or heaters to try and speed up the process. As it cures you may wish to trim it, but this should only be done in areas where you are certain that the curing has reached 75%
#10: The Clean-Up: To clean the tools you have been using, such as the squeegee and brushes, denatured alcohol is highly recommended as it can help remove dried epoxy which is stuck to them.