Coating Process

Floor Coating Process

Every concrete floor has issues. Though a very hard substance it is porous and subject to moisture and decay. Roads salts, moisture pressure, freeze thaw issues all contribute to a gradual deterioration. Many floor s look like they have no hope but fortunately can be restored and protected with a clean, durable decorative, waterproof coating that will last years. You will add value to your property while making your space bright and usable.

1. Floor Restoration – new and old concrete get the same treatment as if this were your living room.  All cracks and decaying concrete are cleaned and filled.  We use a proprietary polyurea which is an advanced technology concrete restoration product with unique features when applied with the proper methods. Most slabs are approximately 4 inches thick which means a crack is four inches deep. All cracks are filled all the way to the bottom.  Our polyurea filler absorbs into the walls of the crack curing below grade and activated by moisture. This is critical to long term performance of the final decorative coating. When crack filler cures it blocks off moisture pressure that can delaminate a floor. The same process is applied to decaying concrete.  Once all defects are fixed we sand smooth.
2. Surface Preparation – All garage, retail, medical or industrial floor surfaces get the same treatment. Floors are grinded to a smooth, flat finish. We remove all highs and lows in a floor so that water will not pool and your decorative coat looks flawless. We use professional grinding equipment with a high powered dustless vacuum system.  All dust is contained in bags and disposed of properly or saved as a mortar and recycled.
3. Edge Molding – We can provide edge molding which is coated to the top edge. This step creates a pan making for easy cleaning with water while avoiding any chance of water getting under your drywall. Notice the edges in many of the photos featured here.
4. Decorative Coatings – The first coat is a primer that absorbs into the concrete becoming part of your floor. This caps off moisture pressure preventing any chances of delamination.  Rapid curing means we can apply numerous coatings in a day. Decorative chips are added scraping any excess or loose chips before application of the final clear coats.
5. Non Slip Coating – We build non slip aggregate into each layer. This means that even over the long term your floor will meet or exceed OSHA acceptable Coefficient of Friction levels. This prevents accidents and prevents slip and fall litigation.
6. Cleaning and Maintenance – The final coating is easy to maintain. Water, a small amount of liquid soap, squeegee and broom will keep your floor looking new for years.  Micro scratches inevitable in every floor result in a straight edge. This means simple cleaning will remove dirt and bacteria maintain clarity and light reflection. Many competing industrial floor coatings like epoxies develop a frayed edge when scratched trapping dirt and bacteria which makes floors look perpetually dirty while reducing light reflectivity making rooms dark.

Polyaspartics and Polyurea Basics

Polyureas are the actual coating, while Polyaspartics are an enhancer. Polyaspartics increase the cure time of polyureas, have a thick build film in a single application, and are exceptionally resistant to corrosion and wear.

Many polyurethanes on the market today are enhanced with the addition of polyaspartics. Polyureas are steps above the quality of polyurethanes. Proper blending of polyapsartics with a polyurea create the ultimate, tightly linked coating.

This becomes a significant feature. Tightly linked chemicals significantly reduce surface microscratches. Benefits include the following:

1. Low To Zero Bacteria Growth – If the floor develops microscratches, which are hard to detect, the tight cross-linking results with the scratches being straight as opposed to frayed. Coatings with weak links develop frayed edges, trapping dirt and moisture. This creates a perpetually dirty floor, but worse, creates unhealthy levels of bacteria. When cleaning a polyaspartic / polyurea floor, dirt and potential bacteria are removed, which is why they are an ideal floor coating for medical and kennel facilities. The lack of dirt and bacteria buildup, results in less abrasion and extended long-term performance.
2. Floor Adhesion and Wetting – Many coatings merely stick to the surface. Polyaspartic / Polyurea coatings “wet” into the surface. A simple analogy is that “wetting” is absorption, like water into a sponge. Coatings that stick to the surface are vulnerable to moisture vapor pressure and salts inherent in concrete. Weak cross-linking means that salts will break down the chemical chain, resulting in chipping and delamination. Polyaspartic / Polyureas actually cap off tiny air holes and veins in concrete. This creates an inverse pressure, making it almost impossible for moisture vapor to move upwards through concrete. Moisture vapor is forced to move horizontally under concrete, eventually emitting upwards pressure outside property walls. This feature, while significantly controlling moisture vapor, also reduces Relative Humidity (RH). The benefit is a waterproof room with dry, healthy air quality.
3. Chemical Resistance – Tight cross-linking and high solids content results in exceptional resistance to chemicals and de-icing salts. In cold climates, like the Rocky Mountains, salts are easily tracked into garages, retail stores, restaurants, medical facilities, and industrial spaces. Not only will polyurea / polyaspartic coatings resist road salt corrosion, but they can also be applied vertically over cove moldings. This process creates a totally seamless basin. Floors can be easily cleaned without the possibility of water and salts getting under walls.
4. “Green” With Zero VOCs – Our polyapartic / polyureas have zero Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). No harmful smells.
5. Rapid Cure – Our polyaspartic / polyurea is not your typical off-the-shelf, one-size-fits-all coating. The polyaspartic is actually added based on the environment. For quick cure in cold weather, we can increase the polyaspartic content and reduce for warm weather application. An epoxy coating is applied one coat per day for as long as four days, and we can apply numerous coats in a single day with return to service the next day. There is minimal downtime. For current facilities, this means application around work schedules and no need to shut down for days or weeks. For remodels and new construction, rapid cure means quicker application without holding up other trades. This becomes a valuable, money-saving application.
6. Decorative – Our product starts clear and can be applied over stained concrete, or color packs with decorative chips can be added. Decorative chips come in various sizes, color, and style. The look of terrazzo or quartz can be created. You can create simple one-color schemes or customize multi colored designs. Graphic inlays, with a choice of a company logo or any custom graphic design, can be applied.

Benefit Summary

• Non-Yellowing
• Easy To Clean
• Limited to Zero Bacteria Build
• Waterproof
• Green , zero VOCs
• Chemical Resistant
• Rapid Cure
• Decorative