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Chatting with an electrician friend, we marveled at how people will attempt a Do It Yourself project with no consideration for their personal safety. He commented on homeowners getting zapped by working in a live electrical panel, or wiring up something wrong and creating a bigger, potentially disastrous issue.
Now, I've been reckless too. Not going to deny it. We gave up on selling acid stained concrete after a pump sprayer started leaking the acids down my back on a commercial job. The floor turned out great. My chemical burns, while not terrible, were certainly not a pleasurable experience.
Professionally installed floor coatings mean professionally prepared floors. For the DIY enthusiast getting ready to apply an epoxy floor paint kit, I would ask:
Be careful. Some garage floor kits contain volatile organic compounds that require a respirator during application and should not be used in closed air spaces like a basement. Protect yourself, your family, and your pets.
Do you know your local building codes and environmental compliance?
I'm not a general contractor. I don't know all the building codes in Pennsylvania or Maryland. That's why I entered a contract for building my home here in Dillsburg (home of the New Year's Eve Pickle Drop). Same reason applies to why I used a licensed remodeler to finish parts of the basement. When I go to sell, I am confident that I won't have any issues from non-compliance with the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code. It passed all inspections required by the PA UCC.
I hear all the time from homeowners that they (or the handyman) prepared their concrete by acid etching the concrete and collected up all the slurry in a shop vac in wet mode.
That's OKAY.
They then dumped it down the city sewer drain on their street.
That's NOT OKAY.
That act is potentially a local, state, and EPA violation of the Clean Water Act. Disposal of slurry is even worse for those using an acid staining kit, because you might have just dumped heavy metals down the drain.
Personally, I'll stick with gardening and other tasks that I doubt will land me in court or paying a fine.
All of us want to continually maintain or increase the value of our home. After all, it's one of our largest investments and no one likes to have their investments go down in value.
If you are getting ready for a DIY project that is fairly permanent, ask yourself:I may offend some homeowners, but most of your DIY garage floor kits don't look like a professional floor coating. I often liken this to a homeowner painting their own vehicles.
One of our garage floor coatings projects in Middleriver, Maryland.
When we were in the Pennsylvania Home-A-Rama, we completed the coatings in 6 of the 8 entered homes. One home featured a DIY kit applied by a painter. We kept getting the question "STRONGHOLD FLOORS didn't do the garage floor in that first home, did it?" No, we did not. Everyone noticed the difference.
How much time will be invested in research, material and tool acquisition, testing the waters, and completing the project?
We are all pressed for time these days. Never enough time to get everything done. Some projects which may look simple on a TV commercial can spiral into a lot of trips to the hardware store. Nothing is worse than the realization you need another item when already halfway through the project. Sometimes, that realization may come too late, when stopping the process negatively impacts the results.
For those trying the Do-It-Yourself epoxy garage kit, ask yourself:
Is your DIY solution going to last as long as a professional job?
My hot pepper garden works year after year. My attempt at wiring in a generator during one of the recent superstorms may have contributed to burning up the central vac, HVAC transformer, and TV. It's okay - I wanted a new flat screen TV anyways.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Floor Coating Materials. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
DIY is not always going to save you money in the long run.
I think our record for the thickest DIY epoxy garage floor goes to a gentleman in Cockeysville, Maryland who, each year, continued applying a new epoxy coating over the old, failing coatings. Each year, he had the same bare spots under the tires, but he did manage to build up about 1/8'' in portions of the garage.
When asked how much he had spent over the past 10 years, it turned out to be WAY more than if he had purchased a decorative chip, professionally installed, warranted garage floor coating from us, STRONGHOLD FLOORS.
If you, after reading all of this, still wish to do your own coatings, make sure you use very high grade materials. Just remember that if things go wrong, it usually take a professional to correct your mistakes - which makes that DIY coating very expensive!
Request a free quote for your floor coatings project today!
Epoxy floor coatings provide everything you could desire in a floor coating, yet common mistakes made by beginners can weaken or destroy the epoxy resin.
Remember, though; everyone has to start somewhere when learning something new; it is okay. When you get a better understanding of applying epoxy resin, you will see that it is a rather simple process when done correctly.
Consider that epoxy resin, like everything else in the world, does not come in a one-size-fits-all package. Thus, doing considerable research on what sort of resin, product, and material is suitable for your space is the first and most important stage in your epoxy project.
Epoxy is a popular flooring choice for various reasons, but one of the most important is that each type of epoxy resin gets tailored to certain spaces, demands, and designs. Whether you are looking for basement floor coating, garage floor coating, concrete floor paint, or even the best epoxy for leveling a floor, thorough research can aid you in choosing the best epoxy solutions.
It is critical to cautiously measure your resin and hardener to ensure that your epoxy cures properly. Determine the volume of elements required for your application. Begin small. If you need more epoxy resin, you may simply return to this stage and create another batch to distribute the epoxy equally. To measure the epoxy resin, use a graduated measuring cup. Keep an eye out for where the bottom of the curved liquid surface, known as the meniscus, meets the line where you will pour the epoxy.
If the epoxy is still warm, it will lay flat in the graduated measuring cup; however, wait a few moments for it to cool before determining the amount of hardener you will need. Pour the required hardener into the epoxy mixture after you have measured the correct amount of epoxy. The majority of epoxy systems require a 2:1 volume ratio. This ratio means that for each one part hardener, you will need two parts epoxy.
However, this is not a universal epoxy scale; certain manufacturers may specify other proportions, and you can always double-check the ratio using the epoxy's instructions. Before combining products, ensure the location, substrate, and epoxy you are handling remain at a temperature of 70-75°F or 21-24°C.
Epoxy coating can improve visibility at a job site without the need for additional lighting. Its highly reflecting quality can make complex tasks easier and safer for workers and save money on electricity bills by lowering reliance on electric overhead lighting.
Start with a small batch if you have never mixed epoxy before to feel the mixing and curing process. Fill a clean plastic, metal, or wax-free paper container with the appropriate amounts of epoxy resin and hardener. Do not use glass or foam containers to avoid dangerous exothermic heat build-up.
Before you start stirring, keep in mind that if you mix epoxy too rapidly or for too long, you will introduce more air bubbles into the mix. Unfortunately, more bubbles will increase the chances of air bubbles in your final epoxy coat.
To do this right: Stir the two epoxy ingredients thoroughly for at least 1 to 3 minutes, or until the products have a uniform consistency. Scrape the sides and bottom of your container while you mix, and make sure to reach all corners with the flat end of your mixing tool. Pour the epoxy onto a roller pan as soon as possible to apply it right away, extending the Pot-life and working time.
It is vital to apply a sheer coat of epoxy before your flood epoxy coating if you apply epoxy on top of the wood, concrete, or other porous surfaces. A thin layer applied to a permeable material seals the floor coating and prevents air from escaping. After you apply your sheer epoxy finish, make sure to wait at least 6 hours.
Many epoxy formulations contain a degassing agent, which causes bubbles in the epoxy layers to rise to the top. You must be ready to torch the bubbles out before the resin hardens and solidifies if this happens. Use a low-heat heat gun and aim it parallel to the bubbled surface. Make sure you are not pointing the heat gun straight down on the bubbles; it should always be at an angle.
Epoxy flooring can tailor to the needs of those who will be using the space. Automotive showrooms, for example, require creative finishing touches that make the epoxy flooring attractive while also ensuring that it is durable enough to endure normal pressure from large vehicles. Epoxy flooring in industrial kitchens and bathrooms, on the other hand, may require moisture and chemical resistance to safeguard the building's structure and the concrete beneath the epoxy.
Thus, you should always consider the purpose of the epoxy coating before pushing through with any project.
Considering these factors will help you avoid making mistakes that could cause your epoxy resin to deteriorate. The most important thing to remember is to take your time with your endeavor. Get to know the fundamentals of epoxy floors and always start small. This consideration will not only help you avoid any missteps, but it will also allow your epoxy to apply nicely without wasting any additional epoxy or time.
Whether you are a new business, a flooring contractor, a craftsman, an artist, a DIYer, or a homeowner, Xtreme Polishing Systems has a wide range of products and vast industry experience to guide you through every step of your project. Epoxy coatings, polyaspartic/urethane topcoats, garage floor coatings, metallic epoxy, powder epoxy, and industrial glitter applications are all available from Xtreme Polishing Systems.
The company is the world’s best Metal Explosion-Proof Flooring Material supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.