Epoxy Floors The 6 Main Causes Of Deterioration

Epoxy is one of the most popular choices of floor coatings, especially for garage floors. However, if you’ve used epoxy, you’ve likely noticed that it tends to peel away after a certain amount of time. Many homeowners are wondering what’s causing their epoxy garage floor to peel away and surprisingly enough, there are actually a number of causes for it.

In this post, Guardian Garage Tampa discusses the six possible reasons for your epoxy floor’s peeling and the alternative floor coating you can use.

1. Dirt, Grease and Oil – Before you apply your floor coating, you’ll first have to apply an acid etching solution. However, this solution doesn’t remove the oil or grease that soaked into your floor and as such, it should be completely removed before you begin. If the concrete is badly stained with oil or grease, then you’ll have to find an alternative coating as the epoxy will no longer bond properly.

2. Cleaning Residue – On the other hand, if you used chemicals to prepare your garage floor, be sure to completely remove the chemicals you used from the surface. Prevent the cleaning materials from completely drying on the surface or the coating won’t adhere properly.

3. Sealants – Sealants or concrete treatments can interfere with the epoxy’s bonding to your floor. Test if your bare concrete is treated by pouring water over it; if it beads up, it means the concrete has sealant that has to be removed before the garage floor coating can be applied to it.

4. Uncured Concrete – Alternatively, uncured concrete can also cause the epoxy to peel away. Newly poured concrete needs to cure for about a month before you can apply any form of coating to it.

5. Bad Material – If you’re using DIY epoxy kits, then it’s also likely to fail compared to kits that require mixing two parts together. Make sure to only use products that received positive reviews and have a high success rate for better results.

6. Moisture – Moisture in your concrete is often associated with the failure of epoxy garage floors since water vapor can’t pass through the coating. The hydrostatic pressure caused by the water vapor being trapped beneath the epoxy can create enough force that lifts the epoxy from the surface. With that in mind, conduct a moisture test first before applying any form of floor coating.

Alternative Floor Coating: Polyaspartic Floor Coatings

If you want a floor coating that can last longer, then polyaspartic floor coatings are often recommended for the job. It offers a great resistance to gas oil and grease, making them suitable for garage floors and has a great concrete adhesion. Should it fail to meet your expectations, don’t worry about wasting your money as many contractors, such as Guardian Garage Tampa, offer a lifetime warranty for polyaspartic floor coatings.

Make your search for garage floor companies easier by turning to Guardian Garage Tampa. We are your leading provider of durable basement flooring and patio floor coating services. Give us a call at [phone_number_tn] or [phone_number_ga]. You can also fill out our contact form to request a quote immediately.