Why Applying Epoxy Floor Coating Requires Professional Level Services

As epoxy flooring has risen in popularity, so too has the DIY epoxy floor coating kits retailers sell to get a piece of the profit-pie. It seems so easy to do; it’s poured as a liquid and cures in a matter of days. Simple, right?

Wrong. This is another common epoxy flooring myth. There’s a reason entire businesses and core services have been created specifically for installing epoxy floor coatings.

Epoxy floors are unrivaled in their durability, slip-resistance, minimal maintenance needs, cost-effectiveness, protective properties, and 10-15 year lifespan. However, you’ll only enjoy this if it is industrial-grade quality, cured in the right temperatures, and prepped, applied, and layered correctly.

Professional services are a must to enjoy the many benefits epoxy floor coatings have to offer. Without them, you’re opening yourself up to possible risks. Let me break them down for you.

Improper Surface Preparation

Properly prepping your surface is the most important step in laying an epoxy floor coating successfully. Otherwise, the epoxy won’t adhere or cure properly, and may even set with dirt and debris permanently locked inside.

Your floor will need to be thoroughly cleaned with force, repaired, and depending on the type, sandblasted or acid etched. Concrete floors, in particular, are the number one reason DIY epoxy flooring kits fail.

Concrete is porous, meaning it easily and quickly absorbs liquids, oils, contaminants, dirt, and stains. Cleaning concrete to prepare it for an epoxy coating requires more than a simple scrub; it needs industrial-strength equipment and detergent. And if it’s cracked or crumbling, it can’t be sanded.

Professional epoxy floor services involve surface preparation and repairs. They have the tools, know-how, and experience to properly prepare your surface and repair any problems to ensure the epoxy coating adheres and cures correctly.

Mixing Mistakes

If you don’t mix the epoxy coating according to the correct ratios and timing, you’ll have a sticky mess on your hands that won’t cure.

Highly sensitive scales are used to ensure precise ratios are used when mixing each component. Ratios will also differ based on the surface the epoxy is being applied and the temperature of the day.

It’s also incredibly easy to introduce air into the mixture, which leaves stubborn air bubbles that will cure.

Incorrect Temperature

Different epoxy floor coatings cure at different temperatures, and the level of humidity significantly influences curing. Depending on the weather and humidity levels, your epoxy coating may take days to cure – if at all!

Professional epoxy floor services are performed by trained, experienced industrial painters who know precisely the right temperature, time of day, and humidity to work in.

Disappointing Durability

DIY epoxy floor kits are affordable for a reason; their formula is much more diluted that consists of more fillers than high-quality epoxy resin. On top of this, they also don’t include grout coatings and sealers, which are vital for its durability and easy maintenance.

Unfortunately, this has resulted in many home and business owners being left with an epoxy floor that cannot withstand the test of time, our worst weather conditions, high traffic, heavy vehicles, chemical spills, and more.

In fact, the contractors at Diotte Coating Services have had many callouts for situations like this where reapplying or even removal for proper surface preparation is necessary.

If you too have fallen victim to the allure of these epoxy floor kits or would like to get it done right the first time, please feel free to contact us. We’ve been installing epoxy flooring for over 25 years and specialise in multiple surface preparation methods.