Epoxy flooring can be an attractive and long lasting flooring option in an industrial or commercial property. But in order to achieve optimal flooring, epoxy prep is key. The epoxy flooring will only look as good and be as stable as its concrete base.
Epoxy will not generally fix issues with a floor, so if your concrete substrate is uneven, has cracks or chips out of it, or has staining, it is necessary to repair this first before putting the epoxy in place. There are a few different methods that a flooring contractor could use to prepare an existing concrete floor for epoxy installation.
How a Denver Flooring Contractor Prepares Concrete Flooring for Epoxy Installation
The epoxy prep method will depend primarily on the condition of the existing floor. If your flooring contractor lays a concrete floor during the installation process, this will often need less prep than an existing floor that may have experienced damage and wear over the years.
Based on the condition of the floor, a contractor can use any of the following options for preparing the concrete floor for epoxy coating:
- Diamond Grinding – Diamond grinding is one of the most popular methods to prepare for epoxy coating. It uses a concrete grinder with diamond studded blades that grind away the top layer of concrete. This removes contaminants on the surface and smooths out marks or cracks that may have developed in the concrete. It works well for the larger flooring surfaces in many industrial properties. A professional flooring contractor can use diamond grinding to create a flat and perfectly prepared surface.
- Shot Blasting – Like diamond grinding, the shot blasting technique also requires heavy machinery and works by pelting a surface with small metallic beads to remove different types of contaminants, damage, and stains. One benefit of this method is that it leaves less residue behind that must then be swept up before the epoxy application, but it does require a contractor to have skill and experience to avoid damage.
- Concrete Leveling – If an existing concrete surface in a warehouse or industrial plant has areas that have sunk or been pushed up by the ground below, the epoxy will have these same issues. Concrete leveling and flattening use a variety of different methods to level concrete and create the optimal surface for an epoxy installation.
- Acid Etching – This technique is more limited in use. It will not work on concrete that has been previously finished and it is only effective on newer pours to remove built up oils. It uses a degreaser to remove oil stains and then an acid mixture to texturize the surface of concrete so that the epoxy can adhere to it. Because finish has many limitations, it is more often used for DIY projects or smaller spaces.
Colorado Concrete Repair is a concrete and epoxy flooring specialist for commercial properties in Denver, Aurora, Commerce City, and the surrounding area.
Our epoxy flooring installation process starts with expert epoxy prep or installation of a concrete base that will ensure that your floor has the right characteristics to support a long lasting epoxy coating. We use state of the art equipment and our experienced eye for detail to be sure that we prepare your floor correctly.
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If you’re looking for concrete floor refinishing, concrete staining, epoxy coatings, concrete repair or other services, our team can provide high-quality, effective solutions for commercial and industrial companies in Denver, Colorado, and the surrounding areas.
Give us a call at (720) 835-1013, or fill out the form below to get started today!
