Applying epoxy paints yourself shouldn’t be a daunting task and it isn’t if you do your research and follow the instructions set down by the manufacturer. But not everything can fit on the side of a can label so that’s why there are Technical Data Sheets (TDS) and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) to refer to. On our website you can down load them.
“Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.” Confucius.
This is probably the most important piece of advice we can give you – preparation is key so spend the time and you won’t be disappointed.
So you have a floor that needs painting whether it’s a factory floor, your garage at home or at work or your place of business and you want something that’s going to last then epoxies are a great choice.
Generally your floor will fall under one of these categories below;
Existing bare concrete – Dry and greater than 28 days old. No oil/ grease contamination
Ensure the substrate is clean, dry and free of loose material, dust and contamination. You have the choice of using a chemical acid etch liquid or by a physical method such as sanding, diamond grinding, shot blasting or scabbling. But if the concrete is clean and dust free then brushing and vacuuming will be sufficient to apply two coats of floor paint.
Existing bare concrete – Dry and greater than 28 days old with oil/ grease contamination
Particular attention should be made to degreasing surfaces before application if the substrate is contaminated. Use an industrial degreaser and apply on the floor. Scrub with a brush and remove by vacuum. Wash/rinse repeatedly and vacuum again. Repeat as is necessary until contamination free. The floor must be allowed to dry. Fill any voids and surface imperfections with Resient Grout Filler.
Previously coated surfaces
If the floor has been previously painted then there are a few rules to follow and they are very important.
If applying over an existing coating, identify the type of coating. Unsure then it is advisable to remove it by sanding. If you suspect that the coating is a polyurethane or an acrylic then remove it completely by sanding, grit blasting or scabbling. Tool hire stores in your area do have floor preparation equipment in stock more often than not but so check and book them. All epoxies have a higher adhesive strength and may ‘pull’ polyurethane or acrylic coatings off. We have seen this happen. Epoxy on Epoxy is fine provided it is well adhered but you still need to sand it to provide a mechanical key. Remove any contaminants, oil/grease using a light degreaser and use a physical preparation method. Do not use a solvent to clean a previously painted floor as it may soften the existing coating and you’ll do more harm than good.
New Concrete
New concrete should be allowed to cure and dry for a minimum of 28 days. Moisture is still evaporating from the concrete and the moisture is drawing salts to the surface too which will interfere with paint adhesion so be patient and wait. Power floated floors are very ‘closed’ surfaces so most definitely fall under a preparation method. If you apply a paint on to a power floated floor without the recommended preparation then it is highly probable that the paint will start peeling, even after a short time. Screeded and power floated floors should be prepared using a physical method as mentioned above. You do have the option to acid etch though but see below.
Do I use a chemical etch or a physical method?
To etch or not to etch that is the question. There are pro’s and con’s and it does depend on budget and site factors. Acid etching is a cheaper option if you have the time. It dissolves the cement at the immediate surface of the floor and creates a profile or mechanical key ready to accept the coating. Do bear in mind, the process wets the floor and introduces acid (dilute hydrochloric, phosphoric) that must be neutralised prior to washing in to a drain. Over application and floor contact can weaken the floor. Concrete is not consistent and so too neither will be your etching. The floor will need to be allowed to dry which is added down time so a good time to do this is warm weather.
Physical preparation can often be a better choice if downtime is an issue. Scabbling, shot blasting, or diamond grinding. The advantage is a guaranteed profile, removal of dirt, laitance (salts) and loose and previously painted material. The floor is dry and even. Any flaws or unevenness in the floor will be exposed and can be repaired in a timely manner. There is no environmental concern and no down time on drying the floor.
Do I need to apply a primer?
Priming is only necessary on bare, very porous and or dusty floors. Assess the porosity of the floor first. A quick and easy way to access this is to pour a little water on the floor and observe the speed at which it disappears. Slow means no primer required, fast means primer very necessary and when no water at all penetrates then you definitely should consider physical sanding or chemical etching. Very porous floors can be primed with Resient SF or WB Primer. Existing concrete floors, prepared as below do not usually need priming. Damp substrates can be primed with a Resient Damp Tolerant Primer.
What do I do if my floor is damp?
If the floor is slightly damp but not wet then applying a water based epoxy primer, followed by two coloured topcoats will usually be sufficient. However if a more robust option is required then apply a DPM coating followed by the compatible topcoats may be necessary. A good way to access damp is to tape down a square piece of clear plastic (15cm x 15cm – roughly) on to the floor with waterproof tape. Do this in a few areas. Check in a few days for moisture. If there is little or none present then you are free to proceed. However, if the plastic and floor patched area is wet then contact us for advice.
How do I mix epoxy paint?
Before you start mixing try to have some help available. One can ‘cut in’ and mix paint while the other applies paint with a roller. This is particularly important if you are doing a larger project than say a single car garage.
Epoxies are a two pack paint and so come with a base (A Pack) and activator (B Pack). It is important to combine these thoroughly. Small packs like 1 Litre capacity sizes can be mixed with a paint stick but larger – 2.5L and 5L should be thoroughly mixed using a drill and paddle. Paddles are most often supplied with the paint so just ask for one if you need it.
OK so your preparation is done and you’re ready to go…read the instructions again and follow the steps. This helps trust me.
Mix the A Pack thoroughly. Pour the complete contents of the B Pack into the larger A Pack. Mix thoroughly with a drill and paddle for a minimum of three minutes to ensure uniformity. Pay attention to mixing the sides and base of the container. Once mixed, the resin and activator start reacting. You have a specified amount of time to use the coating. This is the Pot Life. A large volume in a paint tin plus generated heat of reaction will speed the reaction up and reduce pot life. By pouring into several roller trays, it will heat to dissipate heat and so help to maintain the quoted pot life and the time you have to apply it. Once that quoted time has elapsed, you should cease painting with that particular tin and mix a new one.
APPLICATION
If it’s a small project then a brush and roller will suffice. A 2” brush and a 9” medium pile good quality roller will do the job.
Hint:- Defloc the roller before hand by running it along some 2” parcel tape. This removes any loose fibres etc that will get in to the paint and then on the floor.
Apply the first coat. Use a brush to ‘cut in’. Use a medium pile roller for the main body of coating. Wait the designated time before applying the second coat which is normally 24 hours. If the coating is ‘tacky’ to the touch then leave it longer.
How long should I wait between coats?
This is an important question and worth singling out. Epoxies generally take the second coat after the first is touch dry. This is normally quoted as being 24 hours. The reason for this is that there is some chance of chemical inter-coat adhesion and more importantly, the first coat has not been allowed to become so hard that it reduces the second coats ability to ‘key’ in. But if temperatures drop on the day of application and or overnight then the coating might still be tacky. If it is then you have two options; 1. Elevate the ambient temperature with a heater or 2. Wait until the coating is tack free which really should not take any more than 36 hours from time of first applying. If for some reason you are delayed (past 48 hours in warm temperatures) from applying the second coat then simply lightly sand the coating to provide that mechanical key. Brush, vacuum and wipe with a clean towel before applying the second coat.
How long should I wait before I can walk on the floor?
This information is available on the TDS for that particular product. It can vary because of temperature though but the longer the better. If it’s warm (200C) then perhaps as little as 3 days. If it’s colder then 5 -7 days might be called for.
How do I clean and maintain an epoxy floor?
Brush or vacuum regularly. When washing, use clean warm water and a neutral floor cleaner. Try not to use acid based or other harsh cleaners. Epoxies are robust but why attack and prematurely wear your floor needlessly. A microfibre mop is a good option to get a streak free floor. If your floor has anti slip aggregate then a mop is not quite going to cut it. Wet the floor, use a soft bristled deck brush to loosen dirt, sweep the excess away and remove the rest with a vacuum and allowed to dry.
Previously coated surfaces
If the floor has been previously painted then there are a few rules to follow and they are very important.
If applying over an existing coating, identify the type of coating. Unsure then it is advisable to remove it by sanding. If you suspect that the coating is a polyurethane or an acrylic then remove it completely by sanding, grit blasting or scabbling. Tool hire stores in your area do have floor preparation equipment in stock more often than not but so check and book them. All epoxies have a higher adhesive strength and may ‘pull’ polyurethane or acrylic coatings off. We have seen this happen. Epoxy on Epoxy is fine provided it is well adhered but you still need to sand it to provide a mechanical key. Remove any contaminants, oil/grease using a light degreaser and use a physical preparation method. Do not use a solvent to clean a previously painted floor as it may soften the existing coating and you’ll do more harm than good.
New Concrete
New concrete should be allowed to cure and dry for a minimum of 28 days. Moisture is still evaporating from the concrete and the moisture is drawing salts to the surface too which will interfere with paint adhesion so be patient and wait. Power floated floors are very ‘closed’ surfaces so most definitely fall under a preparation method. If you apply a paint on to a power floated floor without the recommended preparation then it is highly probable that the paint will start peeling, even after a short time. Screeded and power floated floors should be prepared using a physical method as mentioned above. You do have the option to acid etch though but see below.
Do I use a chemical etch or a physical method?
To etch or not to etch that is the question. There are pro’s and con’s and it does depend on budget and site factors. Acid etching is a cheaper option if you have the time. It dissolves the cement at the immediate surface of the floor and creates a profile or mechanical key ready to accept the coating. Do bear in mind, the process wets the floor and introduces acid (dilute hydrochloric, phosphoric) that must be neutralised prior to washing in to a drain. Over application and floor contact can weaken the floor. Concrete is not consistent and so too neither will be your etching. The floor will need to be allowed to dry which is added down time so a good time to do this is warm weather.
Physical preparation can often be a better choice if downtime is an issue. Scabbling, shot blasting, or diamond grinding. The advantage is a guaranteed profile, removal of dirt, laitance (salts) and loose and previously painted material. The floor is dry and even. Any flaws or unevenness in the floor will be exposed and can be repaired in a timely manner. There is no environmental concern and no down time on drying the floor.
Do I need to apply a primer?
Priming is only necessary on bare, very porous and or dusty floors. Assess the porosity of the floor first. A quick and easy way to access this is to pour a little water on the floor and observe the speed at which it disappears. Slow means no primer required, fast means primer very necessary and when no water at all penetrates then you definitely should consider physical sanding or chemical etching. Very porous floors can be primed with Resient SF or WB Primer. Existing concrete floors, prepared as below do not usually need priming. Damp substrates can be primed with a Resient Damp Tolerant Primer.
What do I do if my floor is damp?
If the floor is slightly damp but not wet then applying a water based epoxy primer, followed by two coloured topcoats will usually be sufficient. However if a more robust option is required then apply a DPM coating followed by the compatible topcoats may be necessary. A good way to access damp is to tape down a square piece of clear plastic (15cm x 15cm – roughly) on to the floor with waterproof tape. Do this in a few areas. Check in a few days for moisture. If there is little or none present then you are free to proceed. However, if the plastic and floor patched area is wet then contact us for advice.
How do I mix epoxy paint?
Before you start mixing try to have some help available. One can ‘cut in’ and mix paint while the other applies paint with a roller. This is particularly important if you are doing a larger project than say a single car garage.
Epoxies are a two pack paint and so come with a base (A Pack) and activator (B Pack). It is important to combine these thoroughly. Small packs like 1 Litre capacity sizes can be mixed with a paint stick but larger – 2.5L and 5L should be thoroughly mixed using a drill and paddle. Paddles are most often supplied with the paint so just ask for one if you need it.
OK so your preparation is done and you’re ready to go…read the instructions again and follow the steps. This helps trust me.
Mix the A Pack thoroughly. Pour the complete contents of the B Pack into the larger A Pack. Mix thoroughly with a drill and paddle for a minimum of three minutes to ensure uniformity. Pay attention to mixing the sides and base of the container. Once mixed, the resin and activator start reacting. You have a specified amount of time to use the coating. This is the Pot Life. A large volume in a paint tin plus generated heat of reaction will speed the reaction up and reduce pot life. By pouring into several roller trays, it will heat to dissipate heat and so help to maintain the quoted pot life and the time you have to apply it. Once that quoted time has elapsed, you should cease painting with that particular tin and mix a new one.
APPLICATION
If it’s a small project then a brush and roller will suffice. A 2” brush and a 9” medium pile good quality roller will do the job.
Hint:- Defloc the roller before hand by running it along some 2” parcel tape. This removes any loose fibres etc that will get in to the paint and then on the floor.
Apply the first coat. Use a brush to ‘cut in’. Use a medium pile roller for the main body of coating. Wait the designated time before applying the second coat which is normally 24 hours. If the coating is ‘tacky’ to the touch then leave it longer.
How long should I wait between coats?
This is an important question and worth singling out. Epoxies generally take the second coat after the first is touch dry. This is normally quoted as being 24 hours. The reason for this is that there is some chance of chemical inter-coat adhesion and more importantly, the first coat has not been allowed to become so hard that it reduces the second coats ability to ‘key’ in. But if temperatures drop on the day of application and or overnight then the coating might still be tacky. If it is then you have two options; 1. Elevate the ambient temperature with a heater or 2. Wait until the coating is tack free which really should not take any more than 36 hours from time of first applying. If for some reason you are delayed (past 48 hours in warm temperatures) from applying the second coat then simply lightly sand the coating to provide that mechanical key. Brush, vacuum and wipe with a clean towel before applying the second coat.
How long should I wait before I can walk on the floor?
This information is available on the TDS for that particular product. It can vary because of temperature though but the longer the better. If it’s warm (200C) then perhaps as little as 3 days. If it’s colder then 5 -7 days might be called for.
How do I clean and maintain an epoxy floor?
Brush or vacuum regularly. When washing, use clean warm water and a neutral floor cleaner. Try not to use acid based or other harsh cleaners. Epoxies are robust but why attack and prematurely wear your floor needlessly. A microfibre mop is a good option to get a streak free floor. If your floor has anti slip aggregate then a mop is not quite going to cut it. Wet the floor, use a soft bristled deck brush to loosen dirt, sweep the excess away and remove the rest with a vacuum and allowed to dry.
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