Epoxy Concrete Paint

Have you seen driftwood on the beach or by the lake or a tumbled rock on your nature walk? These are not painted but still they show off their personality. How about an unpainted concrete wall or floor? It just looks like what it is, a concrete surface. Drab, gray and truly uninspiring. Any person who is sensitive to colors and patterns may find it very difficult to live with it unless his life depends on it. A simple solution is to paint it and that too, with epoxy concrete paint to make it last. It is a type of coating which can do much more than just impart the concrete surface or flooring, a personality.

Epoxy Paint for Concrete

Similar to other epoxy products, the concrete coating is also a two-component system: a resin and a hardener with color added to give the mixture a coveted finish. Because of its benefits, the paint scores heavily over the traditional paint used for the concrete surfaces. When the resin and hardener components of the coating are mixed, the chemical reaction that occurs makes it resistant to acid, heat, rust, chemicals and corrosion. It also makes it resistant to wears due to vehicular and foot traffic by forming a tough and impenetrable layer on the surface. This quality of the epoxy paint makes it a perfect choice for many. Application of the coating for concrete floors can be usually seen in commercial establishments such as a garage, and show rooms, where cleanliness and the overall glossy look, right from the floor to the ceiling, matters a lot. These facilities really love the quality of the epoxy paint of resisting almost all types of stains. Medical and research facilities also favor applying this paint on the floor because epoxy coatings with concrete floor form a surface that is seamless from wall to wall which denies microbes such as bacteria, mold, yeast and viruses any hiding place. This makes it very easy to sanitize and neutralize the floor such as in an operation theater or cell research laboratory.

Who Can Use Epoxy Paints

The type of paint to use depends on the function of the place where it is to be applied. For homes, water based epoxy paints are used and the concrete painting ideas adopted for homes remains fresh for a longer time. On the other hand, industrial establishments prefer to use wholly solid coatings which gives them a really tough floor which can resist almost all kinds of damage to it. There is yet another type of epoxy that is prepared by mixing the components with the various chemical solvents and is most preferred for light commercial applications.

Application of the Epoxy Concrete Paint

As your overall goal is to improve the look of the place by applying this paint, care must be taken to prepare the surface to be painted. It is very important that such a surface must be dry, otherwise, the moisture escaping from it will build up under the coat of epoxy paint and in time ruin it. If it is the newly laid concrete floor, one is planning to treat, then he must wait at least 28 days before proceeding with the task of applying epoxy concrete coating to it. Even then, the task must be started only after checking for any leakage of moisture from the concrete floor and taking proper steps to seal the floor to prevent future problems. If one is beautifying an old concrete floor it is essential that he must pay attention to floor cleaning and clean it of grease stains found on any garage floor, dust and other debris. It is also necessary to fill all the cracks in it properly. After thoroughly washing all types of concrete stains off the floor, one must wait for it to dry completely before applying the paint. If the existing concrete floor is already painted then knowing how to remove paint from concrete may be really useful DIY enthusiasts.

Leaving a concrete floor unpainted in a modern facility is as good as leaving a blemish on it. By proper application of epoxy concrete coating on it, you can make it a complete entity. One must be aware that once applied, epoxy concrete paint is very hard to remove, so be careful with the color combination and the design patterns you select to execute. One must use a face mask and maintain proper ventilation as precautionary measures, before proceeding with the task of painting a concrete floor or walls.