Concrete Flooring – Tips For Choosing The Right Coating
By: Tom "The DIY Guy" WesleyConcrete flooring in the garage, shed or workroom tend to receive lots of traffic. Unless you cover them with the right paint, their appearance can become stained and unattractive in a relatively short amount of time. The right coating on your concrete flooring adds the finishing touch to any concrete floor. Because concrete is porous, any concrete floor that is subjected to the wear and tear of pedestrian traffic, automobile wheels, oil, gas or other chemical drippings can benefit from concrete floor coating.
There are several things to consider prior to choosing a specific concrete floor paint product. Is the concrete floor free from dirt, debris and stains and any other signs of cracking or pock marks that might interfere with the paint’s ability to adhere to the surface? How much traffic a floor receives, especially from vehicles driving onto and off of the surface, will help you determine if you need a heavy-duty concrete floor coating designed to protect the surface from heavy impacts and shocks.
Do you want your concrete flooring to have a decorative appearance once the paint has been applied, ranging from color and gloss to decorative texture such as a marbled or speckled appearance? What are you expecting in the way of life expectancy from the floor paint you apply? Are will willing to paint on an annual basis or do you want to apply the paint and not worry about its durability for years to come? Are you willing to spend more of your budget to apply a thicker, better quality paint rather than apply a less-expensive thinner application that will not last or wear nearly as long? Can the flooring you are painting sit idle for several days or must your paint choice be based on the fastest drying product available for quick turnaround? Since some paints are temperature sensitive, be sure the coating you select is designed to cure properly for current weather and temperature conditions.
When considering a specific paint for your concrete flooring, there are four characteristics you should know: its thickness, its polymer type such as epoxy, acrylic, polyurethane or vinyl ester, its final appearance (decorative or functional), and its final surface texture ( glossy, smooth or textured). These serve as the final yardstick for whether or not a particular coating will meet or surpass your expectations for the project you have in mind.
Look first at epoxy formula paints which are among the most popular for concrete floor applications. They have numerous beneficial features most projects need, including no solvents, excellent adhesion, and good resistance to repeated exposure to abrasions and chemicals.
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Tags: concrete floor, concrete floor paint, concrete flooring, concrete floors, concrete paint