By Guest Author: By Mike Spadaccini
There are two competing products in the garage floor coating industry: the traditional applied epoxy/polyurethane coatings, and the relatively newer polyurea coatings. First, the coatings are chemically related; they share a common chemistry.
Both coatings have remarkable adhesion properties, and are very durable, at least compared to typical paint products. Another introductory point is that although advertised as "polyureas", garage floor polyurea products are really hybrids. A pure polyurea cures in 15 seconds or so--obviously not very easy to apply unless it is sprayed. Pure polyureas are sprayed, and used in industrial applications.
Strenghth and Adhesion
Adhesion is important because garage floors take a beating. If the adhesion between coating and cement floor fails, then the project fails. Both polyureas and epoxies adhere tenaciously to the surfaces to which they are applied-but only when the underlying surface is prepared well.
The problem with polyureas is that the reduced drying time may not sufficiently "wet" the concrete surface to which it is applied. This wetting of a surface means absorption, which means adhesion. We know that Premier Garage uses some form of hybrid, and the recent lawsuit brought by some of its franchisees involved, as one of its claims, allegations that PremierGarage's hybrid products lack adhesion.
It's only an allegation though, and I would suspect that the problem may lie in the surface preparation, rather than the coating properties. Here in Austin, the one Premier Garage installation I observed was prepared with an acid solution, and not with a physical grinder. That's a recipe for disaster--the best preparation is always surface grinding.
All in all, polyurea hybrids and epoxy coatings, when applied over well-prepared surfaces, have more than adequate adhesion properties to adhere to even imperfect concrete for at least a decade.
Both coatings have remarkable adhesion properties, and are very durable, at least compared to typical paint products. Another introductory point is that although advertised as "polyureas", garage floor polyurea products are really hybrids. A pure polyurea cures in 15 seconds or so--obviously not very easy to apply unless it is sprayed. Pure polyureas are sprayed, and used in industrial applications.
Strenghth and Adhesion
Adhesion is important because garage floors take a beating. If the adhesion between coating and cement floor fails, then the project fails. Both polyureas and epoxies adhere tenaciously to the surfaces to which they are applied-but only when the underlying surface is prepared well.
The problem with polyureas is that the reduced drying time may not sufficiently "wet" the concrete surface to which it is applied. This wetting of a surface means absorption, which means adhesion. We know that Premier Garage uses some form of hybrid, and the recent lawsuit brought by some of its franchisees involved, as one of its claims, allegations that PremierGarage's hybrid products lack adhesion.
It's only an allegation though, and I would suspect that the problem may lie in the surface preparation, rather than the coating properties. Here in Austin, the one Premier Garage installation I observed was prepared with an acid solution, and not with a physical grinder. That's a recipe for disaster--the best preparation is always surface grinding.
All in all, polyurea hybrids and epoxy coatings, when applied over well-prepared surfaces, have more than adequate adhesion properties to adhere to even imperfect concrete for at least a decade.
Mike Spadaccini is a master epoxy flooring installer with Garage and Storage Plus - Floors & Garage Storage Racks, an Austin-based Garage Improvement company.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_SpadacciniArticle Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1069122
Garage Shapeups installs polyurea flooring in Birmingham, Alabama, Huntsville, Alabama and Chattanooga Tennessee. Visit these site for more information:
Birmingham
http://birminghamstorageandflooring.weebly.com/
Huntsville
http://huntsvillestorageandflooring.weebly.com/garage-shelving.html
Chattanooga
http://chattanoogastoragesolutions.weebly.com/
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Epoxy coatings are frequently sold in kits that include everything you need. Once you've made your choice, decide if you need to order more materials. The majority of ordinary kits only come with enough epoxy paint and topcoat for one coat, despite manufacturers' suggestions for two coats. Determine how far you'll spread color flakes throughout the floor if you decide to do so in order to assist mask the inherent flaws in concrete so you don't run out of material. Additionally, to make cleaning the garage simpler, you might want to think about covering the vertical surfaces an additional few inches higher if your garage's base rises above grade at the bottom of the walls. Next, choose whether or not to apply anti-skid granules, which give the completed floor a sandpaper-like texture.
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The comparison between Epoxy and Polyaspartic Floor Coating is informative. Polyaspartic stands out with its quick curing and excellent durability for garage floors. A great read for garage owners. 🚗🔧
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