Choosing the Right Garage Floor System

Installing a garage floor system can be a great way to improve the look of your garage while also helping protect your floor. Many garage floor coatings are now available, so it is important to make sure you take care in considering which type of system is the right choice for your needs.

Epoxy garage floor coatings are a popular choice because they provide a durable finish that is capable of lasting for many years. In addition, epoxy floor coatings are chemical- and wear-resistant, which means they are ideal for garages that receive a lot of traffic and/or where maintenance and repair services are performed. Regardless of how careful you may be in your garage, it is inevitable that spills will occur. The last thing you want to have happen is a bubble to appear on your floor and begin to peel if you should happen to spill brake fluid or gasoline on it.

In choosing a garage floor system, it is important to be aware that epoxy coatings are comprised of two parts: a hardener and a resin. The resin on its own is not durable and would never be able to stand up to a lot of traffic. When the resin is mixed with a hardener, however, a chemical reaction occurs that makes the flooring surface incredibly strong.

One of the most important things to be considered when choosing a garage floor system is the level of VOCs in the epoxy coating. VOC refers to volatile organic compounds. Numerous types of VOCs exist. The reason that VOCs are important when it comes to choosing a flooring system is that garages are typically enclosed. Some types of epoxy garage floor systems have very low VOC levels. These types of coatings are typically water-based. While they are not as durable as a solvent-based product, they are usually sufficient for the home garage. Call us today to talk about your garage floor.

Improving the Beauty and Value of Your Home with Decorative Concrete Flooring

Interior concrete flooring can be durable as well as functional and beautiful. Whether you own a home or a business, you know how important flooring is. It is the first thing that most people notice when they enter a room. The value of making a good first impression simply cannot be overstated.

The options available for concrete flooring are now so varied that both homeowners and business owners can achieve practically any look they desire, either with an existing concrete floor or with new concrete flooring.

A Wide Array of Options Available for Decorative Concrete Flooring

At Concrete Coatings Unlimited, we specialize in transforming boring, grey concrete into a true work of art. Whether you want your floor to mimic the look of natural stone or tile, or you are interested in acid staining your existing concrete flooring, possibilities are practically limitless. It is even possible to have a custom logo incorporated into the design of your concrete floor, an option that is ideal for local businesses to improve branding and recognition.

For property owners who have a concrete floor that has seen better days, rejuvenated concrete flooring services can be an excellent solution for improving the beauty of your flooring while also saving money. No longer is it necessary to rip up an existing concrete floor and replace it with new concrete or another flooring solution simply because the concrete is cracked or otherwise damaged. Decorative concrete overlays are an excellent solution for getting rid of cracks and blemishes in your concrete floor while incorporating an entirely new design. Even better, the affordable cost of decorative concrete services means you can improve the value of your property without spending a fortune in the process.

Achieving an Aged, Mottled Look with Concrete Stain

As concrete has become a preferred medium for both indoor and outdoor applications, a variety of design options have emerged. Among the most popular design options for concrete is an aged, mottled look using the traditional concrete stain. This type of design option helps avoid the brand-new look often associated with trendy concrete designs and lends itself particularly well to properties featuring a classic design.

Applied properly, concrete stains will not peel, fade, or chip like most paints and coatings used by many. Additionally, the colors produced by this product are natural, rich and deep, mottled and variegated, creating the perfect backdrop for both commercial and retail applications.

Along with producing a beautiful antiqued effect, Vivid concrete stain is also incredibly cost efficient. When applying this concrete stain, it’s important to note that both the age of the surface concrete as well as the application methods used will have a distinct impact on the hues and tones produced. For instance, in the case of extremely old concrete, it is possible that the stain will either have no reaction at all or very little reaction. For this reason, it is important to carefully consider the condition and age of the concrete where the stain will be applied.

Cleaning the surface concrete is often a necessary prerequisite in order to achieve the desired antiqued or mottled look. In order to protect the final design, it’s important to seal the concrete using a final application of commercial grade sealer. Doing so will help to ensure that your newly stained concrete will maintain its beautiful look for many years to come as well as make the colors pop!

Gaining UV Protection with the Right Epoxy System

An epoxy system can be a great solution for a variety of applications, particularly garage floors. Depending on the type of epoxy you use, some of them may break down when exposed to direct sunlight. Much of this degradation can be attributed to the chemical structure of epoxies, which may not be stable when exposed to UV light. For this reason, epoxy systems are typically applied indoors in warehouses, factories, garages, and commercial kitchens. Even when used indoors, however, some epoxy systems can still be exposed to UV light and be vulnerable to damage.

In cases of UV exposure, epoxy systems can experience a number of issues, including yellowing. Such exposure typically occurs via windows, especially north-facing windows. Fluorescent lighting can also prove to be a source of UV exposure for epoxy systems. In the event that your floor should become damaged due to UV exposure, it can affect its value and ultimately lead to the need to replace your flooring. If the floor where the epoxy system will be applied receives a significant amount of UV exposure, you may find it to be a good idea to apply an epoxy system with UV protection.

At Concrete Coatings Unlimited, we offer UV Shield, which is comprised of 100% solids and 100% cross-linked product. One of the benefits of this product is that it can be applied to practically any surface, including stone, tile, wood, and more. It is primarily used as a clear coat over partial or full quartz or flake systems. Additionally, UV Shield can be pigmented quite easily and then used as a colored topcoat. While UV exposure may be common to epoxies, this helps ensure that you never have to worry about the effects of such exposure.

Understanding the Realities of Concrete Color Restoration

When decorative concrete is first installed, the coloring is bright, vibrant, and vivid. Unfortunately, that doesn’t last forever. Wear and tear on decorative concrete surfaces can dull even the most vivid of colors, resulting in an aged and dull look. Sun, deicing chemicals, lawn fertilizers, dirt, and foot traffic will all take their toll on concrete surfaces over the years, fading color. While proper maintenance, including periodic cleaning and resealing, can slow the process of fading, nothing can be done to completely stop it. Every five to ten years or so, the color used to create decorative concrete needs a facelift to restore its zing.

Concrete color restoration can be an excellent way to bring the vibrancy back to aging colored concrete on patios, pool decks, driveways, basement floors, garage floors, or any other type of concrete surface. Concrete color restoration often involves stripping the original protective coating with a biodegradable, water-based product and then preparing the surface to remove excess dirt or bond breaking residues. In some cases, if there are noticeable scratches, dings, or imperfections, a grinder may be used to grind the surface down to smooth, clean concrete. Depending on the product used to revitalize, a mild etching product may be applied to facilitate stain penetration. Once the concrete surface is ready, new color can be applied to restore the vibrancy of the surface. Colors can then be applied in a variety of styles, patterns, and design types.

Restoring color to concrete is much less disruptive than ripping it out and replacing it, and many times the results are nearly identical. At Concrete Coatings Unlimited, we have the experience and expertise to tackle even the toughest concrete color restoration projects. Whether your colored concrete needs a facelift after a few years of wear and tear or the color needs to be completely restored after years of neglect, we’re here to get the job done.

How Are Concrete Floor Coatings Classified?

Whether used for residential, commercial, or industrial projects, today’s concrete floor coatings are sophisticated. For optimal protection against chemicals, impact, and other types of abuse, it is essential that you choose the appropriate coating.

4 Primary Classifications

The ways that concrete floor coatings are classified include:

Thickness – Protective coatings come in different thicknesses, such as a thin film of 1 to 10 mils, a high build that ranges between 10 and 30 mils, slurries of 40 to 125 mils, and toppings/overlays that start at 125 mils and go up to 1/2 inch or thicker.

Type of Polymer – Concrete floor coatings are also classified by the type of polymer, including polyurethane, vinyl ester, epoxy, polyester, methacrylic, methyl, and others. Among thousands of unique formulations, polyurethanes and epoxies are the most preferred. For thin-film to high-build coatings, urethanes are generally used because of their superior wear and abrasion resistance as well as acceptance of chemical and stain enhancements.

Aesthetics – Because there is such a wide variety of coatings available, you can customize your floor to match the aesthetics of your home or business.

Flooring Finish – The finish is another important category; the flooring can be smooth or textured.

Other Considerations

When looking at concrete floor coatings, the type and severity of abuse are important.

1. Chemical Exposure – Chemical spills can be a problem. In choosing the best type of coating, first identify the type of chemical exposure your floor will face.

2. Abrasion – The amount of wear or traffic on the floor’s surface is extremely important; not just foot traffic but also heavy equipment and machinery traffic.

3. Impact – Along with a thicker or heavier floor system, the right floor coatings can handle impact from heavy loads.

4. Thermal Shock – Without the appropriate flooring system and coating, any type of thermal shock causes a loss of bond.

Understanding the Material Selection Process for Various Concrete Coatings

Before choosing the contractor for your project, it helps to gain some understanding of the material selection process. Companies offer a wide variety of coatings that protect concrete surfaces as well as enhance aesthetics, lengthen surface life, and change the physical performance of surfaces. With so many concrete coatings to choose from for your MN project, the material selection process is critical.

Standard Process

Surface Evaluation – The floor’s surface must be carefully evaluated to determine the appropriate method and type of coatings to use. The surface must be clean, structurally sound, uncontaminated from foreign material, and repaired to prevent interference with the coating process.

Performance Conditions – The next step in choosing MN concrete coatings involves performance conditions. In particular, the potential for chemical exposure, impacts, abrasions, and thermal shock to the surface will dictate the type of flooring system needed. After identifying the type and severity of potential abuse, the contractor will rank them to help determine the type and thickness of coating needed for the project.

Additional Considerations – Coatings do more than protect a concrete surface. Therefore, when going through the material selection process, it is important to consider overall aesthetics, the parameters for installation based on your and your contractor’s schedule, the life expectancy of the concrete, and so on.

The Bottom Line

By going through the material selection process, you will end up with the exact material needed for the job. Be sure to go over the performance characteristics, technical data, and reviews for coatings with your contractor before making your final decision.

It is also imperative to purchase the highest-quality concrete coatings for your MN project. Because Concrete Coatings Unlimited offers superior resources, talent, and training for both residential and commercial projects, you can have confidence in the material selection process and finished project.

Understanding the Material Selection Process for Various Concrete Coatings

One of the most common reasons for concrete coating failure is inadequate surface preparation. The goal is to achieve a firm mechanical bond, which is possible with a clean, dry, and defect-free concrete surface. Without proper surface preparation, failure is imminent, which is a huge waste of time and money.

Important Factors

Manufacturer’s Recommendations – To avoid concrete coating failure and prevent the risk of voiding a warranty, recommendations provided by the manufacturer must be read and followed. By having work performed by a reputable company, like Concrete Coatings Unlimited, this is never an issue.

Surface Condition Requirements – Project specifications for preparing the surface, along with required roughness, need to be identified and understood. These specifications include things like dryness, strength, and uniformity, but they also specify just how rough the surface should be prior to applying the concrete coating.

Preconstruction Meeting – To avoid the failure of a concrete coating, a preconstruction meeting between the architect, project engineer, Concrete Coatings Unlimited professional, and the home or business owner takes place. Discussions cover things like surface preparation, equipment selection, coating requirements, cleaning techniques, surface profile, product selection, and schedules, thereby ensuring everyone has a clear understanding of expectations and responsibilities.

Surface Preparation – Before a protective or decorative concrete coating is applied, the surface is properly cleaned and profiled. To remove elastomeric concrete coatings, a special machine that removes flexible and thick materials is used. By eliminating all contaminants, including dirt, debris, dust, laitance, grease/oil, efflorescence, mortar splatter, sealers, curing agents, high spots, and surface irregularities, failure is avoided. Dry grinding or shotblasting offers a quick and easy solution, but for areas without alternative cleaning methods, acid etching may be highly effective.

Moisture Testing – Prior to applying any concrete coating, a test is performed to identify the presence of moisture. If moisture content in the concrete is too high, failure may occur.

Repair Surface Defects – Using a grinder, chipper, jackhammer, or other equipment, protrusions from concrete walls are eliminated. In addition, any unsound concrete is removed and surface defects, such as spalls, cracks, holes, and honeycombed areas, are patched.