How to Apply Epoxy Resins on Floors

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How to Apply Epoxy Resins on Floors
Floor Preparation Clean the floor with a
broom or shop vacuum. Add a few drops of dish
detergent to a scrub bucket full of water or add
commercial concrete floor degreaser to the water,
mixing to manufacturers specifications. Scrub
the floor and then rinse it with clean water.
Allow the floor to dry. Repair any cracks or
damaged areas in the floor with concrete floor
repair compound. Work the mixture into the cracks
and smooth the surface with a putty knife. Allow
the repaired cracks time to dry completely before
proceeding.
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Mix 1 part muriatic acid with 3 parts water.
This mixture helps roughen the surface of the
concrete to provide a good bond with the epoxy
resin. The typical application rate is roughly
one gallon of acid mixture to 75 square feet of
concrete. Cover the concrete slab with acid
mixture by pouring it from the container, but do
not allow the mixture to puddle. Work the acid
mixture into the surface of the concrete with a
stiff-bristled broom. Rinse the floor
thoroughly with clean water from a garden hose
after the acid mixture sets for 15 minutes. Mop
excess water from the floor. Allow the concrete
slab to completely dry before proceeding. Attach
painters tape around the perimeter of the floor
for all areas where you dont want the epoxy
resin to touch.

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Installation of Epoxy resin Stir floor primer
with a paddle attachment for a drill. Stir slowly
to avoid creating bubbles in the primer. Pour the
primer on the floor. Work the primer onto the
entire slab with a long-handled paint roller. Use
a paintbrush in tight areas. Allow the primer to
dry overnight. Mix the epoxy resin portion of
the floor coating with a paddle attachment, then
mix the hardener portion. Some products simply
label the two parts as A and B. Pour half of
the epoxy mixture into a container and then add
half of the hardener. Mix these two together with
the paddle mixer, keeping a low speed to avoid
bubbles.

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Pour the mixture onto half of the concrete
slab. Work the epoxy resin into all portions of
that half with a long-handled paint roller. Use a
paintbrush to get into areas you cannot reach
with the roller. If you are adding decorative
flakes, sprinkle them on the damp surface. If
possible, gently toss the flakes into the air and
allow them to rain down from a height of about 3
feet onto the surface. This gives you more
complete coverage than if you try to sow the
flakes like you would grass seed. Allow the epoxy
resin to dry for 12 to 24 hours. Repeat the
previous step for the other half of the concrete
slab. When it dries, vacuum the surface to remove
any flakes that did not stick. Mix clear
topcoat sealer with a paddle mixer. Add in
nonslip aggregate at the rate of one package per
gallon of sealer. Pour the sealer onto the floor
and work it in with a long-handled paint roller.
Apply sealer in tight areas with a paintbrush.
Keep the sealer stirred as you apply it or the
aggregate will settle to the bottom of the can.
Allow the sealer to dry overnight.

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Things Required

Commercial concrete floor degreaser Broom
Concrete floor repair compound Dish
detergent Epoxy resin floor coating
Scrub brush Clear topcoat sealer
Mop Paddle mixer
attachment Putty knife
Long-handled paint roller
Muriatic acid Stiff-bristled broom
Primer Paintbrush
Nonslip aggregate Mixing
container Painters
tape Drill
Shop vacuum Bucket
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Tips Apply epoxy resin to the floor when
the temperature ranges between 50 and 90 degrees
Fahrenheit. For drying efficiency, work when the
relative humidity is below 80 percent. A quick
way to test the moisture of a concrete slab is to
seal all edges of a sheet of plastic placed on
the concrete. If moisture gathers under the
plastic within a 24-hour period, the slab may be
too damp to apply epoxy resin. A moisture test
kit can verify the findings with greater
accuracy. If you prefer not to use muriatic
acid to etch the floor, sand the top surface of
the floor with a floor sander with medium-grit
paper. Rinse the floor well before proceeding.

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Warnings Wear protective eyewear, gloves and
boots when working with muriatic acid. Take care
not to splash the acid mixture as you use
it. Soak outdoor plants, driveways and walkways
with water near where you are using muriatic
acid. As you rinse the acid out of the floor
area, there is less likelihood of damage to wet
items. Complete this project in a
well-ventilated area.
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