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Commercial Epoxy Flooring Doesn’t have to Cost a Fortune but can Last a Lifetime

 in Application Tips / Commercial Epoxy Flooring  tagged commercial epoxy floor coating / commercial epoxy floor paint / commercial epoxy flooring / commercial epoxy flooring cost / commercial epoxy flooring for sale / commercial epoxy flooring price / commercial epoxy paint by

Commercial Epoxy Flooring

How do you define a lifetime in a business? Is it the number of products you sell? The number of customers you please? The positive reviews and testimonials that you receive? No matter how you actually define the life of your business, the one thing you never want to measure it in, is the number of times that the concrete floor in your shop fails. https://blog.armorgarage.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=204&action=edit. This is where good commercial epoxy flooring can really make a difference.

Concrete – A Delicate Material

Commercial Epoxy FlooringWhen you think of concrete, you probably don’t think of it being fragile, but let’s be honest, it is. You can scratch it, crack it, and cause all sorts of other damage. Most commonly, these floors are corroded from salts or chemicals, which commonly make appearances in commercial facilities. You could be running an auto repair company, a private jet service, or any number of other industries that require the use of commercial epoxy floor coating. You know exactly what you need to do in order to protect your floor, but how do you go about it, and is it going to be expensive?

You’ve probably heard of epoxy, but you have probably also heard that it is indeed expensive. Products like Armor II are not prohibitively expensive, though we’re not going to say that they won’t lighten your wallet a little bit. The thing is, however, that it will be more expensive in the long run to go without it. What must be understood, is that a damaged concrete floor is going to cost you a lot of money to fix, while a simple coat of epoxy and topcoat is a one-time expense for the next ten to fifteen years. Which would you rather spend your money on?

The Magic of Epoxy

There are many things that a coat of epoxy will do for you. First of all, it’s going to protect your floor against scratches, which is a great thing in and of itself. Secondly, it will help to reject moisture, which is something that many concrete floor owners never actually think about. Concrete is porous, and it absorbs water like nobody’s business. What does that mean to you exactly? It means that as you concrete absorbs water it can expand, it can crack, and it can become pitted If you apply epoxy, however, you can prevent all of that very easily.

Epoxy will cover the floor, it will provide a beautiful high gloss showroom finish, and overall, it will ensure that you don’t have any damage for the foreseeable future. This is a great way to avoid spending more money on your floor than you have to, especially if it sees a lot of traffic.

Commercial epoxy floor coatings have many other benefits, for example, because of the moisture proof seal, it will have the ability to reject chemical spills that might have damaged the integrity of your slab and necessitated an entirely new pour. Their high gloss finish will brighten up any work space. Having your customers seeing and walking on a showroom finish greatly improves the image of your business. As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to consider the installation of an epoxy coating, and choosing the right one is paramount.

Getting the Right Epoxy Coating

ArmorGarageThere are obviously many different types of epoxy floor out there for you to consider, but the most important thing that you can do is choose one that is suited for the commercial industry. There are so many different types of floors that need epoxy coatings, from hangars, to show rooms, laboratories, and of course repair shops. You will find that there are more benefits than just durability, however. For example, an epoxy floor will make the room brighter, make the floor slip resistant, easier to keep and clean, and most importantly, it’s going to make the rest of your facility look better .

Is that really something that you want to miss out on? Probably not! If you’re ready to make yours a great place to work, then this would probably be a great time to take a look at the website and view the different types of epoxy floor coatings that are available. Remember, you never want to choose the cheaper, lesser epoxy flooring that they sell in retail stores – always go for the best, and treat your floor the way it deserves to be.

 

The Best Commercial Epoxy Flooring for Car Showrooms

 in Application Tips  tagged commercial epoxy floor coating / commercial epoxy floor paint / commercial epoxy flooring / commercial epoxy flooring cost / commercial epoxy flooring for sale / commercial epoxy flooring price / commercial epoxy paint by

Best Commercial Epoxy Flooring

Commercial Epoxy FlooringCar showrooms present a particular challenge in that you need to be able to park your vehicles inside them, but there is little doubt that they can cause problems for your floor. Even the sturdiest of concrete floors are going to have their fair share of difficulties, and for a few different reasons. First of all, you have to consider weight, and secondly, you need to consider the damage a vehicle could potentially do to a floor. Luckily, there are commercial flooring specialists that can help you find a sturdy, resilient flooring for your car showroom.

Traditionally, a showroom car won’t have to worry about oil leaks due to the new quality of the parts within, but there are so many other factors that need to be considered. The importance of having a good commercial epoxy floor coating simply cannot be overstated. Luckily, Armor II is here to meet your needs.

Basics of an Epoxy Floor

If you’re here then you already know the benefits of an epoxy floor, but we will reiterate a bit. First of all, epoxy flooring is very smooth, but it is slip resistant, meaning you won’t have to worry about accidents while you are working. Secondly, it is both scratch and chemical resistant which makes it ideal for any type of commercial floor. This is especially true, however, in the case of a show room floor. Let’s talk a bit about Armor II and the benefits that it can offer you.

Armor II – The Ultimate Epoxy Flooring Solution

The first thing that we want to say about Armor II, as a commercial epoxy flooring for sale, is that it is actually approved of by the United States Coast Guard. It is used in many of their helicopter air station hangars, and let’s be honest, if the military trusts it, you can be sure it’ll work just fine on your showroom floor. There are plenty of other applications including:

  • Commercial Garages
  • Warehouses
  • Workshops
  • Hangars
  • Machine Shops

We’ve covered many of the benefits, but one thing that many other epoxy fall short on is the usability by the average individual. One of the biggest problems that people tend to have with epoxy flooring is their inability to install it themselves, and of course having to call on the services of a professional. The Armor II commercial epoxy floor coating however, can be installed by anyone, and is specifically designed as a ‘do it yourself’ product.

Race cars and Airplanes

Epoxy Flooring SolutionSo what sets this coating apart from many others? Let’s start with the fact that it’s rated for up to G-650 Aircraft. Inside the kit you’re going to find all the tools you need to get started, from the 2-part epoxy base coat, to the floor prep etch solution. It’s never been easier, and it even comes with epoxy rollers to make adherence to the instructions simpler than ever.

A showroom is a bit different from other rooms that will require an epoxy flooring, mostly in that instead of constantly working on vehicles and other projects, you will be building a room in which to show off your vehicles. This applies in many different scenarios, for example you might be a car collector that allows either the public or the occasional individual to view, or simply to show off to your friends.

Either way, there are several characteristics that you will want your floor to have. First of all, you need it to look good, and you need it to take on the incredible aesthetic that only commercial epoxy floor paint can provide. The second thing you will want, is to make sure that it’s bright. Even if your epoxy is a bit of a darker color, it will still reflect light quite nicely, and that will mean energy efficiency along with a sharpness and contrast that a typical floor would simply fail to deliver. This might not be a military grade coating, but it’s nothing short of amazing.

If you want to take it a step further and make your new floor even more amazing, then it would definitely be within your best interest to invest in a topcoat. Keep in mind that many competitors try to pass off clear epoxy as topcoat, but in a technical sense, a topcoat needs to have a lower abrasion rating that the epoxy otherwise it provides no benefit. All ArmorGarage floors last much longer as they adhere to these standards and provide the best flooring solution in the epoxy industry, hands down.

What is a Topcoat and Why is it Important for a Garage Epoxy Floor?

 in Application Tips  tagged garage epoxy / garage epoxy flooring / garage floor epoxy / garage floor epoxy coating / garage floor epoxy cost / garage floor epoxy price / garage flooring / garage flooring cost / garage flooring epoxy / garage flooring for sale / garage flooring prices by

Are you considering the installation of garage flooring epoxy?

If so, then you must add a topcoat to your floor. If you’ve never applied an epoxy floor coating, then you might be curious as to why you need one, and we are here to tell you that it is not optional. By itself, an epoxy floor can withstand small impacts, it is scratch resistant, slip resistant, and it is even able to resist chemical spills that would tear any other garage floor to pieces! This can help you avoid anyone suffering a slip-and-fall accident in Houston, or anywhere else that your garage may be based. Once you have installed your epoxy flooring however, a topcoat can add that little something that you just can’t get otherwise. Let’s talk about some of the benefits of a topcoat and why you should most definitely consider covering up.

Shinier and More Attractive

ArmorGarageThe garage floor epoxy cost will only raise marginally with the addition of a topcoat, and one cannot argue with the fresh, clean shine that a topcoat awards to the already formidable epoxy coating. Once you add a topcoat, the flooring will become very reflective, which will help to make the room you’re in a bit brighter, even if the floor is of a darker color. The topcoat is a much harder coating than the epoxy and is there to protect the epoxy for wear and tear. Our military topcoats are designed to last up to 20 years. If and when you ever do wear one out you can simply roll on another topcoat and bring the floor back to new. The epoxy stays protected indefinitely.

Easier to Clean

The epoxy flooring was going to be pretty easy to clean in the first place, but now, with a topcoat, it will become even simpler. All you need is a garden hose and some dish detergent for stubborn spots. Your topcoat acts like a Teflon coating so that nothing likes to stick to it.

Cover the Armor Chips

Some people broadcast multi color chips when into the epoxy and of course others do not. We don’t’ know for sure which of these camps you’re going to fall into, but there are definitely benefits to using armor chips. For example, they will draw attention away from imperfections that existed on the garage floor prior to epoxy. In addition to that, they can add a splash of color to pick up or accent other colors in the room. Chips will add a little texture to the floor but are mainly there for aesthetic purposes.

Make your Floor Last Longer

Garage Epoxy FloorEveryone knows that epoxy flooring wears out eventually, even if you were to opt for a professional installation. The general lifespan of the best garage floor epoxy is somewhere in the neighborhood of fifteen-twenty years, a good topcoat can help to ensure a long life for your epoxy coating. First of all, a topcoat is going to make the floor more wear resistant, and secondly, it will ensure that all damage done to the floor is done only to the topcoat , which can be touched up or replaced as needed. An epoxy cannot and should not be used as a topcoat. Even though some of our competitors sell a clear version of their epoxy as a topcoat. This is a complete waste of your time and money. One of our competitors says that they add in UV additives to the clear epoxy, that still does not make it a topcoat and is still a complete waste of time and money. Don’t be lured into an inferior product by saving a few dollars.

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to use a true topcoat in your garage. There are many who might consider the topcoat to be unnecessary or ‘overkill’ when you are simply equipping a residential garage, but let’s be honest, you need an extra layer of protection. From chemical spills, to car tire abrasion, to potential scratches, all of that falls under the umbrella of protection that your topcoat offers. Don’t leave your epoxy uncovered!

 

Four Chemical Spills a Garage Epoxy Floor can Repel

 in Application Tips  tagged garage epoxy / garage floor epoxy coating / garage floor epoxy cost / garage floor epoxy price / garage flooring / garage flooring cost / garage flooring epoxy / garage flooring for sale / garage flooring prices garage floor epoxy by

Epoxy floor benefits

garage epoxy flooringThere are a number of great reasons to invest in garage floor epoxy for your workshop, garage, or even inside your home, and you’ve probably heard that there are some amazing benefits. We aren’t going to argue, but before we go any further, let’s talk briefly about what epoxy is and how it can benefit you. First of all, epoxy is, without a doubt, one of the most crucial upgrades that you can make to a garage floor. You may also want to make it aesthetically pleasing by landscaping around the garage. Many tend to mistake epoxy for paint, but it is most definitely not standard paint.

If you prepare your floor properly before application then you will find that it is able to withstand small impacts, scratches, and a plethora of other potential issues. The bottom line, is that garage epoxy saves you money, even if it costs a bit to get it properly applied. These points we mentioned should be enough to make anyone consider applying it to their floor, but what if we were to tell you that there is more to it? That’s right we’re talking about chemical spills.

Hazards of Garage Life

When you’re in the garage anything can happen, and chemical spills are right at the top of the list. You should always take the utmost precautions when it comes to storing chemicals, something like a Storemasta cabinet is the ideal solution as they have a number of features designed to minimize the damage caused by spillages. However, accidents do happen and the question you need to ask yourself, is how do you compensate for those spills? Concrete floors are porous, and as such they will absorb virtually anything that is spilled on them. Have you ever spilled water on a concrete garage floor? Did the water remain standing, or did it eventually disappear? Many mistake this for a different process known as evaporation, but the water is actually being absorbed into the concrete. That isn’t necessarily good for your floor, but it is tame compared to the other substances that can be spilled. Corrosives, for example, could find their way into your concrete floor and cause serious damage. It could damage your garage door as well and then you might need the assistance of a company similar to Garage Door Repair company Denver. Let’s talk about a few chemicals you will need to watch out for, and that a good garage epoxy flooring can compensate for.

Battery Acid – If you store cars in your garage or if you park golf carts or other small engine items this is bound to happen. Maybe you’re not a mechanic, and maybe you aren’t one to constantly go under the hood, but at some point you may need to change the battery, or you may need to have someone else do it for you. Batteries leak, and the substance within them is most definitely a corrosive – something that you will want to think about when you’re doing any sort of automotive work. Have no fear battery acid has no effect on our garage epoxy coatings!

Fuel/Oil – Just as with battery acid, this is the one that happens quite often, and it is actually far more likely your vehicle will drip some oil on the floor. Leaks are inevitable, and there is a good chance you’ve seen at least one garage floor covered in oil stains – you don’t want your garage floor to be like that, not by any stretch of the imagination. That being said, you must make sure to protect your floor from these leaks – at least if you want it to last for the foreseeable future. Nothing looks nastier than an dirty oil stained concrete floor. Keep your floor from becoming that ugly stained floor constantly needing stain removing cleaner with our easy to apply garage epoxy kits.

Paint ­– It’s harder to clean paint off of your garage floor than you might think. The problem, as we mentioned before, is the porous nature of concrete. It will absorb the paint, and it will be very difficult to remove it completely. With an ArmorGarage epoxy coating with a topcoat you never have to worry about paint spills. Paint will wipe off like water runs off a duck’s back!

Beverages –You might not think of an ice cold glass of Coca-Cola as a chemical but let’s face it, if you can dissolve a nail in the substance in under a week, it’s not something you want to spill on your garage floor. Your ArmorGarage floor can even withstand the dreaded Coca-Cola spill!

The Epoxy Difference

ArmorGarageWith the right garage floor epoxy coating you will have a floor that can not only reject those spills, but also one that is very easy to clean. You won’t need to spend all day scrubbing; the chemical resistant floor will be able to reject the spills, and with its non-porous nature, you won’t have to worry about anything being absorbed, making cleaning a breeze.

Now would be a great time to start looking into the different types of epoxy flooring we offer, whether you find yourself interested in a standard garage coating, or if you want to the commercial or industrial system for even more protection. We have an epoxy system for any floor and any level of protection needed from any type of chemical spill that could occur within your garage.

The Best Floor Epoxy for Aircraft Hangars

 in Commercial Epoxy Flooring  tagged commercial epoxy floor coating / commercial epoxy floor paint / commercial epoxy flooring / commercial epoxy flooring cost / commercial epoxy flooring for sale / commercial epoxy flooring price / commercial epoxy paint by

Commercial Floor Epoxy for Aircraft HangarsIf you think traditional garages see a lot of action, then you haven’t seen an aircraft hangar up close.
Then again, maybe you have, and that’s why you’re here considering the commercial epoxy flooring cost to coat your entire facility. There are several things that a commercial hangar will deal with that a typical garage will never see. First of all, these floors deal with quite a bit more weight as airplanes command far more mass. In addition to that, they face chemical spills, along with considerably more foot traffic. They also will be passed over by the likes of Rolling Ladders at Platforms and Ladders.com – this is something many people managing hangars will want to use to conduct maintenance on their aircraft. In other words, hangar floors need to be the very best, and they need to serve a number of different purposes.

Armor II – Cleared for Takeoff

Are you ready to give your floor the advantage it needs? Armor II is an outstanding commercial epoxy floor paint that works as a two layer, single color product, perfect for the DIY crowd. In fact, you won’t need a single bit of experience to get the job done, making Armor II a great introductory package for those looking to get their facility in functioning condition. In today’s world, absolutely no hangar should exist without an epoxy flooring, and you couldn’t do much better than Armor II, we guarantee it.
So what is it that sets Armor II apart from all of the other epoxies on the market? It has a few distinct advantages:

  • Universal Approval – Amor II is actually used by the United States Coast Guard and deployed in their hangars. If the military is able to trust it, why shouldn’t you?
  • Lasting Appeal – When you apply epoxy to your floor, you want it to last, and you don’t want to
    reapply it every two years or so. Sure, that might seem like a long way out, but your hangar can’t afford two to three days of downtime as you apply new epoxy. You need something that’s going to last, and Armor II is guaranteed to last up to fifteen years.

What’s Included

Armor II contains everything you need to guarantee quasi-immortality for your hangar floor. The 2 part epoxy base coat can be provided in any color you wish, followed by the anti-wear epoxy topcoat. The benefits are numerous but what it all comes down to, is you will have no streaks, no bleed-through, and most importantly, you can trust this coating to last for many years to come. Could you really ask for more when it comes to commercial epoxy floor paint?
The coating itself is rated for up to G-650 aircraft, but if you want to take it to the next level, you should have a look at the military grade variant.

Going Military

When you absolutely need to park a C-130 in your hangar, military grade epoxy will do the trick. This is a three layer commercial epoxy floor paint that provides for the greatest level of durability, being ten times thicker than any retail epoxies. This isn’t the stuff you’re going to find at Home Depot, it’s the best, and it will keep your floor in great condition for the foreseeable future. Some of the notable features include:

  • Water Proof
  • High Impact Resistance
  • Scratch Resistance
  • Long Lasting
  • Resistant to Fluids and Corrosives
  • Mold/Mildew Resistant

commercial epoxy floor paintAs you can see, there is plenty of reason to invest in industrial epoxy or even commercial epoxy paint whether the standard works for you, or you need to go with the military variant. Either way, now would be a great time to start considering a switch to the strongest epoxy on the market, and ultimately, a guarantee that your garage floor will stand the test of time.

Finally, consider the fact that your floor will be much easier to clean than ever before. You won’t need to sit on your hands and knees, scrubbing and hoping for the best. Instead, you will be able to use a simple mop and a push broom to get rid of any dirt or debris. Cleaning has never been easier, and keeping your floor in good condition has never been more important.

Not only will this upgrade make your floor more durable, you will also find that it creates a much cleaner work environment, which, in the end, should be the goal of any industrial facility. Prepare yourself for a much brighter work space and a floor that you can be proud of. It is, after all, one of the largest parts of your entire facility – make it something that you enjoy seeing every single day.

How Commercial Floor Epoxy Creates a Brighter Cleaner Work Space

 in Application Tips  tagged commercial epoxy floor coating / commercial epoxy floor paint / commercial epoxy flooring / commercial epoxy flooring cost / commercial epoxy flooring for sale / commercial epoxy flooring price / commercial epoxy paint by

Brighter and Cleaner work space with Commercial Floor Epoxy

In any industry there are certain demands that need to be met. Hygiene standard must be abided to otherwise you may be hit with major fines. Getting something like the NECS Commercial Cleaning Services to can help you meet these standards but there are other things you can do to help make it easier to ensure your working conditions are kept clean at all time. One of which would be by using the right commercial epoxy floor paint. In your commercial work space you’re going to need to make sure you meet the following standards:

  • Cleanliness
  • Safety
  • Aesthetics

These three standards are easily met with good commercial epoxy floor coating for a few reasons. Let’s take a look at the benefits a good epoxy coating can provide and how it will help your productivity in both the long term and the short.

What is Epoxy Flooring?

To put it in layman’s terms epoxy flooring is a coat of paint. To expand on it a little further, it is usually multi layers of two part coatings designed for your commercial floor, capable of not only withstanding impacts, but also preserving the integrity of the surface for the foreseeable future. Epoxy coatings are many grades superior to conventional paints.

Cleanliness – This is a huge factor in commercial epoxy paint as your floor will be able to withstand chemical spills in addition to making for an easy cleanup. If you want to clean your epoxy floor, all you need is a mop and a bucket of soapy water. In contrast, with a typical concrete floor, you’d probably find yourself breaking out the industrial cleaners and making a complete mess. With epoxy coatings on your floor that doesn’t have to be the case!

Safety – In any industry there are going to be safety issues, whether they come from the machines you operate, the products you handle, or the environment itself. With so many potential problems, one that you don’t want to deal with, is your floor. Epoxy not only looks good, it is anti-slip, providing a high friction surface for the most demanding of industrial applications. As you traverse the factory floor, carrying heavy equipment or simply going about your everyday routine, you want to make sure you aren’t falling, or even causing others to fall. This comes right back to the cleanliness factor; your ability to keep the floor clean with little to no effort will contribute greatly to the safety of the work environment. It’s also worth thinking about getting some anti-fatigue flooring mats in the interest of health and safety. These will grip well to the epoxy and provide a shock-absorbent surface that will prevent feet and back pain for those working on their feet all day.

Aesthetics –When it comes to commercial epoxy paint we really cannot say enough about the aesthetics. First of all, you’re going to find that the majority of commercial organizations, (aircraft hangars especially) tend to use bright white epoxy. Why exactly? Because the white flooring actually amplifies the light that is cast upon it. With a bank of high end fluorescent lights hanging overhead, your floor will be extremely reflective and it will once again be safer. With the provided reflection it will be easier to work underneath vehicles and other pieces of equipment, giving you a clear line of sight and the ability to be much more productive. Not to mention it is just simply gorgeous!

Armor GarageOf course, the aesthetic benefits don’t have to end here. One of the most common applications for epoxy flooring as of late has been to color code the floors. While it would always be beneficial to paint the entire floor white, you can still get the same brightness properties from different colored floors such as light gray or off white. That being said, a very popular technique is to paint different sections of your establishment using different colors to designate various areas by painting the floor one color, and stripping it, or by using a different color topcoat over the basecoat. This is a great way to promote a better flow of work in your commercial establishment, and a great way to keep organized and highlight safety or hazardous areas.

Overall, commercial epoxy floor coating is an outstanding method of keeping your floors protected, and it is also great for making sure that your establishment remains free of contaminants and other problems that could potentially damage the product or even make your employees ill. Why would you not get epoxy flooring if it meant keeping your employees happy since they won’t get ill? Employees want to feel valued at work. They want to know that you appreciate them working for you. If they don’t feel valued (due to you not caring about their health or other reasons), then they might decide to leave. If you are having trouble with your employees leaving, then you can find out how to retain employees without money being spent here. It’s simple though, just make sure that your employees are happy where they work, by providing them with a clean, safe and enjoyable working environment. Give them what they want (within reason) and they won’t leave. Start off small though, by making sure that your employees are working on the right sort of flooring. Concrete is always the preferred surface in any commercial situation, but sometimes it needs a little bit of help, and that’s where a little bit of epoxy can go a long way.

How Garage Floor Epoxy Creates a Brighter Cleaner Work Space

 in Commercial Epoxy Flooring / Garage Floor Epoxy  tagged garage epoxy / garage epoxy flooring / garage epoxy flooring cost / garage epoxy flooring price / garage floor epoxy / garage floor epoxy coating / garage floor epoxy cost / garage floor epoxy price / garage flooring / garage flooring cost / garage flooring epoxy / garage flooring for sale / garage flooring prices by

Garage Floor EpoxyThere are many reasons to like garage floor epoxy coatings whether you are trying to make your garage look better, protect your concrete slab or if you’re trying to increase functionality. Before we get into that, let’s talk about your garage. Let’s face it, you can put a lot of work into your garage to make sure that it is the ultimate workspace. Even simple things like making sure your garage doors work will help you have the ultimate workspace, you don’t want to struggle to bring in cars if your doors don’t work properly. If something like this happens, then you can easily call up something like these Crofton Maryland Garage door repair professionals to help get this fixed for you. You don’t want there to be any issue when it comes to your garage, particularly if you are working in there constantly. Maybe you’re working on restoring a classic car, maybe it’s a woodshop, or maybe it’s just a general workshop – there are many different reasons to use a garage as your workshop, and we would be hard-pressed to list every single one of them here. If you are using your garage to store your collection of classic cars, you may want to consider professional auto transport to move them between your properties or to and from auto shows. The one thing that all workshops have in common, however, is that they need a high-quality floor, which can contribute in more ways than one. Sure, a garage floor epoxy solution makes for a very durable surface, but most people think the benefits end there. Don’t worry, you definitely get more bang for your buck than you think.

A Cleaner Work Space

It’s a workshop; mistakes are bound to happen, whether you spill a cup of coffee or tip over a drum of industrial grade corrosive material. On a typical garage floor, both of these would present a serious problem; coffee would stain the concrete, and the corrosive, well, we don’t even want to discuss what that would do. This is where floor epoxy has the advantage – it might require a bit of an investment but it’s well worth the cost. Here there are two different benefits. First of all, epoxy is very durable, but you should also consider that it is stain resistant. It does a great job of closing the pores that would otherwise rather easily absorb and accept any number of materials. Instead of permitting damage or even a stain, the chemicals will remain on the surface, allowing you to clean them at your leisure. Protecting your floor from staining and corrosion plus having dramatic porcelain-like finish a great reason to consider ArmorGarage epoxy coatings.

In addition to the above it is far easier to clean. You can use a simple washrag or a bucket of soapy water to get your epoxy floor back to its original shine, and it really doesn’t take that much effort on your part. That being said, not only does it reduce the mess, it also takes the effort out of cleaning. You were, after all, planning to expend your effort on other, more important things, weren’t you?

One of the better side effects of being able to keep a clean work space is the ability to get rid of most germs and allergens. If you suffer from allergies or simply want to prevent illness, these flooring options are not only outstanding, they are completely mold and mildew proof. You will keep your work space clean, you will ensure there are no nasty allergens or airborne illnesses wandering around your shop or garage. It doesn’t get much better than that – unless you consider how much brighter your workshop will be.

A Brighter Workspace

ArmorGarageWhat many people fail to consider is how much brighter garage floor epoxy will make their work space. You will find that one of the many benefits is the floor’s ability to make your work space brighter. If you use standard fluorescent lights, you will discover that they reflect well off of your high gloss epoxy floor, making for a much brighter space. Not only is this aesthetically pleasing, it will be a great way to conserve on energy that you might have otherwise wasted in lighting. In the end, you’re going to save on energy you’re going to have a slip resistant surface, and most importantly you’re going to have a garage/shop that you can be proud of. It doesn’t get much better than that. Well, as long as your garage is clean, of course. If you’re investing in epoxy flooring, you may as well also invest in cleaning out your garage to make the place look spotless. It’s likely a lot of rubbish and useless items you no longer need have gathered in your garage; it’s useful to look into dumpster rental service in Kansas City MO if this is the case. Get that garage looking as good as new!

Take a look at the garage flooring prices today and get ready to give your work space the treatment it deserves. Installation is easy and lasts for up to twenty years.

Commercial Epoxy Flooring Care and Maintenance

 in Commercial Epoxy Flooring  tagged commercial epoxy floor coating / commercial epoxy flooring / commercial epoxy paint by

Commercial Epoxy Flooring Care and Maintenance

Commercial Epoxy FlooringIf you’ve been considering installing commercial epoxy flooring then you’re making a great decision. There are many benefits to this type of flooring, mainly the fact that it will keep your garage, work space or warehouse protected. Whether you are going for commercial, residential, or perhaps even an industrial grade epoxy floor coating, you can be rest assured that the right epoxy will take damage long before your concrete floor does, and you can even ensure that it will not be affected by heavy drops, high traffic abrasions, or other trauma that a floor might suffer. You may also want to get a consultation from ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba if you’re located in a ‘flood warning’ area to ensure your flooring won’t be damaged long-term. If you’ve opted for a different type of flooring such as wooden floors, the care it needs will be different to epoxy and it may require a best hardwood floor cleaning machine to maintain it. With epoxy however, you can purchase types of it that will flex and move with changing temperatures and expansion, among other things. That being said, epoxy can be one of the most beneficial investments that you could possibly make for your garage, shop or business.

This installation is not an apply and forget type of thing there are certain maintenance routines that you will need to undertake to ensure your epoxy floor lasts and looks new for as look as possible. Below, we are going to cover some of the habits that you should be developing early on if you want to get the maximum potential from your commercial epoxy floor paint.

Taking Care of Spills

Spills are going to happen, whether it’s a glass of water, a quart of oil, or a container of glue. It’s not something that you can stop, no matter how careful you are. If you find that you have spilled something, you simply need to wipe it up with as soon as possible, at least if the spill consists of a caustic material. In some cases you may need to go to greater lengths, such as using a cleaning solution such as Simple Green or simply a pressure washer depending on the severity and nature of the spill. Don’t worry, your epoxy floor can handle just about any type of mess. A good quality topcoat can handle any vehicle fluids and even some nasty acids. If you spill Brake Cleaner or Battery acid on your epoxy don’t let it sit there for days before you clean it up. That type of neglect will lead to the discoloration of your nice high gloss finish. In other words take care of your epoxy floor and it will stay looking new for years.

Cleaning of a Less Dramatic Nature

Sometimes cleaning is a bit less dramatic and a bit more routine to put it lightly. In most cases you’ll simply need to use a paper towel or garden hose to do your cleaning, or you could use a commercial dust mop. If your floor has gotten really dirty, feel free to use a hard foam mop or squeegee along with a clear ammonia or Simple Green. Generally you should use four ounces per gallon of water to execute your cleaning plan – it doesn’t take much at all. You should never have to use harsh chemicals.

Something important to note after cleaning, is that many compounds might leave a hazy film on epoxy floors. Fortunately, this is not permanent, and can easily be cleaned using hot water along with a brush or mop. As always, use a sponge mop for easier cleaning as well as better control over the liquid used during the cleaning process.

A word about Abrasives in your effort to clean your commercial epoxy flooring you should do your best to avoid using abrasive materials. For example, Comet, while probably effective, will eventually become far too effective and may in fact eat away at the floor. If you’ve applied a true commercial urethane topcoat everything should clean up without the need of harsh solvents or abrasive cleaners. In addition to that, you will want to avoid the following:

  • Citrus Cleaners
  • Vinegar
  • Soap-Based Cleaners

The first two on this list are probably obvious as you should never use an acid based cleaners on epoxy, even if it has a topcoat, but the last one might seem a bit odd. Believe it or not, we only include it on this list for safety reasons; certain kinds of soaps can leave a film on your floor, thereby making it slippery and potentially dangerous to yourself as well as your employees. We supply a nonslip additive with all our epoxy floor kits so that you do not have this hazard. If you do find that your floor is becoming slippery for any reason, it is strongly recommended that you place a walk-off mat on any entry door to prevent water being tracked into the facility.

Consider Removing/ Cleaning Buildup Before you Replace or Recoat Your Floor

One of the most important things that you must realize when it comes to these floors is that more often than not, you will find that a dulled coat is usually the result of Build Up. Many of the above cleaning methods will help you to get rid of that buildup and return your floor to its normal, beautiful shine. Believe it or not, many of the service calls to epoxy companies regarding worn out floors are simply a case of buildup, which is something that can happen very easily over the years. It might not sound incredibly likely, but no matter how hard you try, there is always a good chance that your floor will end up with a residue of SOME type. After all, if you are running a warehouse, you cannot watch all of your employees at the same time, and there is no telling what spills or scuffs might occur. . Don’t worry, most of these things can be resolved with a little bit of elbow grease, or even a pressure washer if you feel so inclined. However, running a warehouse is preoccupying enough without having to clean the whole building. Fortunately, there are companies that specialize in warehouse cleaning, such as this warehouse cleaning in Perth industrial specialist. There’s no need to worry about employee spillages and mess with the availability of these industrial cleaning companies. In the end, commercial epoxy floor coating is very strong but it is not indestructible. Should your regular maintenance fail, and the floor becomes damaged, call Armor Garage for repair advice and a touch up kit. Your floor can take a lot of punishment, but sometimes you just need more help, that’s what we’re here for. On a final note, if you run a warehouse of your own, you might also be interested to learn about how using a website like Utility Bidder can help you to compare energy suppliers in order to reduce the costs of your energy bills. Powering a large space can lead to large overheads, so it is important to find ways to save money where you can.

Clearing Up some of the Most Common (and untrue) Garage Floor Epoxy Myths

 in Epoxy Trouble Shooting Guide / Garage Floor Epoxy by

Garage Floor Epoxy Myths

When it comes to epoxy, particularly of the floor type, there are an awful lot of misconceptions floating around that make many people hesitant to even give it a try. The big question you’re probably asking yourself is whether or not it is actually worth it to even try installing epoxy. Before you make a firm decision, you need to decide how it’s going to work for you. If you’re wanting to run electrical connections via your flooring, you may want to consider getting a glass feedthrough . This feedthrough as glass-to-metal seal, which has improved safety features in cases of any accidents. Well, there are several reasons for which you should give it a try, and we’re certain you’ll be happy with the results. There’s not too many flooring options that is as dramatic and beautiful as a high quality epoxy floor finish.

garage floor epoxy kit

Let’s take a look at some of the common facts and fiction about garage or commercial epoxy.

The Garage Floor Epoxy Cost Is Too High

Yes, you’re going to sink a bit of money into this project, no doubt, and if you call many of the services that do the job, you’ll probably find that they charge an arm and a leg. If they’re charging more than $6 per square foot, they’re probably padding their expenses, and quite frankly, you could do it yourself for far cheaper. Don’t fall into this trap! These people are only serving to perpetuate the myth that epoxy floors are unaffordable and may not even be doing a good job. The price should be somewhere in the neighborhood of $4-5 per square foot, though it will actually be quite a bit cheaper to do it yourself, depending upon the type of epoxy you choose to utilize. Know the facts and know that you don’t have to break the bank to get the best protection.

All Epoxy Coatings are the Same

Whoever started this myth really has no idea what they’re talking about. Garage epoxy flooring comes in many different types and styles, and some are much better than others. One of the biggest mistakes people tend to make is choosing a water based polymer, which is DIY friendly, but has very little abrasion or impact resistance. Very often applying a water based epoxy will not be a good investment, so choose your floor protection wisely! Any quality professional would never use a water based epoxy and neither should you.

All You need to Do is Clean your Garage Floor and You’re Ready!

It’s going to take a bit more work on your part if you really want to be ready for your garage epoxy flooring. The most annoying myth that goes around is that you only need to give your garage floor a once over cleaning to get it ready. No, it’s not quite that simple. You need to remove all dirt, stains or oil and most importantly, open the pores. Remember, opening the pores promotes adhesion, and that’s exactly what you need to happen when you are laying down your epoxy flooring. A good acid etch or diamond grind will clean your floor and open the pores of the concrete allowing the epoxy to soak in and form an unbreakable bond. Always try to get a pearland power washing company first to remove as much of the surface contaminants as possible. When rinsing off the acid etch solution scrubbing a little TSP powder in first and then doing a rinse with a power washer will yield the best results. If you would prefer to clean it yourself though then you can do just that. You don’t have to get a company to help clean your floor for you, instead, you could get your own pressure washer and do it all yourself. Just check out things like this gas pressure washer review so that you get the right one for you.

There’s a lot of Upkeep

Okay, there’s SOME upkeep involved, of course, but you don’t need to constantly redo your top coat to make it look good. With a properly installed topcoat and good preparation, your garage epoxy flooring should stand the test of time and look great for many years to come. It might be hard to accept, but as long as you follow the instructions and take the above into account, that epoxy won’t be going anywhere for the foreseeable future and all that will be required is routine cleaning with a cleaner such as Simple Green and water and in most cases just a garden hose will get your floor clean. A good urethane topcoat is like Teflon and not much should stick to it.

It’s just a Paint Job!

Something we need to address right now, is that paint is not epoxy. Paint is, well, paint, and epoxy is comprised of resins and chemically engineered hardeners. When compared to the low thickness of paint, epoxy might seem like some sort of miracle, being up to 25 mils thick while paint and low quality epoxies are 2-3 mils. You can even coat with several layers to make it thicker. Additionally, epoxy boasts higher adhesion ratings in addition to much higher abrasion ratings that will keep it intact for many years to come. A high quality urethane topcoat topcoat makes it an even harder finish then just an epoxy coating alone. A urethane based topcoat will provide UV Resistance against yellowing and fading, provide protection against scratching and impacts plus a give your floor a beautiful high gloss finish.

It is important for you to take these myths into account simply because not doing so would open you up to doing so many different things wrong. That being said, read over this post several times, and then try to determine what other things you might be doing wrong. Sometimes, the worst thing you can do is talk to people, because quite frankly, so many myths are handed down from person to person, it can be difficult to keep track of who is telling the truth and who has simply been fooled. Don’t worry, our Need To Know Page has plenty of information regarding all types of epoxy flooring epoxy and how to apply them – just make sure you’re using the right product.

The Most Common Mistakes Made When installing Epoxy Flooring

 in Commercial Epoxy Flooring / Epoxy Trouble Shooting Guide / Garage Floor Epoxy  tagged commercial epoxy flooring / epoxy flooring / garage epoxy flooring / garage floor epoxy / garage floor epoxy installation / industrial epoxy flooring by

Installing Garage Epoxy Flooring

When it comes to garage flooring epoxy there are several mistakes that could be made, but we are going to split them into two categories: Technical and Outright Blunders. The idea behind installing epoxy in garage, warehouse, home, or workshop, of course, is to make sure that the floor does not become damaged for any reason and to add a beautiful high gloss finish that you can be proud of. Before you can get to that point, you need to make sure that you are using the right product and performing the installation properly, which is sometimes easier said than done. Let’s start with some of the more obvious mistakes and then move on to the steps you can take to prevent them.

Technical Mistakes to Watch out For

The biggest technical mistake that you can make when you’re in the process of installing your new Epoxy Garage Flooring is choosing an epoxy mix that doesn’t actually match what you are doing. What do we mean by this exactly? Well, consider that the lowest form of epoxy is water based, and there is a good chance that it does not have a very high abrasion rating. The abrasion rating determines how much abuse the floor in question can take before it needs to be replaced or at the very least re-coated.

When you are buying your epoxy, take a look at the technical specifications first and see what the abrasion rating is. The lower the number, the better the floor will be protected. Yes, this might sound a bit backward, but it is the truth in this case.

The technical specifications will generally display the following attributes:

Solids content – Percent of Solids remaining following the curing of content, the higher the better. With 100% being the best an Aliphatic epoxies being the best 100% solids epoxies available.

Volatile Organic Contents – This goes toward the idea of eco-friendliness in garage epoxy flooring. It involves the number of Volatile Organic Compounds that are released into the environment as the coat/sealer dries. Some states now require that any epoxy sold must be Low VOC. Low VOC epoxies are also good for areas where odor would be a problem. Being Low VOC means that fewer chemicals/solvents are released into the air and therefore less odor.

Abrasion Resistance – Once again we have the abrasion resistance which is determined by the Taber CS-17. This test involves an abrasive plate being mounted to a turntable and weighted at 1000 grams. The industry standard for this test is 500 cycles and all removed coating is recovered via a vacuum system for maximum accuracy. The coating loss is measured in milligrams, and the lower the number, the more durable the coating. Note that most epoxy coatings generally have a loss range of 20-45, a heavy duty topcoat for residential use should have a loss rating of no more than 20. For commercial or industrial applications a rating of no more than 4-8 should be used. Many so called heavy duty or industrial epoxies have very high abrasion ratings of 25 and higher which means if you don’t check the ratings prior to purchase you will be wasting your time and money. Keep in mind that abrasion ratings are like the Richter scale and that each mg less in the abrasion loss rating is exponential.

Adhesion – This is exemplified in Pounds per Square Inch, showing how much force is needed to remove the coating from the surface. Any rating below 350 PSI generally means that the coating can be removed, a good epoxy should have an adhesion rating of 375psi – 450psi. This is means on a properly prepared surface the epoxy should not be able to be separated from the concrete.

Chemical Resistance – Determines how well the floor is able to stand up to corrosives and acids that can leak from your vehicle or from the type of work you may be doing on the floor. Epoxies provide some protection from acids and caustic chemicals but a properly done epoxy flooring job will have a high quality urethane topcoat applied over the epoxy which provides substantially more protection against chemicals and acids.

A note here, an epoxy is not a topcoat and can never be made into a topcoat by simply adding in so called additives. This is just a way some companies try to cut corners because they don’t or can’t make a true urethane based topcoat.

Failing to pay attention to these important facts can result in serious problems, so make sure you read the performance specifications of the epoxy you are considering to buy and if you don’t understand any of it, call and ask questions.

The More Common Blunders

There are many mistakes that can be made during the installation of garage epoxy flooring as we are sure you are aware, but we have cut it down to just a few for the sake of expedience.

Failing to Prepare your Floor

Your floor most definitely needs to be prepared if you are to complete the installation properly. You need to do more than just move everything out of the way; you need to make sure that you have scrubbed the floor, getting someone like Wise Guys Pressure Washing of Atlanta Georgia to power wash the floor prior to acid etching to remove all dirt and debris is always recommended, and most importantly make sure that when you’re done with the preparation process that your floor is completely clean and 100% dry. If not it’s recommended that you etch the floor a second time and scrub in a perpendicular direction to the first etching to ensure you clean any small missed spots from the first etching. A small spot you might have missed will usually at some point in the future result in what we call a pop. It’s a small spot that just seems to pop off the floor. This is not the fault of the epoxy but simply a result of a little dirt or moisture left in the floor after you prepped it. Not something to freak out about, you can just sand the area clean and apply some touch up epoxy to fix the problem.

Failing to Check for Moisture

Always make sure that your concrete is dry before you try to apply epoxy; we cannot stress this enough. The garage flooring epoxy will not adhere to a wet surface, either from moisture coming up through the slab or leftover moisture from cleaning. before considering applying an epoxy to your floor, tape down a piece of 3′ x 3′ plastic to your floor with a good duct tape making sure all edges are sealed 100%. Let sit for 2-3 days and then see if any moisture has accumulated underneath. No moisture means you’re good to go. The presence of moisture means you need to take an extra step such as applying a moisture sealing epoxy primer. With this being said, if you have noticed a slab leak, getting in touch with a professional repair company could help get everything looking as good as new. You don’t want to leave it too long to get it fixed, as the damage could get worse over time.

After cleaning it’s recommended to wait a minimum of 24hrs to let the floor dry properly, 48 hrs may be needed depending on temperature and humidity. Always better to allow extra dry time to be safe. Just a note for clarification purposes. Once your floor has been epoxied it is waterproof and no amount of water hitting the surface of it can harm it. It’s only water and or moisture coming up through the slab that is the problem. So remember if you do get a slab leak you will need to contact a professional, always be vigilant.

Trying to Stretch it Out

One of the biggest mistakes that you can make is to try stretching out your epoxy when you are running low. If you think you’re running low work your way to a corner so that you run out at the corner, then order more product to fill in the corner. If you are top coating, apply the topcoat once the epoxy has dried but stay back 6″ from the edge of the unfinished epoxy so that when you apply the new epoxy to the unfinished area you can lightly overlap that epoxy edge to blend in. Then apply the topcoat and overlap lightly onto the previously applied topcoat. We recommend that you lightly sand a strip of the topcoat with 100 grit paper to rough up, this will ensure that the overlap topcoat area bonds properly.

If you do try to stretch it out, it might be thinner in some areas, causing it to be different shades and less glossy in some areas. In the end, it will completely defeat the purpose.

Bad Mixing Practices

Don’t mix too fast! There’s no rush! If you mix too quickly, you will usually end up with air bubbles in your mixture which will translate to the surface that you are applying it to. Additionally, make sure that you are paying attention to the ratios and mixing everything properly. it’s important to follow the directions of your particular epoxy. High quality epoxies will stress not to mix all the epoxy at once. Since high quality epoxies cure via chemical reaction and not air drying which means the more you mix the more chemical reaction you get and it could cause the epoxy to cure rock hard in the bucket in about 5-10 minutes. Also it’s a good idea that after mixing a small batch is to pour it out onto the floor in a bead. The cooler floor temp will slow down the curing process. We recommend that you mix no more than 1 gallon per person rolling.

These are just a few of the big mistakes you might find yourself making when you are dealing with epoxy. Remember, garage flooring epoxy can be an amazing innovation for your garage, warehouse, home, or shop, but you need to make sure that it is done correctly. Our expert Reps are always on hand to help you do it right.