Have you ever wondered what materials are needed for epoxy floor installation? Epoxy coating is a popular top coat for most homes and businesses in the USA. Thanks to its sublime appeal and exceptional durability, many people can leverage a practical solution without compromising quality.
Knowing a thing or two about epoxy coating installation will not only enrich your mind. But it sets expectations about various matters during installation. Read on to learn the different materials used during epoxy installation and how to use them.
Grinders – Concrete floor grinders are essential tools to roughen the floor’s surfaces. The rougher the better. You need to grind the concrete to achieve maximum epoxy adhesion. A floor grinder with a diamond plate is often ideal to achieve the ideal rough texture.
You can also use it to grind a sealed flooring and open up the pores so the epoxy will completely stick on the surface.
Mixers - You need a mixer to mix the epoxy resin and hardener, which are essential for the epoxy to cure properly. Whether you are applying the epoxy mixture to wet out fiberglass, casting, or coating, a professional-grade mixer will do the trick to achieve a seamless finish.
Sandpaper – Sanding your epoxy resin workpiece after curing help achieve the perfect glass-like surface. Since the epoxy resin is hard, sandpapers can easily dull which means you may need a lot of them during installation.
Brushes – Generally, you can use brushes or rollers to apply the epoxy coating on your floor. The advantage of using brushes is that they can reach corners and edges that are not normally reached by a roller. Brushes are also available in various sizes and the smaller ones will help you run at 2-3 inches of epoxy on the borders, from the surface to the wall.
Rollers – Due to the possibility of uneven application of epoxy with bristle brushes, rollers can work great for big spaces. Usually, on flat and wide surfaces, you can use a roller to evenly apply the coating. With the help of a floor guard extension pole, you can reach farther areas to the center.
Spiked shoes – Spike shoes elevate your feet above the epoxy flooring after installation and prevent materials from smudging. Without it, your shoes could easily penetrate through the epoxy coating and ruin everything. Floor guard spikes are made of polypropylene materials that you can easily strap on your feet. It is ¾ inches thick and comes with a quick-release snap-buckle strap system.
Pigments and Flakes - Pigments and flakes add designs to your epoxy flooring. We use pigmented epoxy for the base coat, flakes on top, and then finish with a clear coat to seal the floor. There are many options when it comes to pigments and flakes, which will carry the overall design and appeal of your epoxy flooring.
Favorite Epoxy Flakes
Summer Day Epoxy – A combination of black, white, and nude flakes that will look perfect in patios, garages, and showrooms.
River Rock Epoxy – Made of river rock granite materials, these flakes add a warm tone to your patio or garage. It is also perfect for driveways.
Gravel Gray Flakes – For minimalist lovers, gravel gray will satisfy your desire for a simple yet elegant garage floor. It’s very easy to maintain and so dainty to look at.
Favorite Epoxy Pigments
Metallic Pigment – For a floor that shimmers day and night, you will love the metallic pigment as the top coat. It is perfect for interior home flooring and indoor retail establishments.
Dark Chocolate Metallic Pigment – Nothing beats the effect of a chocolaty floor. When mixed with other flakes and pigments of your choice, it creates an extremely unique pattern for your indoor flooring system.
Plain White Pigment – A simpler, daintier, and neater way to polish your floor is to stick with white. It is perfect for retail shops and malls. With white flooring, you can highlight other important items that are for sale and refocus customer attention.
Sable Gray – An extremely minimalist option, sable gray just looks perfect for all types of applications. You can mix and match it with black or white to create the perfect metallic design for your interior floor.
Dover Beige – Dover beige can fit with just any other color. Whether you want to add a black pigment or mix it with white, it is going to create an outstanding result.
Tan – If you want a darker tone than beige, you can always have a tan as your option. Thankfully, we have the perfect colors for you to mix and match.
At Epoxy Floor Supply Company, our products are perfect for commercial, as well as residential applications. We can handle large orders for big commercial jobs. If you have any questions, contact us.