How long will it take to install my floor?
Most floor installations take three days to complete. Installing cove base takes an extra day.
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Why should I have an epoxy floor installed?
There are many reasons to finish your floor with an epoxy coating. Among them:
- Epoxy coatings increase the resale value of your home, and can be a point of difference between your home and others.
- Epoxy coatings brighten up the room they are in; less light is required to make the space seem open and bright.
- Epoxy coatings are extremely easy to clean.
- You can design an epoxy coating to compliment the colors in your room.
- Epoxy coatings keep your floor from becoming stained and discolored over time.
- Epoxy coatings lock in the dust that evolves off a concrete slab, so you won’t track that dust into your home.
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How long will my epoxy floor last?
It really depends on how you use your floor and how clean you keep it. A typical garage floor will last about 12 years before it begins to show signs of wear. At that point, reapplication of the topcoat is all that is required to renew the floor.
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What can damage an epoxy floor?
Dropping or dragging heavy, sharp objects on your floor can damage it. Also, any methylene chloride based paint strippers will damage your floor.
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How do I clean my epoxy floor?
SWEEPING: Sweep floors regularly with a soft-bristled broom. This will extend the life of the finish and will result in longer periods between recoats.
SCRUBBING: Use a rayon mop and bucket or soft-bristled mechanized scrubber as needed, usually about once a quarter. High traffic areas may require more frequent cleaning. Use a mild cleaning agent like Simple Green with water, following the cleaner manufacturers instructions for dilution.
SPILLS: Any liquid spill can pose a slip hazard and should be attended to immediately. Harsh materials, such as caustics, acids, and solvents can cause damage to your floor coating. Spills of this kind should be cleaned immediately.
STAINS: Should staining occur, attempt removal first with a mild solution, progressing to stronger cleaners until stain disappears. Residue from a spill that has dried can be removed with a plastic tool (take care not to scratch the surface). Then use a mild Detergent cleaner to remove the stain.
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Will there be any smell when the floor is installed?
Our 100% solids epoxies have a very minor odor when they are applied, but do not have solvents that evolve and create odor problems. While our polyaspartic topcoat is a Zero VOC coating, it does use an exempt solvent at a low concentration. That solvent does have a smell that lingers for a day or two after the installation is complete.
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At what point in the construction of my home should I have my epoxy floor installed?
Typically, an epoxy floor is installed just prior to closing and just before you have any cabinets installed.
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Can it be patched if it is damaged?
Yes, our floors can be repaired if they are damaged.
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What time of year is best to install my epoxy floor?
The biggest problem that we have in the Southeast regarding coating installation is precipitation. Any but the most extreme of our cold temperatures can be compensated for by adjusting the chemistry of our systems and/or using heating equipment.
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What about peeling and hydrostatic pressure?
Epoxy floor peeling is typically caused by water or water vapor migrating up through a concrete slab. When that water encounters the impermeable epoxy coating, it is trapped and begins to exert a force on the coating. In addition, the water begins to react with the salts in the concrete slab to weaken the surface of the concrete. Over time, the weakened concrete fails at the point where it adheres to the epoxy coating. The result is a peeling epoxy coating.
As this is a known problem for epoxy coatings, there are also chemical and mechanical ways to work around moisture vapor migration problems. Problems usually occur only when the problem is not know at the time the coating is installed.
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How is an American Epoxy Floors product a ‘green’ product?
All of our coatings are Zero VOC coatings; no solvents that are deemed to be ‘greenhouse gasses’ are used in our coatings. Additionally, we incorporate ground rubber tire particles into our coatings to lighten the burden on our landfills.
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Why should I have my floor professionally installed rather than doing it myself?
Professional installers have access to better surface preparation equipment, better coating materials, and more color options than any do-it-yourself kit. Additionally, there are a lot of tricks and nuances involved in transforming a concrete slab into a beautifully coated surface. One example is the photo below. It shows the difference between a typical do-it-yourself kit and a professionally installed coating. Which do you want on your floor?
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What does my warranty cover?
All residential coating systems are warranted from the date of installation against poor workmanship, improper installation, and failure of the product to bond to the surface.
The warranty specifically excludes any and all natural aging of the finish, structural integrity of surface, failure from hydrostatic pressure, loss of shine from weathering, draining or standing water and calcium or lime deposits on coatings.
This warranty does not cover damage due to physical abuse such as gouging, scraping, cracking from movement of the concrete slab, nor does this warranty cover staining, discoloration or blistering due to prolonged contact with items such as transmission fluids, gasoline, brake fluids or battery acid.
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