Far too many companies are attempting to install their own epoxy flooring without knowing what they are actually doing. The irony is that in attempting to save money, they are finding more and more that the damage caused by improper installation, on top of having somebody come in to correct the poorly applied epoxy, is far more expensive than it would have been to just hire a professional to do the job in the first place. If you are one of the unfortunates who made this mistake, here are some of the reasons why your flooring might not have worked as expected.
Reasons for Epoxy Flooring Failure
Perhaps the most common reason that epoxy flooring doesn’t work the way it is supposed to is improper preparation of the surface in advance. There are a number of steps that go into getting a surface ready for application of an epoxy that will ensure that the coating not only covers the right area, but also that it adheres to the materials properly. Part of what keeps an epoxy in place is that it is a powerful adhesive that literally sticks to the surface to which it’s being applied. Improper adhesion can cause floor coatings to fall apart or provide space for corrosive agents to get under the epoxy.
Another reason why flooring that isn’t installed correctly can fail is that the thickness is not correct. Depending on the purpose of the epoxy floor coating, different thicknesses can be applied to ensure proper protection for long periods of time. In many cases, when people who aren’t professionals attempt to install flooring, they will underestimate the amount they need to use, and the coating will end up too thin. That being said, it can be just as bad to have a layer so thick that it doesn’t dry properly, or an uneven floor coating.
Finally, there are issues that non-professionals simply don’t take into consideration due to inexperience. For example, the wrong mixing speed or outgassing from the concrete can result in air bubbles and pinholes that end up turning into major problems over time. Most industrial managers might not even know what outgassing is, so would have no frame of reference to defend against it.
Avoid These Failures. Do It Right the First Time
The best way to prevent your floor from failing is to get a qualified commercial and industrial painting contractor like Raider Painting to handle your epoxy installation. We have a team of highly trained experts who will make sure that your epoxy flooring will last you for a very long time.
