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If you are looking to seal your cement floor as well as add a finished look to it, you might want to consider epoxy flooring as an option. Epoxy flooring is applied like paint, and indeed epoxy can be considered as a type of paint. Epoxy is one of the most difficult materials to work with, due to its toxic nature and its finicky maintenance- it is an instable compound that requires a lot of attention both in preparation and in storage. It is best applied by professionals, however if you feel up to the challenge there are some things that you need to keep in mind about epoxy flooring.
Epoxy is a chemical, and a highly reactive one at that. Therefore, epoxy that you plan on using to seal off your concrete for its protection and appearance needs to be treated carefully. First of all, make sure that you are pouring the epoxy in an open or well-ventilated area. The fumes from epoxy are the most harmful of any paint, and you should also use other forms of personal safety equipment such as gloves, a mask, a hat, and coveralls. Epoxy flooring should never be laid or stored in temperatures that are too hot or too cold, or the resin will begin to break down. As soon as this happens, the remainder of the paint becomes useless, even if it has only been sitting for a small amount of time. When you pour the epoxy, make sure that you have prepared the surface of the cement. The concrete must have been thoroughly cleaned and dried off. In addition, the surface must be entirely level so the paint does not run off of any edges or accumulate along the sides. Make sure that any cracks in the cement have been filled and ceiled to prevent the paint from running down them into the ground. When you are mixing the epoxy, there are also several key points to keep in mind. Don’t mix epoxy that has become warm, or the warm epoxy will contaminate the epoxy that has been properly stored and will greatly reduce the life of the resin. Epoxy should not be mixed by hand; instead, use a drill bit to do the mixing as the mix must be applied quickly after being blended. Epoxy flooring is a good option for a quick seal and nice appearance for you cement, but it must be treated very carefully. Warm temperatures are what causes epoxy to set, so as soon as your area begins to get warm the epoxy flooring will begin reacting. When it comes time to dispose of the residual epoxy, do not do so until it has properly hardened under warm conditions.
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Floor Paint and Coatings