How to Prepare Concrete for Epoxy or Urethane Coatings

General instruction for surface preparation of concrete substrates for the application of a polymer floor coating or overlay system.

A lot of factors are responsible which affects the capability of bonding and adhesion of the epoxy coating. Good preparation of substrate should be the priority. It is always advised to check the substrate’s condition and then prepare for the installation. We at All surface restoration have a great team working in New Hampshire. We have gained a lot of expertise in concrete floor preparation in New Hampshire and if you are planning to get your floor done without any hassle, we are the place waiting to serve you with our sincere efforts.

What to Check Before Application

There are a few things that should be checked and considered before the application

1) Contaminants

A newly designed Portland cement concrete typically develops its full strength in almost 28 days. It is almost the same time on which a polymer system could easily be applied. It is always expected that the concrete should be structurally strong and should be free of any contaminated or detrimental material.

2) Unstable ground

A very important aspect is to check if the surface is clean with no bumps. There should be no cracks or joints and if there is one, it should be repaired before commencing the work. It is stated that not to apply the polymer on modified topping of concrete until the manufacturer approves it.

Unwanted Compounds and Agents

A lot of agents and compounds are used over the surface of the concrete to give a boost to the curing process, yet instead if not removed properly they could act as a bond breaker. These agents are mostly made of silicones, sodium silicates which impede the polymer systems adhesion. It is advised to take precautions on new projects. Never shy from testing the surface even if the curing method has been duly specified and termed appropriate, it should be tested and cleaned before the commencement of application.

Laitance

Laitance is an amalgamation of cement, water, and fine aggregates which form the first layer of the concrete. The thickness of the laitance can range anywhere between 0.01 to almost 0.1, it all depends on various factors. Even after good thickness, a weak surface remains a probability; therefore it must be looked after to be removed and achieve the required adhesion.

Moisture

Moisture at many places plays a spoiler. Here too it can be a prime cause for adhesion failure. Proper elimination of the water is very important if one wants to reduce the chances of adhesion failure. The liquid is well known to travel through the slabs of concrete and damage the structure on a high scale. There are various moisture testing techniques being used in the market. It is important to verify that if the vapor is anywhere between 3 to 5 percent it won’t affect the surface much. But anywhere above that number would cause considerable damage. Therefore during our various projects of concrete floor coating in New Hampshire, we make sure to test the surface for moisture and take necessary steps if a higher percentage of the moisture is found.

PH Value

The presence of ph value in the concrete substrate does affect the adhesion. If it is too high or sometimes too low, in both cases it will put considerable harm to the bond strength. For applying polymer, a good ph value is recommended anywhere between around 7. If the ph value is more than 10, the process of acid etching is generally required and if the value is below 6.5 then a process of caustic etch will be required.

Surface Containments

A lot of other things could contaminate the surface and it is highly suggested to keep all these foreign compounds in check. Oil, grease, chemicals, and other food products or acidic liquids could affect the adhesion, therefore their presence should be highly checked and proper measures should be taken to avoid them.

Carbonation

It is a long but very likely to happen a process in which the carbon dioxide presents in the air reacts with calcium hydroxide in presence of moisture. This process impacts the surface by creating a lot of chalk and therefore impacting the loss of adhesion.

Fatty Acids

Highly present in vegetable and other petroleum products, they are very much capable of penetrating the portion of cement present in the concrete surface. These acids directly attack the cement molecules and affect the concrete at a very high scale with great speed. It is important to emulsify them within time to stop the fatty acids from making the ill gain.

Also, read about Guide to Apply an Epoxy Coating to a Garage Floor?

Concrete Prep Methods

Grinding

One of the most preferred methods, a lot of restoration companies use the concrete floor grinding in New Hampshire to prepare the horizontal surface. A lot of people suggest that methods of chemical preparation or shot-blasting are also widely favored but grinding still has great potential and could easily be considered as one of the best surface preparation techniques available. It is not only very cost-effective but also serves as an environmentally friendly option. The technique involves a lot of sizes of grinders, from those small handheld ones to the big machines with diamonds embedded on the edges. A lot of cup wheel sizes are also available, so it depends on what type of work has to be performed and you can choose the covering accordingly. The grinding process opens the concrete for the floor coating to penetrate and form a good adhesive bond. The grinding process is also known to provide a very even surface, which is much better in comparison to the shot blasting surface. The process is also good at smoothing the surface and avoids any kind of imperfection on the surface.

Shot-Blasting

This is also a popular process for surface preparation but a few concerns with it cannot be ignored. The quality of the product often gets hampered because the shot blasting process is known for producing easily visible patterns, and though they don’t put any impact on the overall quality the patterns are often unacceptable to the owner. They can also open the concrete pores sometimes which again creates a ton of other issues. All these points should be considered before deciding on using the process or better to look for alternatives.

High-Pressure Water Blasting

When abrasive blasting doesn’t make sense, high-pressure water blasting comes in as an alternative for concrete surface preparation. Good pressure is required for the strength of concrete that is being cleaned. If the high-pressure water blasting is not able to remove the laitance then there will be no point in using this process.

Once The Concrete Is Prepared, a Few Other Steps Should Be Followed

• Once the surface preparation is finalized, the irregularities on the surface could be given a good check and should be repaired as per the need. The process should be done well before the application of the polymer system.

• It is often advised that before the application of a polymer system, a cove base should be installed for better results.

• The prepared concrete should be tested so any irregularities with the negligibility in proper adhesion must be kept in check.

General Precautions

• It is always advised to take necessary precautions while doing such a process. Eye protection gears along with hand gloves and other protective clothes should be worn by every worker. Handling of the chemicals should be taken special care and all the installation guidelines should be strictly followed.

• If any material comes into the direct contact of the skin, it should immediately be removed by a soap and necessary medication should be taken after consultation.

• It is expected that the area where the work is being done should be properly ventilated.

If you are planning to install the epoxy flooring, we at all surface restoration are all set and loaded to help you in the best way possible. We have done hundreds of projects of concrete floor coating in New Hampshire and we request you to give us the chance we deserve to help you and give you the desired outcomes.

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