How To Maintain Epoxy Floor?
Selecting an epoxy flooring system for your Columbus home or business is easy with professionals like Premier Concrete Coatings. Epoxy coatings are a functional and fashionable way to increase the longevity of any floor because they look amazing and stay in shape for years to come. Below, Premier Concrete Coatings’ professionals discuss a few tips on how to maintain an epoxy floor coating effortlessly and economically.
What Types of Epoxy Floor Systems Are There?
Maintaining an epoxy garage floor or any other epoxy coating is simple and takes little effort on the part of the property owner. One important step is knowing the type of epoxy garage floor coatings installed in order to choose the best maintenance method. Start with these three common options:
Solid Epoxy
The most heavy-duty but reliable option for any flooring solution is a solid epoxy layer, a thick solution of 100% epoxy. It lasts longer than all other concrete coatings, but it is also the most expensive option. Hiring a contractor to apply 100% epoxy flooring is essential for the right application and maximum durability.
Premier Concrete Coatings uses a 100% epoxy base for all our floor coatings. Our team also gives it a urethane topcoat for extra strength and shine.
Two-Part Water-Based Epoxy Floor Coating
While not as reliable as solid epoxy garage floor coatings, two-part water-based epoxy floor coatings is an economical option that still provides protection. It works well and comes at an even better price. However, the problem with these floors is how long they take to dry, so the application, curing, and drying processes may take several days.
If this time is inconvenient for Columbus families and businesses, Premier Concrete Coatings’ team recommends solid epoxy as the better option.
One-Part Epoxy Paints or Coatings
At first glance, one-part epoxy paints seem like an economical option. The materials are inexpensive and possible to apply without a contractor. Unfortunately, these coatings are more expensive in the long run and the least effective option in terms of protection and durability.
One-part epoxy paints or coatings offer far less protection and fade quickly. Maintenance is also more challenging, with most property owners needing to reapply a coating once every few years. Unlike other epoxy floor coatings that last for many years, replacing these materials to reapply the coat regularly adds up to a much higher cost than solid epoxy in the end.
How Should You Maintain Your Epoxy Flooring?
Epoxy floor coating is durable but needs proper handling to avoid chipping the surface and retaining its original shine. Keeping the floors looking amazing requires proper cleaning procedures, including the following important considerations:
Clean Epoxy Floors Regularly
Epoxy floor coating does well with regular cleaning, which usually requires a thorough mop about twice a month. High traffic areas might need a weekly mop, but a routine clean is a simple way to keep it looking fresh.
Property owners should also ensure they sweep and vacuum the floor regularly with a shop-vac or any vacuum that handles hard floors. It is more effective to handle loose dirt and debris with one of these machines before mopping so that the water does not spread the dirt around or stick to the floor in gradual stains. Vacuuming will also deal with grime before it hardens, which ensures the floor will always look smooth and shiny.
Avoid Abrasive Chemicals on Epoxy Floor Coatings
While epoxy floor coatings are chemical-resistant, they are not chemical-proof. Epoxy floor coating does not mix well with abrasive citrus-based cleaners, steel wool, vinegar, or any other harsh chemicals to clean them, even for a large spill. These chemicals may be useful in other situations, but they will cause damage to the outer coating of your epoxy floor and compromise its signature sheen.
Chemical damage often appears as a random dull spot on the floor, which may make these surfaces look patchy or unsightly. Instead, use hot or warm water, gentle soap, and soft brushes to clean the epoxy garage floor coatings and handle potential stains. Cleaning the floor regularly (and when a mess happens) will ensure that it stays beautiful without risky chemicals or tricky messes left to dry out on the top layer.
Clean Chemical Spills Quickly
Accidents happen, and chemicals do occasionally spill on epoxy floors. However, taking care of the spill quickly and safely will ensure that no harm comes to the epoxy floor coating and that it keeps looking its best for many years. Use soft fabric to clean up any chemical messes and dispose of the cloth immediately.
If necessary, mop the area after cleaning up the chemicals to prevent any residue from damaging the floor long-term.
Clean Stains on Epoxy Garage Floors with The Right Tools
The final maintenance tip is to use the right tools on this durable flooring. Stains may still appear on an epoxy floor coating, but they are easy enough to clean up with the right approach and equipment.
- Do not use heavy or abrasive brushes to clean the epoxy floor as these scrape off the outer coating and remove the sheen.
- Instead, use soft brushes and hard mops to take care of stains.
When there is a stain, use hot water with soap and spot-clean the stain with a soft brush. Then mop over the floor to catch any remaining dirt. If you are still worried about dirt and stains on your floor, you can go over it another time with a custom cleaner made of water and clear ammonia—it uses 2-3 ounces of ammonia per gallon of hot or warm water.
Premier Concrete Coatings is an excellent choice for a new garage floor coating in Columbus, OH. Our trained contractors serve all the surrounding areas and can help you with an epoxy floor coating of any type; we install, repair, and maintain these floors with years of experience at our disposal. Call Premier Concrete Coatings at (614) 918-7345 today or connect with us at pccofcolumbus@gmail.com about your next epoxy floor coating.
