Installation Process for Polyurea & Polyaspartic Flake Floor Coatings
This article provides the step-by-step process for installing polyurea & polyaspartic flake floor coatings. However, please be warned that you should not try this at home, unless you are a professional and have the proper equipment that is required to adequately prepare the existing concrete surface.
Please note, depending upon which Polyurea & Polyaspartic flake flooring system you select, this process may vary. Be sure to refer to your manufacturers sequence of operations provided on the specific material that you have purchased.
Before getting into the details of the actual installation process, please note some of the following tools which are required.
A) Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for protecting your eyes, skin and lungs from concrete dust and fines produced from grinding. It is important to protect workers from any airborne debris and chemicals. B) Commercial Walk-Behind Concrete Grinder outfitted with HEPA Vacuum collection System C) Hand-held Angle Grinder D) Stand-Alone Commercial HEPA Vacuum collection System E) Spiked Shoes for Floor Coating Installation.
Step 1: Grind and prepare the existing concrete surface.
Think of your floor as building structure, if your foundation is cracked, damaged or weak, then so will be the structure that you build upon it. As with any coating or topping, surface preparation is an important first step. Therefore, you must grind the existing concrete surface using commercial concrete grinding equipment. It will also be required to use a hand-held angle grinder to prepare edges and other area which your large walk-behind grinder could not address. In total, grinding is performed not only to assist with cleaning the existing concrete surface, the scarification of the surface also produces a someone rough grooved surface that is conducive to accepting the polyaspartic base coat material which will later be applied.
Step 2: Identify and repair any surface defects.
After grinding the existing concrete surface, you must identify and repair any surface defects. we repair these cracks by routing them with a grinder. This opens up the crack to allow for placing patching materials. These routed cracks are filled with a fast curing crack filling compound. Once this crack filler has had time to dry, we then grind it once more to ensure a smooth scarified surface.
Step 3: Clean / Vacuum the concrete surface.
Even if you are a professional concrete coating contractor who has concrete grinders outfitted with a HEPA vacuum, grinding the existing concrete surface will still result in lots of dust and debris. This additional dust must be completely cleaned and collected in order to provide a surface that is ready for prime coating. As a professional concrete coating company, we follow the initial concrete grinding operation, (after patching defects) with a second vacuum process using yet another commercial grade HEPA vacuum. Once all of the repairs are complete and the floor is vacuumed to collect any remaining dust, it is time to thoroughly prime the existing concrete.
Step 4: Priming the prepared concrete surface.
Before priming can begin, your primer must be mixed. Whether you are using concrete coating materials produced by SurfKoat Coatings, Inc. or concrete coating systems by Sherwin -Williams, both require mixing of your prime coat material. Be sure to follow the specific instructions for mixing your prime coat material which are provided by your specific manufacturer. Once your prime coat material is prepared, it is now time to apply the first coat of polyaspartic primer material to your fully prepared concrete surface. This prime coat provides a strong bond between your concrete surface and our products while providing an extra layer of protection against moisture damage. This material should be generously applied using a paint roller with an extension that allows you to walk and roll the material into place.
Step 5: Apply Flake Materials
While the prime coat material is still wet, you must quickly apply the flake flooring material. This material is manually placed against walls and trim, and is sprinkled generously upon the floor. This is where you Spiked Shoes come in handy, as you will be required to walk upon the freshly prime coated floor. The spiked shoes for floor coating installations release air bubbles from the overlays, while protecting these materials from footprints.
Step 6: Drying Period
Now that the prime coat and flake material have been placed, you must wait 2-3 hours for this layer to cure.
Step 7: Scrape Flakes to Produce a flat surface which is ready for the Polyurea Top-Coat
Once the 2-3 hours have passed you can then begin scraping or brushing the flake materials to remove any raised portions of the flakes. This is done with a broom, floor scraper, or wire brush in order to create a flat and level surface for the top coat material. After this step has been completed your floor should be ready for whatever type of Polyurea finish you are wanting to apply!
Step 8: Apply the Final Coat of High Gloss Polyurethane
The final step is to apply the top coat of Polyurethane finish. This should be applied in one or two even coats using a roller and/or brush. Again, your Spiked Shoes will come in handy as you will be required to walk upon freshly placed polyurethane material. Once this step has been completed you must wait atleast 12 ours before walking upon your new Polyaspartic Flake Floor. You can then enjoy the beauty of your brand new concrete coated floor.
In summary: most polyurea coated floor are two-part systems consisting of a polyurea resin and a catalyst for curing. Once the coating is applied, it hardens within minutes into a thick, durable surface that’s also resistant to scratches, staining, and chemicals. Polyurea coatings are great for areas such as bathrooms, kitchens, entryways, basements and pool decks where an attractive finish is desired in addition to durability.By choosing the right coating for your project, you can ensure that your concrete surfaces look great and last a long time.
We hope that our instructions have provided you with enough information to successfully complete your own concrete coating project! If you require any assistance in installing Polyurea & Polyaspartic Flake Floors in the Chicago area, contact us today to get started!
