There are many providers out there who promise the world but can’t and don’t deliver. Sadly for many companies, while these providers don’t last long, they can survive long enough to get onto your shortlist. If you feel as though you contracted your flooring out to the wrong provider, check out this list, and see if your floor is failing the way you think it is.
- Small bubbles in the floor. Concrete is a permeable material. This means that air can get into the surface. If the floor isn’t properly prepared, primed and sealed, the air will come out of the concrete during the curing phrase of the installation. When the epoxy coating cures, the mixture increases in temperature. This, in turn heats the air within the concrete, triggering it to swell and produce air bubbles between the concrete and the coating. If this has happened, you need to get in touch with a consultant that knows how to deal with degasification.
- Blisters and Craters in the floor. Blisters are sizeable bubbles that contain entrapped air. Craters on the contrary, occur when bubbles pop and leave an indentation in the epoxy surface. Improperly prepared concrete that’s porous and contains air can lead to out-gassing from the subsurface, which then causes large blisters and craters.
- Film and flow appearance. Film and flow appearance stand out almost immediately in a poorly installed floor. The final appearance is dull and uneven. This generally occurs when the epoxy coat is applied too cold or too hot. It can also occur when excessive airflow blows over a curing surface.
- Tacky surfaces and soft areas. These two similar problems result from improper mixing and temperature variation. It occurs when the ratio of resin to hardener is incorrect, resulting in either a tacky surface or a ‘soft’ area.
- Premature Degradation of the Surface. This occurs when the coating has not been mixed properly, or an out-of-date product is used. Essentially, the preparation of the floor is essential in order for your floor to last for a long period of time. Poor, quick preparation = premature floor failure | Substantial, thorough preparation = long lasting, superb floor.
- Hard Lumps. In some cases, hard lumps may be noticed after the installation of the epoxy coating. This can be caused by the contractor using dirty equipment, low-quality products that deposits lint, or a failure to clean all machinery prior to beginning a new floor.
- Peeling of the surface. All contaminates must be removed from the concrete surface prior to the epoxy coating installation, including oil, grease, chemicals, moisture and dirt. Epoxy coatings will never adhere properly to a floor that is not clean and free of chemicals, oil and grease.
- Localised pooling of water. This occurs when the falls to the drain were not correctly planned for. Through using a specialised epoxy system involving falls, the liquid will run perfectly to the drains, saving you time and money keeping the floor clean and safe.