FAQs

There are differing levels of UV stability. The best analogy I like to use is with sunscreen. You can use one with SPF (Sun Protection Factor) 4 or SPF 30. Both will give you protection but SPF 4 will protect you less. However, with both, you have protection but the elements will eventually prevail. Such is the case with UV stable resin top coats. They will protect but deteriorate over time.

The smells are product additives that suppliers incorporate. They are solvents in various forms. What these solvents can help with is penetration into your concrete. As solvents are cheaper to produce and buy, most applicators will use them.

One area to be mindful of is anything with a solvent in it is going to ‘evaporate.’ What this means is, say a polyurethane is 50% solid, then 50% is solvent so if you put 2mm of this product across the floor, 1mm will stay on the floor and 1mm will evaporate.

An alternative here is to use a solventless 100% solid product that produces little to no smell and what goes onto the floor stays on the floor. There are positives to each one so certainly consult with your application professional for guidance.

The simple answer is yes….BUT…

If your area has more than around 5% of drumminess in the tiles, we will need to determine if overcoating is going to be the best solution for you. Our preparation process also has the ability to 'upset' other tiles that appeared to be stuck down well & they may become loose or dislodge.

Concrete is always the favoured substrate for us to work with as it is overall the most reliable. With concrete installation, we do rely that the concreter has adequately prepared the area, adhered to the concrete manufacturers installation specification & that the soil underneath has also been adequately compacted & prepared.

We will give you guidance on the various circumstances but overcoating tiles will save you on the rip up, demolition and removal cost, with a negligible difference in the additional process required to overcoat the tiles from an epoxy resin viewpoint.

We only adopt a few methods, which are labour intensive, but important for the longevity of your floor.

Mostly, we will mechanically diamond grind using various diamond grinders and the appropriate diamond tooling for your floor (as not all concrete is the same). This process removes the top crust (laitance) and opens up the concrete so that the resins we use have something to ‘grip’ to.

In some cases, we will degrease an area. This is most common in commercial kitchens and automotive areas where, if not properly prepared, the epoxy will not penetrate effectively into the concrete.

We may also employ shot blasting as a preparation method.

We analyse the area to be coated and take these factors into consideration and then give you a recommendation:

• inside versus outside,
• who will be using the floor (ie. Pets, children)
• can speed be built up making it more of a slip risk?
• proximity to wet areas, as this will dictate how much and to what grade we need to add the slip resistance.

Our sample boards will highlight what the slip resistance feels like & these are adjustable levels, depending on the requirement.

Lastly, whatever the slip resistance used, we need to ensure that you have an appropriate cleaning regimen. For example, some slip resistance levels cannot be effectively cleaned with a standard mop.

The main areas that are usually patched are those at the back-of-house, ie:  unseen places or commercial kitchens where conditions can be harsh but the area cannot be out of service for long.

In other areas, patching is possible, but how it marries up to the existing area will depend on age of the existing floor, wear and tear and colour matching. Mostly, the patch will be noticeable but tend to blend in over time.

Certain floors are not ideally patchable, including metallic and anything with a pattern where  the difference will be obvious.

When epoxy delaminates from the substrate, there can be numerous logical reasons for this.
Aside from preparation issues, of which there can be numerous, quite often the concrete is not adequate. How this can be determined is when the loose piece of epoxy has a film of concrete on the underside. This indicates that the epoxy was too strong for the concrete.

Your installation professional should adequately guide you around this...and in an easily understood manner.

With discolouration, there's a bit to consider. All epoxy coatings 'weather' & below are just some areas as to why:

• The floors daily direct exposure to UV
• The colour of your floor - lighter colours 'weather' faster than darker colours. The best colours are the natural earthy tones as these are essentially 'pre-yellowed'
• What direction your floor faces. This refers to, say, a north facing floor that may get exposure throughout the day versus a west facing floor that will get more affected in the afternoon.

The quality of products will factor quite heavily too along with your ability to clean & maintain.
There are products that are designed as UV proof as opposed to UV stable.

Discuss with your epoxy installer.

It is. Generally one slab will be harder than the other and is mostly a case of old and new. The preparation will need to ensure that the final product across both areas is ‘uniform.’

To do this, there could be several coats involved. If the concrete is viewed as a sponge, we need to build the sponge levels so that each ‘sponge’ absorbs the epoxy at the same rate, therefore achieving uniformity.

In our opinion, acid etching is not an option to adequately prepare the substrate. We mostly opt for mechanical preparation & this method has proven effectiveness.

For those that choose to acid etch, we ask how the acid will be removed & where this will end up. Typically, it will be hosed into the street, down the drain. Even worse is washing it onto your lawn or into the garden. Dead plants...coming up...!!
As you can conclude, we don't view this as a sound environmental practice.

Below is a checklist of considerations:

• Would you prefer your floor to be smooth & easily cleaned or maybe a bit safer, with texture? Slip resistant?
• How much UV will the area be exposed to throughout the day?
• Consideration for colours with respect to the remainder of your environment & the floor complimenting your surrounds
• Total time from start to finish of how long you'll need to remain off & away from the area for. Some of the larger projects will require more effective project management to coordinate areas such as storage, accommodation & alternative access.
• Your ability & willingness to clean & maintain the floor. The greater this practice, the greater the floor lasts' with 'the greater the practice, the longer the floor lasts.

Certainly do your research on any company you are having work contracted to.

• Start by looking at their website? Don't have one? How serious are they?
• Are they on social media? What are people saying? Are they showcasing their work?
• What do their reviews & ratings say?
• What credentials do they hold? Compare this to the industry standard. Licences? Trade qualification if appropriate?
• What warranty is provided? What are the restrictions? Is the warranty of a timeline fit for the longevity the company has been in business?

The approach from the contractor should be delivered in simple easily understood terms. If you don't understand, that's not on you.

People good at their crafts should also be able to explain the technical aspects so that you are clear.

Go with the 'gut' feel. If you are getting confused & maybe a bit flustered, look elsewhere.

We have also built relationships with other flooring suppliers and these options and contacts can be made available if our system is not for you.