How Patch Epoxy Floor Damage

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Epoxy Floor

Epoxy coatings are beautiful. Very smooth and sleek. They have all the good qualities like water resistance, and they can also withstand high temperatures and heavy loads. But they are not fool-proof. After some time, epoxy floors begin to show defects such as peeling and chipping. Replacing the whole floor is expensive, and you have to patch the affected areas.

101 On Epoxy Floor Patching

Here are the steps. But the high and low of it is that you usually can’t patch an epoxy floor without replacing lots of it. We give the full rundown in our 101 guides.

Floor Preparation

There are lots of options for your floors, but no matter what, they have to be prepared properly before applying the new floor. Preparing the surface is vital for the repair success. Floor preparation takes more time than you’ll take epoxying the patch.

Start By Removing Any Material On The Floor.

Epoxy coat failure is usually indicated by chipping, peeling, or flaking of some epoxy floor sections. You have to remove all the coatings in the contaminated area.

A paint scraper will help you with this. Place the paint scrapper at a 45° angle between the coating and the floor. Apply some pressure. The contaminated material should come off quickly. If it doesn’t, push the paint scrapper in and out repeatedly till the material loosens.

Sanding

Epoxy coatings adhere well to a rough surface than to a smooth surface. Scrap the area you are about to patch with 60-grit sandpaper or a palm sander.

Switch on the palm sander and place the moving part directly over the floor. Move the sander in arcs half a meter wider for at least that seconds. A palm sander is especially great for edges close to the wall.

Experts advise using a floor buffer with 100-grit sandpaper when repairing larger areas. A floor buffer can substitute palm sanders. Floor buffers are automatic. Push the buffer slowly as you walk. Start with the outermost edges and moving towards the innermost edges of your floor. Then do a U-turn and begin moving in the opposite direction.

Sanding makes a rough profile for the epoxy patch’s proper adhesion to prevent future damage to epoxy floors.

Cleaning The Repair Surface

After a thorough sanding, it is now time for some cleanup.

Vacuuming

Sweep all the debris from the sanding. Next, go over the surface with a shop vac and vacuum every bit of dirt or dust particles. A shop vac is specialized for construction work, so it will not get damaged like a home vac.

Cleaning the floor is vital for the success of the new patch. When dust, dirt, and debris get trapped in between the concrete floor and the new patch, they reduce proper adhesion, and the new patch ends up chipping, cracking, or peeling away.

Use Denatured Alcohol

Wear a pair of hand gloves. Pour 0.24 L of denatured alcohol into a clean container, for example, a bucket. Next, pick up a clean rag and deep in the denatured alcohol. Home supply stores near your home sell them, so don’t worry. The rag should be well soaked with the alcohol but not dripping. Wipe the entire sections you have vacuumed.

Denatured alcohol is alcohol with impurities such as colors and foul smell to keep humans from consuming it. An example is a methylated spirit. It will dissolve any impurities, dust, and remaining bits of the previous coat. And it dries fast.

Actual Patching

Prepare Patch Material

The easiest method is applying a pre-formulated epoxy patch. If you cannot get one, then make your own. Put the two-part resin and one part hardener into a clean bucket. They should be either water-based or solvent-based, depending on what you used for the mother coat. Fix a stirring bit onto a drill. Put the bit in the bucket and switch it on. Mix the epoxy properly since improperly mixed coating will peel off.

Know how to differentiate between water-based epoxy, which is clear in color, and solvent-based epoxy, which comes in many colors.

Application

Pour the mixture into a mixing tray. Use a 3/4 inch paint roller. Roll it on the paint tray, then apply a thin, even layer over the repair area. Ensure that the roller does not dry the entire time because it will produce inconsistencies on the new coat.

Leave the patched area to dry for 4-10 hours, although it depends on the prevailing temperature conditions. You can test if it is dry by pressing a thumb. It will be dry if no print is left.

Apply the second or third coat to bring the patch to the level of the previous coat. Leave to dry before applying the clear sealer coat.

Benefits Of Patching Epoxy Floors

Patching epoxy floors is a simple project that you can do. And it is way cheaper than replacing the whole floor. The great thing is that the benefits of epoxy floors are huge and have a great dividend to homeowners. Patch them right once, and you’ll never have to do it again. That’s the old adage of cry once, buy once.

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Preeti Shah
Preeti Shah is a person who loves checking out different styles and designs of houses. She took interior designing in college and is practicing in the field of home improvement for five years now. In her spare time, she is usually searching the web for interesting and fascinating home designs.

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