Step Up: Working with Floor Paint

Achieving max transformation on minimum budget? You can’t beat paint. And this also rings true when it comes to beautifying your flooring. Check out the basics of working with floor paint.

Two Types of Floor Paints

Painting your floor is not exactly the same as painting walls and other surfaces. Since it has high traffic and more chances of damage, the key thing to look out for is a formulation for superior durability.

There are two types of floor paint — latex acrylic paint for concrete and pre-mixed one-part epoxy floor paints. Of the two, professionals go with the one-part epoxy paint. Epoxy resin mixed in with the acrylic latex creates a finish that bonds with concrete better, and provides strong resistance to mold and mildew, chemicals, and chipping.

In addition to these features, another consideration is the project’s life after application. While typical latex acrylic floor paint needs to be retouched once every 6 months to a year, one-part epoxy paint can last almost twice that long.

Para Sure Tips for DIY Floor Coating
Opting to paint your floor on your own can be fulfilling. Be warned though that this one requires a little more experience in the DIY painting field. Para sure, let these tips guide you.

• Preparation: Take Your Time Clean, scrub and smoothen. Preparing your floor for priming may take longer than preparing other surfaces. But know that the more careful you are at this stage of the process, the more a flawless paint job is ensured.   First, all furniture and other items must be cleared from the work area. Don’t just pull a cloth over them – you have to pull them out of your workspace to make sure they don’t get splattered on, or get in your way once you actually start painting. Once fixtures are out of the room, start scrubbing stains off. A sander or high-powered grinder are go-tos for removing stubborn spots and smoothing out the work area. In line with the smoothing process, all chips and breaks in the concrete will have to be repaired. Sprouting nails or screws should also be tightened or driven in.
• Test for Moisture Paint and moisture do not mix well. To ensure that your floor is ready for priming, try taping down a piece of plastic tarpaulin and leave it for 2 days. If there’s moisture on the underside of the plastic, then you may have to consider other forms of coating.
• Consider Your Color Choices Before actually painting, decide on the right color to use. Much like how painting your ceiling works, the right color choices can produce clever optical illusions for your room. Got white or light-colored walls? Add to the imagery of a big room by painting your floor in a light-colored shade or go for a dramatic, bold ground for a strong contrast.

Epoxy Paint: Acrylic Paint or Epoxy Coating?
On the bigger picture, “epoxy paint” is a terminology that has been causing confusion for homeowners looking to pull off a DIY floor painting project. Epoxy coating is not paint. Of the two types discussed earlier, one-part epoxy paint is acrylic with a small amount of epoxy. While it offers better adhesion and durability versus the standard acrylic paint, it’s still classified as latex acrylic.

The truth is that there’s no such thing as “epoxy paint”. You either have acrylic paint or epoxy coating. “Epoxy paint” results from the general public intermixing the term “paint” with “coating.”

Strictly speaking, epoxy is a two-component product consisting of one part epoxy resin and one part polyamine hardener. You have to mix these two parts and apply within a limited time and temperature. Once these parts are combined, a chemical reaction starts and creates a cross-linking of the components that continues until the coating cures. What results is a very hard surface that is resistant to staining, abrasion and chemical damage.

When in doubt, make a habit out of reading the paint product’s information as listed on its technical data sheet.

Island Premium Paints Epoxy Floor Coating
Island Premium Paints Epoxy Floor Coating is a two-pack system based on epoxy-modified amine adduct hardener. Suited for concrete floor, the product is formulated to provide reliable toughness for industrial environments such as food processing plants, hospitals, breweries, factories and flooring with considerable proximity to water.
 
 

Learn more about Epoxy Floor Coating, along with more Para Sure tips on home improvement!

Island Premium Paints is the first and only locally produced paint with a Product Satisfaction Guarantee.

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