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New slabs of concrete should be allowed to fully cure for 30-60 days before a coating is applied. If a sealer was previously used on the concrete (if water beads up on the surface), do not use epoxy.
How long after pouring concrete can you apply epoxy?
Standard specifications recommend a minimum 28 day cure period for “green concrete”, before an epoxy floor coating or other resinous system can be applied.
How do you know if concrete is ready for epoxy?
The concrete will immediately, or at least within a minute, darken as the water absorbs in areas with no contaminants. You would immediately notice whitening or a frosty hue in areas that have silicone-type contaminates. Further, check to see if the water beads up and then takes more than a couple of minutes to absorb.
How do you prepare new concrete for epoxy?
Prepping Your Concrete Floor Before you apply any coating, you need a clean, dry floor without debris, moisture, cracks or holes. Give the area a thorough sweep. Clean up any grease stains with a degreaser and a stiff brush. You don’t need to remove all of the discoloration, just the greasy residue.
How long does concrete need to cure before coating?
A normal concrete mix must cure for at least 28 days before coating. We highly suggest 45 or more days of curing (depending upon weather conditions). Faster curing concrete can be used, but discuss it with Stronghold Floors staff first.
Can you epoxy over fresh concrete?
New concrete can restrict penetration of epoxy even more than older concrete does. The reason for this is that the surface has been freshly troweled smooth. This creates even less mechanical grip and access to the pores at the surface. Concrete surface profiles are often referred to in the industry as CSP.
Do I need to grind new concrete for epoxy?
However, for larger commercial jobs, older concrete, or worn floors we always recommend grinding before epoxy installation. The concrete floor will fail if the coating doesn’t bond mechanically to the concrete floor, so the preparation is the most important part before applying any type of epoxy!Feb 18, 2019.
Do you need to prime concrete before epoxy?
One of the most common questions I get with epoxy floors is if it is necessary to prime the floor before applying the epoxy floor coat. The right primer will guarantee better adhesion of your floor coats to the substrate. It will give your floor a longer life and will reduce the risk of the coat chipping or breaking.
Can you put epoxy over self leveling concrete?
Epoxy is not suitable for leveling rough concrete slabs. 2. A common misconception is that by applying a high build epoxy coating (like a self leveling) on uneven concrete the floor will magically become smooth and level. THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN!Apr 17, 2017.
What happens if you don’t etch concrete before epoxy?
In Closing. New concrete must be etched before applying the epoxy. The smooth surface of unaltered concrete won’t bind with other materials, such as epoxy or paint. As a result, epoxy will peel and lift away, failing to adhere to the surface.
Can I put epoxy over sealed concrete?
For example, you cannot apply epoxy garage floor coverings over a concrete floor that has been sealed. Therefore, if your floor is sealed, epoxy coating or any other kind of paint cannot be applied to it because it will never stick and it will never be as effective as intended.
Does vinegar etch concrete?
Etching – Vinegar’s ability to dissolve CaCO3 will dull your marble, travertine, concrete and terrazzo surfaces. It may “clean” the surface but it is also dissolving pits into the finish and effectively dulling it. This will affect marble, travertine, concrete and concrete terrazzo surfaces.
What happens if you seal concrete too soon?
It is also for this reason that you cannot typically apply a concrete sealer before the thirty day curing period. If you apply a concrete sealer to a concrete slab that has not fully cured, then you risk ruining and harming the concrete’s potential future strength.
How soon after pouring concrete can you paint it?
Curing New Concrete Allowing the new concrete to cure for at least 30 days can reduce the alkalinity and moisture content to levels low enough for the concrete to take paint. But it can take as long as 60 days before new concrete has cured enough for painting, depending on climate and weather, reports Jon-Don.
Can you epoxy over broom finish concrete?
Concrete floors that have a broom finish (also known as brushed concrete) use up more epoxy than plain concrete floors. If your floor has a curb around it that you intend to coat with epoxy, you also need to buy additional proxy as curbs take up a lot of coating, especially if it’s made of block.
Will epoxy stick to smooth concrete?
Applying the epoxy to smooth concrete. It is essential for the primer and epoxy to be painted over a rough surface for proper adhesion to take place. Use a floor grinder rather than a shot blaster for best results. Once applied, the epoxy itself will give the floor the smooth look that you expect.
Can I sand concrete instead of etching?
Yes, you will need to grind in order to remove the sealer at the surface and provide a proper profile for the coating. You cannot acid etch. The reason is that the sealer prevents the acid from reacting with the minerals in the concrete since the concrete is sealed.
