Wrapping Up with Coatings
Read any of our articles and pages that discuss the installation process followed by California Custom Coatings and you will likely see mention of a base coat to provide color and adhesion and at minimum a topcoat that provides durability and protection. With certain types of concrete, our installers also apply a primer coat to guarantee adhesion, making your coated floor a three-layer process. This multi-layered approach is in accord with the latest recommendations from researchers who study concrete protection via surface coatings.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Big Three
According to the trade journal Coatings, the three most commonly used concrete coating materials are epoxy, acrylics, and polyurethane. Each of these materials presents advantages and disadvantages when it comes to protecting concrete.
- Epoxy coatings are waterproof, corrosion resistant, and provide excellent adhesion, but they have poor UV and weather resistance. On their own, epoxy coatings suffer over time outdoors.
- Acrylic coatings have high UV resistance and also adhere well and do a good job of strengthening the concrete surface, but they are not waterproof and provide little chemical resistance. On their own, they only work in certain environments.
- Polyurethane is weather, corrosion, and impact resistant. It lasts a long time and has good impermeability, but has low UV resistance.
You will note that by itself, each of these materials are suitable only for certain environments. When combined together in a multi-layered approach, their advantages overcome their individual disadvantages.
The Science Behind Multilayer Coatings
By layering multiple coatings, each layer can complement the shortcomings of the others, thereby enhancing the overall performance and durability of the coating system. — the journal Coatings
Obviously, experience with these different materials is extremely helpful when it comes to designing custom flooring. As the authors stated in the Coatings study, “In order to guarantee the [concrete’s] long-term durability and protection, coating design is essential.” We see many examples of floors that need redoing or renovation because the initial coating installation was not up to the environmental challenge. At California Custom Coatings, our professionalism and design knowledge guarantees that your installation is right from the beginning.
To accomplish a successful and long-lasting installation, we first consider the location, the activities that take place there, and the purpose of the concrete coatings. Is the surface meant to be strictly functional, or is it also decorative? Then we determine the number of layers that will be required, the type and thickness of each layer to provide the best performance, and the installation process needed to complete the work. Included in these calculations are the time factor involved, as some projects require a quick turnaround and therefore demand materials that cure quickly. Ultimately, California Custom Coatings wants to live up to its name and provide you with the concrete protection and improvement that meets your specific needs.
Clearly, a concrete coating installation benefits from the knowledge of experienced professionals. California Custom Coatings has studied and worked in this industry for over fifteen years. Our mastery of the material and its application guarantees that you receive a surface-film coating that will protect your investment while giving you a work or living space that will make you proud! For more information and a consultation on your concrete coating job, contact us by phone or online for service in Sacramento, Northern California, and beyond.