Why Use Vapor Barrier Epoxy Primers

Whenever concrete sits on damp soil, a strong vapor barrier is necessary to prevent bubbling and delamination of epoxy coatings. When you can wait a few days for a full cure of your epoxy floor and want the strongest base coat possible, a thick primer coat is the best support for your color coat and topcoat. For both of these high-quality installations, vapor barrier epoxy primers are a good choice.

Keeps Water Out

For any concrete that gets exposed to damp soil, vapor barrier primers are needed to protect the upper layers of an epoxy coating. Basements, slab on grade foundations, and concrete next to irrigated soils are all examples of situations where water intrusion could be a problem without an epoxy primer designed as a vapor barrier.

Strong Attachment to the Concrete

Vapor barrier epoxies provide excellent adhesion to a concrete subsurface. They are also very thick and viscous, and thus are self-leveling. That means they can successfully fill in small deformations in the concrete. As a result, the final product is extremely level and smooth, without depressions or indentations. In our experience, great installations start with a high-quality primer, and most vapor barrier epoxies fit this description.

Caveats with Vapor Barrier Epoxies

The cure time for epoxy coats is longer than what is available with other coating materials. California Custom Coatings can create mixtures that will cure faster than normal, but the best result is achieved with patience. For example, the longer a primer coating is allowed to cure, the better the penetration it achieves into the concrete. When high-quality materials are used, the longer the curing time, the better the attachment to the subsurface.

Epoxy coatings are also best installed at 50 degrees or above. For indoor installations with climate control, this is an easy requirement. For locations that are exposed to the ambient temperature, like unheated warehouses or garages, timing and attention to the thermometer is critical.

Thicker coatings also require greater finesse on the part of the installer. When you hire California Custom Coatings, that’s not a problem! We are approaching two decades in the epoxy flooring business and employ expert installers to create your custom floors. You will be satisfied with the results of our work.

For more information about epoxy primers and how they set the stage for everything that goes above them, contact us in Northern California and Sacramento at 916-612-2399 or online for details.