Did You Know?

Product #1, Product #2, and Product #630 are all available in a normal (floor grade) and also in a Wall Grade. The floor grade coating levels better on floors. The wall grade hangs better on the wall, minimizing runs.

Product #1, and Product #2 are available in normal cure, fast cure and cold cure.

Before installing epoxy coating it is important that you first do proper surface preparation. Please review the Epoxy.com "Surface Preparation" Technical Bulletin at http://www.epoxy.com/surfaceprep.aspx . You will also want to review the "Does and Don'ts" located at http://www.epoxy.com/install.htm.

If you do not have access to the internet please contact Epoxy.com Customer service at 321-206-1833 and ask to have it faxed or postal mailed to you.

Must Visit Links

Surface Preparation

Do with Epoxies

Don'ts with Epoxies

Products Covered by this Guide

Although each Epoxy.com may have slight variations in installation technique, this guide is an excellent tool when installing the following Epoxy.com Products:

Product #1 - including normal cure, fast cure, and wall grade.
Product #2 - including normal cure, fast cure, and wall grade.
Product #204
Product #210
Product #215
Product #216
Product #222
Product #250
Product #255
Product #260
Product #600
Product #630 - including normal and wall grade
Product #633
Product #634
Product #636
Product #637
Product #640
Product #641
Product #642
Product #643
Product #648

Primers

Primers can be one of the most important considerations of your installation. Most of the products covered under this installation guide can be installed without a primer. However, there can be major advantages to your job if you use the right primer. For more information on the right primer for your job please visit our Primers & Sealers page or contact Epoxy.com Technical Support at 714-657-3826.

Using a roller to measure liquid epoxy measurements.

Mixing Tools

Typically you will want to use a paddle mixer, that goes into a low speed drill, like the ones shown. Your mixer should be large enough to stir the entire batch at once. A mixer that is too small moves only part of the contents of the pail. That can result in inadequate mixing.

Be sure that you use a clean mixing paddle. A dirty mixing paddle can result in poor mixing. It can also result in pieces of old hardened material being mixed into your new batch.

When mixing try not to whip any unnecessary air into your mix.

STOP Before Starting Any Job:

Before starting any job, make sure to inventory your material and supplies to make sure that you have enough to complete the job.

Mixing

Carefully pour out the "a" resin and the "B" resin into your measuring containers. Pour "A" Resin into your mixing bucket and then pour the "B" hardener into the mixing bucket. Unless specifically instructed by the a product's technical data sheet, you should always pour your "A" Resin and then mix your "B" Hardener into the "A".

Stir as directed for as long as directed by the technical data sheet. Typically this is at least 3 minutes, but excessive mixing well beyond the recommended mixing time can greatly reduce your pot-life. Pot-life is the time that you have after you mix your product, before it starts to harden. Once it starts to harden, typically you cannot use the remaining unused material.

Be sure to scrape the sides and the bottom of the buckets with your mixer while you are mixing, and with a stir stick once you have mixed the material, but before you apply it.

Pour Mixed Epoxy Resin into a Roller Pan

Picture of epoxy being brushed against the edges.

Epoxy likes to soak through masking tape. It also likes to "bleed" under most tapes. As the epoxy starts to gel, your tape may pull hard. So be sure to use a strong tape as a masking tape. Be sure to pull the tape as you go, so the epoxy will not be too set up to pull.

Trim

Some people like to mask off the areas adjacent to the areas that they are about to coat, to protect them. If you do, you might want to use duct tape, or other very strong tape.

Before you install your coating you should apply any required primers. We will not talk about the primer in detail here, but as a general rule, the mixing and application of the primer is virtually the same as applying the coating. Be sure to check the data sheet on the primer, or with Epoxy.com Technical Support for specific details about the primer you should use if any.

Trim around the areas that are difficult to roll. Remember not to get to far ahead. You do not want to let the epoxy to get too sticky or go by before you roll onto it or the overlap may stay visible.

Application

You can use a tray liner for all Epoxy.com 100% solids coatings. These coatings do not contain any solvent and so they will not "eat" your roller pan. This will help to save you some money on the job supplies that you consume.

Pour the mixture into roller pans. It is best not to use it directly out of the mixing bucket. This reduces the chances of picking up some unmixed resin onto your roller.

Be careful not to get foreign material into the mix or onto your floor. If you are looking to coat the wall ask about our "Wall Grade" coatings. They are thicker and so thy are less likely to run.

Darker colors are more forgiving of the color differences of the substrate.

Be sure to apply at an even spread rate that is recommended by the manufacturer. It is useful to calculate and mark off areas on the floor that will correspond to the batch sizes that you are using.

After the coating has hardened, typically overnight. It will be time to add a second coat. Typically you should wait at least until the coating is hardened and cooled before recoating. But unless instructed otherwise by the manufacturer never wait more than 24 hours to recoat.

Anti-skids come in many forms. Some are broadcast into the floor. These will make the floor much thicker. Some Anti-Skids are added directly into the coating. Be sure to contact your Epoxy.com Technical Representative for more information.

Remember, when ever you are in doubt contact Epoxy.com Technical Support.

A new clean 5 gallon metal or plastic pail makes a great mixing bucket. Always be sure that your mixing buckets are clean and not contaminated with anything before mixing. Some people like to use the two bucket method. That allows the person mixing to be mixing while your installation people are installing the previous batch of material. That way there is no waiting between batches.

If your material shows signs of hardening in the bucket. Use a new bucket. If you don't use a new bucket, you will shorten your next batch and risk getting hardened "lumps" in your fresh mix.

Stir Each Component Separately

Stir the resin "A" and the Hardener "B" each separately in their original container. Be sure to use separate stir sticks or paddle mixers for each component. Do not cross contaminate, the "A" and "B". This should be done before mixing the "A" and the "B" together. But this should only have to be once per container, in any given day.

Layout your Epoxy buckets side by side with the measureing sticks in them.

Layout your Equipment and Material

Layout your material and equipment in advance of getting started. Materials have a short pot-life. The pot-life of a material is the amount of time after you mix it before it sets up. Remember that the published pot-life for your material is based on a very specific temperature and volume. Large batches set faster, and material sets even faster when it is hot. So it pays to be prepared.

You will want to think through all the details of the job, ahead of time. Have plenty of rollers, roller covers, paint brushes, pails, etc. If you are well prepared you may not need these items, but if you are not prepared and you need them, you will not be very happy with the situation you find yourself in.

Using the ruler method of measuring epoxy resin for coating.

It is helpful to put some duct tape on any of the premeasured sticks that you will use in a pigmented side or sides of a coating. It will make it easer to wipe off the stick and see the line accurately.

Be sure to properly protect the floors you will be mixing on.

Proper Mixing

One method to insure accurate mix ratios is to put measurements on sticks, with the appropriate mix ratio. The picture to the right is a picture of a 2:1 mix ratio, using this method

Crack and Joint Repairs

After a floor is properly cleaned, the next step is repairing the random cracks, cold joints and saw-cut joints.

Joints can also be filled with Epoxy.com Product #11 Flexible Joint Filler.

Structural cracks should be repaired by epoxy injection or Epoxy.com Product #685 Crack Healer-Sealer .

Non-moving joints and cracks can be repaired with Epoxy.com Product #703. Minor holes and depressions can also be filled with Product #703 as well.

Moving joints can also be filled with Epoxy.com Product #11 or with Epoxy.com Product #703.

Major resurfacing of very rough floors can be done with any of Epoxy.com Epoxy, or Polymeric mortar systems like Epoxy.com - Product #10, Product #15, Product #25, Product #28,or Product #680.

Epoxy.com Installation Guide #1

Epoxy Coating Installation