6 Reasons Why The Reign of Epoxy Floorings Is Ending?
There was a time when epoxy had taken the world by storm, and rightly so too. With its sleek appearance, aesthetic value, and durability, the garage flooring industry did indeed have a hard time finding a replacement.
However, time and technology have brought forward a better alternative, namely polyaspartic polyurea coatings. From coatings to garage floor crack repairs, it seems epoxy has finally met its match in polyurea floorings.
Before we learn what improvements polyurea brings, today’s blog unpacks the disadvantages of epoxy floorings.
Disadvantages of Epoxy Floor Coatings
Emission of Noxious Fumes
Epoxy has a strong ammonia smell due to the emission of toxic fumes upon application. Inhaling the ammonia fumes can cause irritation in your eyes, nose, and throat. It also aggravates asthmatic conditions in people. Studies have also shown that epoxy fumes cause skin cancer in animals.
Long Cure Time
Epoxy floors take a long time to harden and fully cure. Ideally, once the epoxy has been poured, the floor should be left alone in dry and warm conditions. Some epoxy floors even take as long as 30 days to complete the curing process. Homeowners might find it inconvenient to install epoxy floors in a garage that sees frequent activity.
Non-porous and Slippery
Another major demerit of epoxy floorings is that they are frictionless and pose the risk of slipping. Resinous materials are non-porous. It is even more hazardous when water or oil spills on the floor. If your household has kids, elderly, or pets, it is a good idea to install additives in the epoxy for better grip. However, these additives are going to cost you extra.
Cracks and Chips
An epoxy coating will have you spend on frequent garage floor crack repairs since the material is prone to cracks and chipping under high impact and frequent traffic. One would expect the long cure time strengthens it enough, but most homeowners observe that the epoxy floor doesn’t fare too well in heavy impact areas like a garage.
Labor Intensive Installation
The installation process for epoxy isn’t exactly easy. The underlying concrete is to be stripped of grease, solvents, and oil stains before pouring the epoxy mixture. Additionally, the installation process cannot be carried out in humid conditions. Even the littlest amount of moisture can sabotage the flooring. You can identify moisture damage in your epoxy coating by the bulging and buckling of the layer.
Hard to Maintain
One needs acids and other chemical cleaning agents to keep your epoxy looking pretty and shiny. We also recommend wearing protective gear during the cleaning process. Some homeowners might also have to hire professional maintenance. Cleaning and maintaining epoxy floors takes time and effort that not everyone can spare.
Innovative Flooring Alternative to Epoxy - Polyaspartic Polyurea Coatings
Zone Garage is Oklahoma City’s trusted provider of polyaspartic polyurea floor coatings. Our floor coatings are superior quality, reliable, and take only 1 day to be installed! Contact us today at (405) 531-4331or simply visit our website for a free quote.