To 'Expoxy' or not to 'Epoxy'

7 years ago

Needing advice please. We have a concrete floor home that is undergoing leveling with the intent for a 'polished' finish. I'm told that after applying acid (after preparatory work is done) there is no need to apply epoxy, to save costs. I have my reservations as the entire house including the bathroom (except shower) will be left in concrete and I'd like to have floors waterpoof and bathroom non-slip. Cleaning floors will also be a challenge as well. Any advice would be helpful. Cheers!

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PRO

Cancork Floor Inc.

7 years ago

I'm with Ironwood on this one. Concrete is FAMOUS for staining...more so than MARBLE. It is true that you can stop at the acid etching...but then you have a finish that will be worse than carpet/marble/limestone for staining.

Properly finished concrete floors are not cheap. They don't have to be super expensive, but they do take a chunk of change to put in. And they have their own set of maintenance requirements (some finishes need POLISH...other's don't). But they all NEED something to stop them from staining.

There are other finishes out there than epoxy...but none of them are as effective as epoxy. The person giving the advice is correct. Technically you can go without sealing it.

The question becomes: Do you want to? The answer for most homeowners = "No". Some people who don't CARE that a dropped piece of spaghetti will leave a PERMANENT stain (both from the sauce and from the oil that many people put into the water).

That "skin oils" (from bare feet being the most common problem) will soak into the porous concrete and create a long term reminder that someone was standing there.

The amount of effort to remove these stains is PRETTY HIGH. By that time you will wonder why you didn't just seal the darn thing in the first place.

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Comments (11)

PRO
Ellsworth Design Build
7 years ago
Need a little more detail. You have an existing concrete slab that is being leveled in areas, then the whole thing is getting ground smooth then stained?
leilahnelsie thanked Ellsworth Design Build
leilahnelsie
Original Author
7 years ago
Sorry. Our new home build has concrete floors. House is still incomplete - actually, roof goes up today. We live on a tropical island so humidity is a constant. Husband is grinding floor to have this leveled and we were told that we only need to apply acid thereafter. No need for staining/epoxy seal etc... Not trusting the advice provided. Wondered if anyone else did the same. I'm thinking there's too much that can go wrong without the seals.
PRO
Ironwood Builders
7 years ago
I recommend a sealer. Grinding concrete removes the Portland cement "fines" that are typically steel troweled to a burnished finish. This can leave the finish somewhat more porous and susceptible to staining. Sealers are available in a variety of sheens, from gloss to matte.
leilahnelsie thanked Ironwood Builders
Rusty Empire
7 years ago
I would go over to the Buddy Rhodes site to check out their sealer. I wish I could find the article comparing sealers where theirs ranked high, but regardless sealers have to be reapplied as regular maintenance. And they are not all created equal. I wouldn't do epoxy however as I would want my floor to breath, especially in a tropical climate. And I wouldn't want the plastic looking finish epoxy gives you either, but rather a protective seal coat that hilights the finish in a more natural looking way.

http://www.buddyrhodes.com/sealers/
leilahnelsie thanked Rusty Empire
User
7 years ago
Embrace the seal!
leilahnelsie thanked User
leilahnelsie
Original Author
7 years ago
Thank you all for the comments. Sold at the thought of stains in the floor! Much appreciated. Love the pic Tribbletrouble44152k7 Trek haha!
PRO
N.FL.Concrete Flooring & Staining Inc
7 years ago
100% solid epoxy clear

same epoxy with color last 2 only 100% solid clear . 100 % solids won't give you a plastic look . Any sealer you choose to maintain a kemiko polish can be applied as need once you apply you never have to strip simply pour and mop as you would if you were clearing . Buddy Rhodes wealth of knowledge
leilahnelsie thanked N.FL.Concrete Flooring & Staining Inc
PRO
Ellsworth Design Build
7 years ago
We used a water based matte epoxy in our office (approx 4000 sq ft of concrete we ground smooth- ugh)

It looks like there is no finish but is very easy to maintain.
leilahnelsie thanked Ellsworth Design Build
PRO
N.FL.Concrete Flooring & Staining Inc
7 years ago
Ellsworth matte epoxy does make a more natural look . With no killer order
leilahnelsie thanked N.FL.Concrete Flooring & Staining Inc