Questions You Should Know about polyaspartic acid

Polyaspartic floor coatings are one of the leading choices for commercial and residential flooring in the United States. Reading this article, you are probably already considering this as an option for yourself &#; rest assured, you&#;ve reached the Colorado specialists. 

You can find more information on our web, so please take a look.

Trust in Epoxy Colorado, a family-owned business serving Colorado for 19 years. Contact the experts today for a free estimate! 

Here is a complete list of questions we frequently get from our customers. 

What are Polyaspartic Floor Coatings?

Developed in the s as a corrosion-resistant coating, polyaspartic floor coatings have surged in popularity in commercial and residential applications. It is the perfect option for long-lasting, durable, and great-looking floors. 

Polyaspartic floor coatings combine ester and various other materials to create an aliphatic and polyurea sealer. It is more durable and quicker to cure than epoxy flooring systems, making it a truly premium flooring choice. It is most commonly used in garages, basements, and commercial/ industrial spaces. 

Where Does Epoxy Colorado Install Throughout the State? 

Epoxy Colorado installs all throughout Colorado. We have served Ault, Berthoud, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Denver, Estes Park, Evans, Fort Collins, Greeley, Lafayette, Louisville, Loveland, Thornton, Windsor, and more!

What are the Biggest Benefits of Polyaspartic Floor Coatings?

Benefits include:

• UV Resistant (Doesn't Yellow)
• Durable Gloss Finish
• Eco-Friendly and low VOCs
• Chemical Resistant
• Higher Abrasion Resistance Than Epoxy
• Easy to maintain
• 1-Day install
• Vehicle-Ready in 24 Hours
• Lifetime warranty
• Installation Available in -30°F to 140°F Temperatures

How Long do Polyaspartic Floors Last? 

Polyaspartic floors last up to 25 years with regular maintenance. With the Epoxy Colorado lifetime warranty, you will not have to worry about your floors again. 

How do You Maintain Polyaspartic Floors? 

1. Vacuum or sweep the floor regularly to remove dirt and debris. The abrasive elements of dirt and debris can cause damage to the polyaspartic floor over time.
2. Use a soft cloth mop and a neutral pH cleaner to clean the floor. Harsh cleaners can damage the finish of the polyaspartic floor and should be avoided.
3. Place mats or rugs at the entrances and in high-traffic areas to reduce dirt and debris from being tracked onto the floor.
4. Place furniture, appliances, and other heavy items on felt pads or coasters to avoid scratches.
5. Avoid dragging furniture and other items across the floor, which can cause scratches.
6. Avoid waxing the floor, as this can cause a buildup of wax, which can interfere with the performance of the polyaspartic floor.
7. Avoid using harsh scrubbers or abrasive cleaners, as these can damage the floor's finish.

Read our blog for pro tips on cleaning and maintenance. 

Do Polyaspartic Floor Coatings Have a Lifetime Warranty?

Yes! Epoxy Colorado is highly confident in our results and provides a lifetime warranty on all of our floors. 

How are Polyaspartic Coatings Different From Epoxy Coatings? 

Polyaspartic and epoxy coatings have several clear differences. Polyaspartic can be installed both indoors and outdoors, is highly weather resistant, eco-friendly, fade resistant, and has incredibly fast install times. Epoxy falls short on those points but is also less expensive and far superior in its resistance to chemical/ acidic liquid damage. Read our deep dive into differences between polyaspartic and epoxy. 

How are Polyaspartic Floor Coatings Applied? 

Polyaspartic flooring can be installed in a short period of time with 7 easy steps. 

1. Prep surface. Use a dry diamond grinder or shot blaster to open the concrete pores. Use biodegradable degreasing agents or organic oil emulsifiers to remove any contaminants.
2. Test moisture level. Moisture can weaken the bond between polyaspartic flooring and concrete. Levels should be no higher than 75% internal RH. Usually not a problem in the dry Colorado environment. 
3. Fill in cracks and gaps. Use a mixture of sand and polyurea to fill in any surface defects.  
4. Mix material. Polyaspartic coatings will come with two parts you will mix together at a 1:1 ratio. If you&#;re adding in pigment, be sure to add it to part A and mix that with part B. 
5. Prime surface. Apply a light coat to see if it&#;s absorbing into the concrete appropriately. Let this settle for roughly an hour, depending on the temperature and humidity.
6. Apply more layers. Build up the floor to your desired thickness. This can range anywhere from 2 mils to 18 mils thick. If you&#;re adding in vinyl chips or decorative quartz, begin to incorporate it in while the second coat (or base coat) is still wet. 
7. Apply top coat. If you add in vinyl or quartz texture, smooth over the dry surface with a scraper and vacuum. This will make applying the base coat easier. Once that&#;s done, or if you didn&#;t include textured chips, apply a coat of the polyaspartic mixture and roll it out. 

Who Can Install Polyaspartic Floor Coatings? 

Polyaspartic floor coatings take precision to achieve a quality finished product. We recommend leaving the installation to the pros at Epoxy Colorado. 

How Long Does it Take to Install Polyaspartic Floor Coatings?

Polyaspartic floors can be installed and cured completely, ready for walking and use, within 24 hours. It can be installed in both high and low temperatures. 

Are Polyaspartic Floor Coatings Environmentally Friendly?

Using a low volatile organic compound (VOC) formula, polyaspartic coatings are perfect for those with an extra sensitive nose and a love for the environment. While it is not 100% eco-friendly when compared to epoxy, polyaspartic is a much cleaner and less foul-smelling alternative.

When is Polyaspartic the Best Flooring Option? 

Polyaspartic floors are perfect for intense environments. They can withstand extremely high and low temperatures (above 300 degrees and below 0 degrees Fahrenheit), and they can hold up to high-traffic usage. It is also highly resistant to UV rays, so it can be installed indoors or outdoors. 

When Should Polyaspartic Not be Used? 

If flooring needs to be breathable, then polyaspartic is not the best choice. Polyaspartic finishes are completely non-porous. 

What are the Drawbacks of Polyaspartic Floors?

Polyaspartic has only a few downsides. They are hard to install, can face corrosion from acids, and generally have a higher cost than alternative flooring options. 

Can Polyaspartic Coating be Applied on Top of Epoxy Coating? 

Yes, following some preparation, polyaspartic coating can be applied on top of an old epoxy-coated floor. 

How can I get started?

You might be surprised to learn that about two million slip-and-fall accidents occur each year. 

If you&#;ve ever exited your home into the garage and nearly taken a spill, you know how slippery garage floors can be, especially when wet. 

You probably also know how messy a garage floor can get with wear and tear over time. With polyaspartic coating, you can make your floors safer and better looking at the same time. 

If you have questions about how polyaspartic coating works, read on to learn more. 

What Does Polyaspartic Mean?

Polyaspartic comes from a type of polyurethane. The polyaspartic coating&#;s considered a plastic, synthetic material. 

This substance gets created when reacting polyol forms with a diisocyanate or polymeric isocyanate. To create the polyaspartic, when this reaction happens, there must also be suitable catalysts and additives present.

Polyurethane compounds help to make materials like polyaspartic coating even more durable. 

Polyaspartic coating was first developed in the early s by the Bayer Material Science company mainly for industrial and mechanical uses. Since then, it has exploded in use for flooring covering because of its outstanding durability qualities. 

What Are Polyaspartic Floor Coatings?

Polyaspartic refers to the material used to make the coating used on multiple floor surfaces. Polyaspartic is also referred to as aliphatic polyurea.

Before use as an application for flooring, polyaspartic was commonly sprayed as a coating for things like truck bed liners and tank coatings.

They are a type of polyurea coating now regularly used as a coating for flooring surfaces. Not only do they provide protection for the flooring surfaces, but they also help to make them slip-resistant.  

How Is Polyaspartic Coating Applied?

If you decide you want to have a polyaspartic coating applied, you probably want to hire a professional to do it. They will have the expertise to understand the materials used and the best method to apply them. 

With expert installation, you can guarantee a surface that looks great with the correct installation.

Professional installers will likely use one of a few methods. When applying a polyaspartic coating, the installer might use a squeegee or seal-coat broom.

Some installers prefer keeping the installation simple by using an 18&#; long 3/8&#; nap roller.

The &#;Dip and Roll&#; method or the &#;Ribbon and Roll&#; method are most common for floor installations.

Can Polyaspartic Flooring Be Applied If Cracks Exist?

If your garage floor has cracks, you need to do some prep work before having the polyaspartic coating applied. 

It&#;s important that cracks are filled and repaired. If the cracks are not addressed it will impact the lifespan and integrity of the polyaspartic coating. 

In addition to reparing cracks, the floors should get vacuumed and cleaned before any coating gets applied. You don&#;t want there to be any dust particles or debris on the floor before application.

You will get efficient and thoughtful service from Hebei Think-Do Chemicals Co.ltd.

Additional reading:
How Does Ammonium Sulphate Fertilizer Work?

What If Existing Floors Are Uneven?

5 Things to Know Before Buying Cable Grip
Potassium Fertilizer vs. Organic Alternatives: Which Is Better?

Before you choose to apply a polyaspartic floor to your garage space, you may want to address uneven flooring. 

In most cases, an uneven or buckling floor will slowly get worse over time. If you apply the polyaspartic coating to a buckling slab, over time, the uneven floor will continue to settle further. 

This can, in turn, cause the newly installed flooring to eventually crack where major shifting and heaving have occurred. 

Can Polyaspartic Coating Be Applied in Cold Temperatures?

It might surprise you to learn that there are formulas of polyaspartic applications that can be applied in cold temperatures. In fact, some can even get applied in temperatures close to zero. 

You want to talk with your flooring installation specialist about the conditions when it might be installed. You want to ensure the installer is using the correct formula for the cold-temperature installation.

What  Floor Coating Options Come With Polyaspartic Flooring?

Don&#;t assume that just because the flooring is super-strengthed, you don&#;t have decorative options when it comes to installation. In fact, polyaspartic coating comes in a variety of options for flooring installation. 

In addition to a variety of industrial flooring options, the flooring can also be installed in Seamless Flake and Monolithic Quartz for a more ornate look. 

How Long Does a Polyaspartic Garage Floor Coating Take to Dry?

One of the biggest benefits of polyaspartic flooring is the quick turnaround time it provides from installation, curing, and return to service. 

It&#;s the reason many garages and industrial locations prefer this type of flooring. In a single day, the floor can be installed and cured, and ready to use again, unlike some epoxy counterparts that take much longer. 

In just a few short hours, the polyaspartic flooring is dry. 

How Does Polyaspartic Coating Compare to Epoxy?

It&#;s believed that a polyaspartic floor is more durable than the epoxy counterpart it&#;s often compared to. 

 In tests, it&#;s shown to have a higher level of abrasion resistance compared to epoxy coatings. 

Can Polyaspartic Coating Be Applied Over Epoxy?

The short answer is that yes, the polyaspartic coating can get applied over an existing epoxy installation. It has strong adhesion qualities, making it okay to apply on epoxy.

You do want to ensure that the epoxy still adheres to the substrate. You&#;ll want to have a professional installer evaluate the flooring. They may want to simply apply a fresh polyaspartic top coat.

It might mean the epoxy floor needs sanding, scuffing, or even complete removal before the application of the polyaspartic.  The reason for this is that not all coatings are created equal, and a professional will want to ensure that all layers of a coated floor are reliable for maximum durability and lifespan.

Where Can Polyaspartic Flooring Be Applied?

Polyaspartic flooring can be applied in nearly any concrete coating system, especially as a resinous top coat. Typically, this means the flooring application can get applied to:

• Garages
• Vehicle buildings
• Warehouses
• Hospitals
• Chemical labs
• Commercial buildings

If you have a uniform floor surface where a highly durable surface is in order, polyaspartic might be the answer.

Are There Any Places Where Polyaspartic Flooring Won&#;t Work?

There are a few situations where polyaspartic coating might not be the right choice for installation. 

If you have a floor surface that asks for a breathable concrete sealer, then polyaspartic may not be the right choice. This might occur on:

• Stamped concrete surfaces
• Specialty tiles
• Natural and decorative stone

Oftentimes these materials were used for a specific purpose, and any type of coating would significantly alter the aesthetic.  Remember, too, that you want to fix cracks and uneven surfaces before applying polyaspartic coating for them to be optimally effective.

Benefits of a Polyaspartic Floor

There are several benefits to polyaspartic flooring that make it a popular choice. 

First, it is so durable, even more so than epoxy. This durability makes it popular for high-use areas like garages and industrial locations. 

Second, it can be applied, cured, and ready to use in just a day. It actually dries within a few hours of application. This is much quicker than epoxy. 

Finally, the application can happen to nearly any concrete substrate surface, even in cold weather conditions.

Choosing an Installer for Your Polyaspartic Floor

Once you&#;ve made the decision to invest in polyaspartic flooring, you want to hire an experienced installer who will get the job done right. 

What should you consider as you prepare to hire this type of professional? Let&#;s take a closer look.

Experience

The simple reality is that you want to hire someone with experience working with these materials. It makes them more qualified to evaluate your flooring and know how an installation will proceed. 

Their experience will also help them anticipate potential issues. They will be certified and trained in the best ways to prep your surfaces and ensure the coating will be installed to last a long time. 

Reviews

Any time you hire a professional to do work for you, it makes sense to learn about previous customers&#; experiences. 

In today&#;s tech-driven world, it&#;s pretty easy to do an online search and read some reviews. 

It&#;s important to know how to read online reviews, though. It can be a challenge to make every customer completely happy, some are just general complainers. 

Instead, look for trends in the comments. Don&#;t get dissuaded by a single mediocre review. If they&#;re pleased with the results, it&#;s likely a good sign.

Cost

Again, anytime you hire a professional for a service, you should consider costs. When comparing the cost from one service to the next, it&#;s important to make sure you&#;re getting the same service. 

It&#;s also smart to remember cheaper isn&#;t always better. Consider all the factors for hiring and use cost as one consideration.

References & Certification

Don&#;t be afraid to ask your polyaspartic professional for references. They may even include them on their website. 

It&#;s always nice to talk to someone else who has hired the service and has the flooring already installed. 

Another important consideration is the training and certifications that your installer has received.  Handyman and jack-of-all-trades types of companies may simply not have the proper amount of specific expertise, training, and certification for top-quality floor coatings.

Get Polyaspartic Coating to Protect Your Floors

Polyaspartic coating is a highly durable flooring surface made to withstand dirt, grime, and abrasion. It dries fast, making it the least disruptive installation possible. 

For more information, please visit polyaspartic acid.