5 Guidelines For Applying Metallic Floor Epoxy Easily

Any employee wanting to install a fresh coat of metallic floor epoxy wants that coat to be both beautiful and long lasting. While there is no perfect way to apply epoxy, there are a number of practices to keep in mind for the customers of the DIY-obsessed culture. to get a smooth and good looking finish. The best metallic epoxy surfaces also incorporate more advanced techniques to mimic a marble or three-dimensional floor. Employees who want to get the best looking metallic floor epoxy should not be afraid to experiment. The following are general guidelines for applying metallic floor epoxy easily.

Remember The Safety Basics

Before getting started, employees should note that metallic floor epoxy is a toxic chemical that, in a liquid or semi-cured state, generates noxious fumes. Before beginning, employees should review material handling safety tips. Surely, the work area needs to be well ventilated. If this is impossible due to the space being worked in, a mask capable of filtering the fumes should be used. Additionally, care should be taken to avoid getting the liquid epoxy on exposed skin or mucus membranes, as exposure can be harmful. Employees should take care and wear the appropriate masks and gloves to avoid inappropriate exposure. Of course, remembering basic safety measures is essential when installing epoxy flooring.

Prepare The Floor

The most important aspect to getting a smooth, beautiful finish on a floor is to start with a good work surface. Before applying the epoxy, the floor in question should first be cleaned of any dirt, dust, and debris. The floor should then be buffed with an automatic buffer to ensure that it is smooth. Concrete floors will need more aggressive sanding as they are more difficult to buff. Any cracks in the floor should be filled in with epoxy gel as needed to ensure workplace safety.  Plus, a clean and even surface means that employees will have the ideal working surface to apply a durable finish. For this reason, preparing the floor is necessary before spreading metallic floor epoxy.

Applying Epoxy Is More Art Than Science

While there are set procedures to apply metallic floor epoxy, the actual application is more like painting a picture than changing a tire. Much like painting, employees should work to ensure an even, thin coat of epoxy that is free of pools or bubbles. A large part of the allure of metallic epoxy floors is that there are a variety of special techniques to make a floor look beautiful. For instance, epoxy solvent can be applied when the floor is partially dried to produce a swirling, three-dimensional effect on the floor. Employees should understand that there is space for experimentation when it comes to applying metallic floor epoxy.

Getting The Right Color

Part of the appeal of metallic floor epoxy are the rich colors that are possible to apply to floors. To get the most out of these colors, employees need a certain understanding of color theory and under painting. An uncolored concrete floor will accept any color that is put on top of it, but other floors will present more challenge. In general, dark colors will very easily show through light colors applied to them, but less so in the opposite order. Cool colors, such as greens, blues, and purples, will clash with warm colors such as reds, yellows, and oranges. Employees should keep these principles in mind when choosing which colors to put on which floors.

Smooth The Applied Epoxy

Even the most well prepared floor can still look uneven after the metallic floor epoxy is applied, because the coat itself was applied unevenly. In order for the floor to look it is best, employees should smooth over the epoxy after it is finished applying but before it has dried. The first step involves going over the epoxied surface with a spiked roller, or some kind of spiked shoes. After this, a leaf blower should be used to blow air on the floor. In addition to ensuring a smooth coat, this can also create unique and beautiful patterns on the surface of the epoxy. After this stage, any desired top coats or finishers can be applied. These techniques make for a metallic floor epoxy that is evenly distributed over the desired surface.

Metallic floor epoxy can be a great way to finish a floor with a bright, vibrant, and long lasting color. Properly applied and maintained, metallic floor epoxy can last over 30 years. While there are no hard and fast rules, cleaning and buffing the floor to create an optimal work environment is an obvious first step. Epoxy is also much like paint, and employees should work with thin, even coats to avoid pooling or bubbling. Understanding the colors being worked with is key to avoiding the floor’s base color from bleeding through to the final product. Finally, smoothing the epoxy and applying a protective top coat will help the finish last. By referring to these guidelines, employees can apply a beautiful floor epoxy that will last for decades.