As the owner or manager of your business, you are likely on the lookout for products and services tailored to making your work easier and more cost-effective. It also helps to find investments to increase the quality of your brand and the beauty associated with your office or store. In many cases, professionals decide to go with epoxy flooring to get the job done, but some buyers make the mistake of not worrying about the preparation process.
PPI Flooring of Orlando offers epoxy floor coatings for nearly every industry, and we’re here to tell you that our professional approach to preparation helps us to achieve the best results. Keep reading to learn more about the importance of preparation for epoxy floor systems, and be sure to reach out to our professionals for complete assistance!
Identifying Your Flooring Needs
Based on your industry, you may have vastly different needs than the average customer. Every business is unique, which is why PPI Flooring works to learn everything we can about your epoxy flooring needs before moving forward. We’ll focus on your primary concerns and provide the right answers to ensure that your business is optimally outfitted moving forward.
From salons and airport hangars to retail stores, restaurants, and more, we have the epoxy flooring solutions to enhance your concrete floors.
Developing a Quality Floor System
Once our flooring contractors have all of the information we need to best meet your business’ needs, they will get to work on developing a floor system designed to provide the highest level of value. PPI Flooring will work with you every step of the way to ensure that you make the best choices for your floor system, including daily factors and ongoing risks. No matter your needs, our team has the right solutions for the job.
Prepping the Concrete Floors
The purpose of preparing your concrete floors is to open up the porous surface of the slab to enable better penetration of the epoxy material. Deeper penetration creates a stronger hold once the material cures. Much like sanding wood before staining, concrete requires this scouring to provide more friction and better adherence. Despite the quality of your epoxy floor coatings, everything will be for naught if the floor is not properly profiled first!
PPI Flooring offers floor grinding services to ensure that your system is optimally prepared for epoxy coatings. The long-term quality behind your new flooring depends heavily on the process leading up to installation.
Floor Grinding
Thorough preparation is the key to success, and our epoxy flooring team always focuses on the small details to help generate an ideal outcome. Without proper prep, your floors may start to peel and flake after only a few weeks! PPI Flooring offers long-term results to our satisfied customers, and we rely on a range of floor grinding options to tailor the best fit.
The condition of your floor will determine what type of grinding service will be the most effective while still remaining affordable.
- Sanding — A light floor sander may be all that is needed to prep your concrete flooring for an epoxy coating. This method is ideal for newer slabs in need of light re-coatings, as more intensive grinding will be needed for more intensive floor finishes.
- Diamond grinding — The solve-all approach for most floor systems, diamond grinders are suited to take on a wide range of tasks. More intensive scratching and scouring enables the prepped concrete surface to bond better to the epoxy, creating a flawless result that is easy on the eyes. Our flooring contractors will likely discuss the value of our diamond grinding to achieve the right finish for the next coating.
- Shot-blasting — Some floor systems require a thicker build, which necessitates more intensive preparation. Shot-blasting is a more aggressive option for creating a deeper cut, but be sure to discuss the condition of your current flooring, as this method applies a lot of pressure.
- Scarifying — The use of surface planers is an aggressive route for preparing concrete flooring for epoxy. In scenarios with serious damages, scarifiers can be used to pummel the concrete surface with fastly rotating wheels to make deep cuts. Keep in mind that thicker epoxy floor coatings will be needed if your floor is to be scarified.
Acid Etching
While not as commonly used by professionals, acid etching is still a beneficial practice for DIYers and contractors in need of fast results. Acid etching can deliver a prepared surface without the need for equipment or additional materials. Convenience is the key factor here, as it is challenging to try and create a uniform spread across your concrete floors. Differences in floor profiling can result in variations once the epoxy is installed, with the possibility of unprepared spots failing to hold!
Post-Installation Instructions
We work hard to generate a beautiful floor system for your business, and our team wants to make the most of our preparations by ensuring that you are prepared to maintain your concrete flooring moving forward. PPI Flooring relies on years of experience, including millions of square feet of epoxy coatings, to help educate our clients on the best maintenance practices. No matter your industry or the level of foot traffic expected, minimal maintenance will be needed to help you maintain your high-quality epoxy flooring.
Ready for Your Quote?
While this is meant to serve as a broad outline for the preparation process, it’s important to keep in mind that your project may require vastly different services to achieve the best outcome. PPI Flooring of Orlando specializes in epoxy flooring services, and our contractors are ready to enhance your remodel, add-on, or new construction.
Contact us today to learn more, and be sure to ask for your free project quote!