by Integrity Jack Of All Trades | Epoxy resin, Epoxy mica flake paint chip flooring
Most People have heard of epoxy and largely affiliated with paint chip flooring. I am a big fan of epoxy resin and its versatility in regards to its multiple uses. But what people aren’t familiar with is polyurea polyaspartic garage floor. At first glance and as a result they may appear the same there is a difference and it is not and epoxy. So lets get into the commonalities and separations between the two.
Epoxy or Polyurea or Polyaspartic?
Lets talk about epoxy, personally I like epoxy and can be used to create a paint chip glossy finish just like our unfamiliar Polyurea Polyaspartic counterpart. There are a lot of options out there and my personal take on it is that epoxy can produce and be just as resistant as its competitor but there are also a lot of bad epoxy products out there that promise a lot but underperform; so beware. Again, the epoxy resin I use is for either designer flooring (typically for indoors) or countertop upgrades or high end countertops…Check out my article on countertop resurface. Its important to have experience and proper research because the cheaper version of epoxy does not adhere well to concrete and create pealing. Another thing to think about is VOC’s or volatile organic compounds as well as if its chemically harmful and has a fumey dense smell; if you are not prepared for that be ready! Another drawback to doing an epoxy flake floor or garage floor is that you typically have a longer cure and dry time. Means if you are trying to get a project done then more than likely you will have to set aside at least 3 days to a week depending on the manufacturer, installer, condition of surface, amongst other factors.
Transitioning into polyurea. Polyurea is a subgroup of polyurethane. Like epoxy, its a 2-part component and when the 2-parts are mixed, they quickly catalyze and produce a mixture that becomes very rigid and at a rapid pace. The mixture has low to no VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) and is more flexible than epoxy. Because of the fast cure rate and incredible hardness, most polyureas require specialized equipment for application.
Now, polyaspartic is described by Bayer Material Science as: “by definition; a polyaspartic polymer is an aliphatic polyurea because it is the reaction of an aliphatic polyisocyanate with an aliphatic diamine – the polyaspartic ester.” In laymen’s terms is that a polyaspartic is a polyuria with a slower cure rate. The slowed cure rate allows trained installers to apply polyaspartics in a more methodical(not in a rush) manner. To simply put it: all polyaspartics are polyurea but, in the same sense, not all polyureas are polyaspartic. Typically, when advertised; you see a garage floor coating kit as a polyurea or a polyurea polyaspartic, its likely a form of polyaspartic coating meaning; its a slow cure version of polyurea.
Benefits of Polyurea Polyaspartic Floor Coatings
The advantages of a polyurea polyaspartic garage floor coating is temperature and time. Unlike epoxy, a polyuria polyaspartic coating can be applied in temperatures as low as -30°F degrees and as high as 140°F. No waiting for the warmer weather to come around to start your garage floor coating even if you live in colder climates. Additionally, a polyurea polyaspartic coating, under certain conditions, can be installed within 1 day with being able to use it the following day! As mentioned above it eliminates the 3-7 day waiting periods you would experience with an epoxy flake floor.
Lastly, I’d like to bullet point additional benefits to Polyurea Polyaspartic Flake Garage Floors:
- 100 % UV Stable (no yellowing)
- High Gloss Crystal clear finish that repels moisture
- High abrasion and scratch resistant
- High stain and chemical resistant
- High tolerance to heat (don’t worry about hot tires)
- Low or no VOC’s
- Flexible, higher impact resistant
- Coating penetrates into the concrete for better bond
Now that you see the benefits and realizing or if you haven’t for these particular types of flooring in the garage I use polyurea polyaspartic coating not only because its environmentally friendly but because it saves a lot of customers time and allow them to be able to return to enjoy their home! Reach out to me today and lets get a new glossy finish on your garage with a quick but professional turn around.
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