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Epoxy Coatings,
Painting Concrete
Sometimes paint is the right choice for concrete floors. Epoxy coatings and paints specially formulated for concrete are both protective and decorative. Good prep is always essential, and moisture must be carefully controlled.
Stacey Enesey Klemenc
will argue that you should never paint concrete, there are situations where concrete floor paint is more than palatable — it’s an appropriate choice.
Rather than delivering the mottled look of an acid stain, paints are continuous in color, points out Darryl Manuel, president of Vexcon Chemicals Inc. in Philadelphia. “There are times when things almost demand that you paint a floor,” he says, “like when there are different colors within the concrete that you want to hide to make the floor look uniform. And there are times when you want to keep a project’s cost lower than [applying] a full stain and hardener. Concrete coatings provide resistance in one step.”
Concrete coatings for patios and garage, basement and porch floors are available as epoxy, acrylic paint and latex-based paint. Developed specifically for concrete floors, some are engineered to resist everything ranging from household chemicals and foot traffic to hot tires and salt. Others are not quite as durable but resist scuffing, fading, cracking or peeling.
These coatings also can be made to meet ADA-slip resistance requirements by mixing in anti-skid additives such as aluminum oxide, Golich says.
Regardless of the type you pick, “It’s important that you use paint compatible with concrete because of its high pH level,” explains Michele Neary, director of public relations for Scranton, Pa.-based United Gilsonite Laboratories. “A normal house paint may not adhere to concrete because of an incompatibility with the concrete itself. The difference in pH may cause the paint to peel up in sheets.”
Two-part epoxies, which were developed specifically for more demanding environments like basements and garages, aren’t difficult to apply, Golich says, “Cut in any edges and then roll in 4-foot-by-4-foot sections to maintain a wet edge so that you don’t get roller marks.”
Two-part epoxies are known to produce a tougher film, but they harden quickly. “Once this coating is mixed, you have to use it,” Neary says. If it chips after it’s down, she continues, it’s hard to touch up. “You have to mix up a whole other batch and repaint.”
With her company’s latex-based product, that’s not the case, she adds. “It’s like regular paint. You can open and close it up after you use it.”
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