Cement Floor Seals Are Not All Equal

Many cement floor seals are saturates that soak into the pores of the floor. These saturant-type floor seals may work fine in some, but not all, situations. Looking through a microscope can reveal just how porous a cement floor can be. Saturant-type seals soak into the pores and then harden, bringing the pores level with the surrounding cement. This type of seal helps to reduce dusting and wear on the floor by providing more surface area for wheels and foot traffic to rest on. Problems, however, can arise later when the floor gets wet, causing the saturants to wash out of the cement and allowing liquids to penetrate and dissolve the cement.

In contrast to saturant-type seals, laminate floor seals create a barrier between the floor and the liquids, wheels, and foot traffic that impact it. The use of laminate floor seals is critical in environments where chemicals, diesel, or oils are likely to contact the floor. Laminates also create a wear-barrier that prevents friction being applied to the underlying cement. Epoxy or urethane laminates create a particularly durable, seamless membrane, or plate, which isolates the cement surface from contact with machinery and liquids. The coatings can be re-applied as needed, a process that is considerable less expensive than repairing a worn or damaged concrete floor.

Unlike saturant-type coatings, epoxy floor seals are moisture-resistant as well as compatible with damp humid areas and flooding. These qualities result from the catalysis that epoxy undergoes when applied, changing into a plastic that will not re-liquify if its carrying solvents are reintroduced. Floor saturating seals are carried in water or solvent bases that evaporate to leave the finish. If those carriers are reintroduced to the floor, the saturant seal can re-dissolve back into a liquid state and wash away. In contrast, water and most solvents have no effect on sealed epoxy surfaces. Epoxy flooring goes on at the job site and produces no seams. When there are no breaks in the surface coating, the result is a continuous membrane that seals what is above from what is below. These epoxy surfaces have been used in food processing plants for over 50 years now. Mold, mildew, and other contaminants cannot penetrate the epoxy membrane and are easily washed off.

Preparation is everything when applying finishes. A surface can be expected to stay in place only if its substrate is permanent. Naturally, if the substrate crumbles or moves, the surface will move with it. New floors are especially vulnerable and require extensive preparation. It is well known that new concrete is dusty for the first few years while the latents of concrete on the surface are kicked, rubbed, or driven off. Those latents must be removed before quality epoxy topcoats are applied or the topcoats will move with the latents as they break free from the substrate.

One should not rely on retail store clerks to help with a floor that will be used for 10 to 20 years. As a result of 40 years of application experience, flooring experts have developed application preparation procedures that help minimize the risk of substrates moving. Factory-direct kits of materials including step-by-step instructions and a 24/7 help line are now available online. With these resources, anyone can put a quality floor down in their garage that will last for decades. Like a car finish, you may get some scratches and marks, but also like a car finish, a little touching up can keep those finishes looking great for decades.

Durall Industrial Flooring offers no-cost, no-obligation quotes for its fully customized kits of materials, including all preparation materials and procedures, for installing industrial quality epoxy or urethane coatings at www.concrete-floor-coatings.com. These beautifully sealed and easy-to-maintain floors come in over 20 colors. The floor finish can be gloss, flat, or satin and may be easily accented with decorative chips. Additionally, the floors may be skid-resistant like emery paper, yet still easy to sweep or squeegee.

For photo examples and more detail, visit www.concrete-floor-coatings.com For more information, contact Harvey Chichester at harvey@durallfmg.com Phone: 800-466-8910 or 952-888-1488 (24/7)