Water Stains on Epoxy Floor

[WKDiesel]

Help - Stains on Epoxy Floor?

I've gotten some water on my epoxy floors by the entry doors. I didn't wipe it up and it dried naturally. Now the epoxy coating is cloudy / dull where it the water dried naturally.

Is this a defect in the product, how would I fix?

Floor was installed in September 2019 and didn't have any issues then. Just now.

 

[WKDiesel]

This seems to happen anywhere on the floor that is exposed to water. I tried with tap water and I get the same dulling after the water dries.

 

[Garage Flooring]

I have seen that in a completely different product line and it goes away when dry. What did they use for a topcoat? I am curious..... What might need to happen is lightly sand the floor and add a different top coat.

Kind of needs a mouth

 

[WKDiesel]

I have seen that in a completely different product line and it goes away when dry. What did they use for a topcoat? I am curious..... What might need to happen is lightly sand the floor and add a different top coat.

Kind of needs a mouth

PurEpoxy PE-100 was the top cote. It was suppose to be 100% Solid Clear Epoxy.

The floor seems dull after getting wet. This is the actually the first time the floor has gotten wet since it was installed. I use my garage as my home office and hobby space and not actually parking cars. My kids and dog has been tracking in snow from recent snow fall.

The garage is heated to 68F during the winter.

 

[WKDiesel]

Could the water marks be yellowing / chalking? I was reading H20 could accelerate the processs.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Better pics would be great. My guess is that the floor was not fully sealed and the moisture found a void. The cloudiness is the moisture trapped under the seal-coat.

A very close up pic would clear it up, no pun.
If this is the case...hit it with a hair dryer or drill a tiny, tiny hole in the middle of the stain.

Good luck.

 

[WKDiesel]

Dull / Chalky Section

Normal Section

If it's a moisture issue will it weaken the epoxy?

 

[BillK]

What happens if you try to wipe it off with a wet rag and then let it dry again ??? Could just be minerals in the water that are left over when it dries ?

 

[WKDiesel]

I tried a hair dryer / heat gun and heat doesn't give back the original gloss. It definitely looks the dullness is on the surface.

Better pics would be great. My guess is that the floor was not fully sealed and the moisture found a void. The cloudiness is the moisture trapped under the seal-coat.

A very close up pic would clear it up, no pun.
If this is the case...hit it with a hair dryer or drill a tiny, tiny hole in the middle of the stain.

Good luck.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

I tried a hair dryer / heat gun and heat doesn't give back the original gloss. It definitely looks the dullness is on the surface.

Wipe it with a bit of acetone or xylene on a q-tip. See what happens. Any buildup from the water should wipe off.

then , if that doesn’t work, see if you can sand through the dullness. Try a green scuff pad or similar.




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[WKDiesel]

I tried acetone. It doesn't do anything.

I'm able to scratch the dullness out with my finger nail. But it takes a long time and alot of pressure.

It's happening over the entire floor once exposed to water. Which seems like an issue withe product? I was thinking of just hosing down the entire garage (haven't done since new) and just letting the entire floor dull out, but would like to know what's causing the issue in the first place.

Wipe it with a bit of acetone or xylene on a q-tip. See what happens. Any buildup from the water should wipe off.

then , if that doesn’t work, see if you can sand through the dullness. Try a green scuff pad or similar.




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[LegacyIndustrial]

I tried acetone. It doesn't do anything.



I'm able to scratch the dullness out with my finger nail. But it takes a long time and alot of pressure.



It's happening over the entire floor once exposed to water. Which seems like an issue withe product? I was thinking of just hosing down the entire garage (haven't done since new) and just letting the entire floor dull out, but would like to know what's causing the issue in the first place.

Odd, even for an epoxy topcoat.
Get on the phone with the mfg on Monday.

Did they give you a choice on topcoats? Most installers reserve epoxy topcoats for basements and spaces not subject to vehicle traffic.




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[WKDiesel]

It's an UV stabilized EPOXY top-coat they put on. It's not yellowing just dulling. I might just have to flood the entire floor with water just to get a uniform look now.

Odd, even for an epoxy topcoat.
Get on the phone with the mfg on Monday.

Did they give you a choice on topcoats? Most installers reserve epoxy topcoats for basements and spaces not subject to vehicle traffic.




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[JoeParis]

Help - Stains on Epoxy Floor?

I've gotten some water on my epoxy floors by the entry doors. I didn't wipe it up and it dried naturally. Now the epoxy coating is cloudy / dull where it the water dried naturally.

Is this a defect in the product, how would I fix?

Floor was installed in September 2019 and didn't have any issues then. Just now.

WKDiesel,

How did you end up sorting this? I am having the exact same issue all over my epoxy floor (which runs through my entire apartment). If I water my plants and get some drips on the floor, leave a mop bucket on the floor, etc anything with water it leaves these exact same cloudy marks!

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[WKDiesel]

WKDiesel,

How did you end up sorting this? I am having the exact same issue all over my epoxy floor (which runs through my entire apartment). If I water my plants and get some drips on the floor, leave a mop bucket on the floor, etc anything with water it leaves these exact same cloudy marks!

Thanks in advance for your help!

I actually used brake cleaner on a rag and it seems to clear it up a little. My entire floor ended dulling so it's not as noticable anymore. My experience with epoxy floor was not as good as I thought it would be. I think I'll just be going to a polished floor with a acrylic sealent in the future.

 

[Kwestb]

It's an UV stabilized EPOXY top-coat they put on. It's not yellowing just dulling. I might just have to flood the entire floor with water just to get a uniform look now.

I had same issue. Cleaned with glass cleaner (ammonia based) and rubbed hard with towel and stains went away. I’m sure when a little rain water get in again it will stain but thus far it’s worked.

 

[Jolomite]

I'm probably off base since I have a hard time seeing the detail in the photos, but- could it be minerals from the water? Hard water, iron piping in the building? something acidic like CLR would take up the deposits if that was the case.

 

[Armorpoxy]

The problem here is that they used an epoxy as a topcoat, epoxy is not a topcoat and inherently is not chemical or stain resistant. Urethanes, Polyaspartic, Balistix, etc are topcoats.

 

[dcg9381]

It's interesting because we've got entire wooden boats that are coated in epoxy. What don't wooden boats have this issue? I use epoxy as a water proofer on wood all the time.

For flooring, I'm sold on polyurea - it's much less expensive and durable. All I use on concrete now.