Another Lingering Smell Post

[CeleryGod]

Hello Everyone,

I've been reading previous postings on lingering smells after a new flooring install, and I'm afraid I have one more to add to the pile.

I had my floor installed over 2 days (Sept. 15-16, temperatures from 50-80 degrees during the day), and 12 days after leaving the windows and doors open all day (closed at night), there is still a strong odor. I can best compare it to a 'nail polish' smell.

The contractor used the following products: Rock Tred LV as a base coat, and Epoxy2U Polyaspartic 85. They stated the smell should have been gone within a couple days, but it is definitely still there. When the door and windows are open, there is no noticeable smell, but after being closed up for only 30 minutes the smell begins to reappear.

The floor is not sticky or soft, and I don't see any issues with the actual install. Even when I put my nose to the floor to smell, there is little to no smell. Am I being oversensitive, and will this continue to 'off-gas' for the next few days/weeks? The contractor came to visit, and he said it smelled normal to him, and likened it to a 'new car smell'. I definitely don't enjoy this smell, and worried I may have to remove this floor.

I also contacted the polyaspartic company, and they stated their product should never be used with another company's system (which is what this contractor did), so they would never warranty this install.

Below is what the contractor did (or said they did):
--------------
1. Mechanically grind to prepare surface to a CSP-2 or greater profile as determined by ICRI (International Concrete Repair Institute)
2. Apply base coat of Rock-Tred LV, 100% solids BPA-free industrial polymer
3. Install PVA Flake System, Full-flake Broadcast
4. Apply protective clear coat: E2U Poly 85 high-performance polyaspartic topcoat
5. Broadcast 46 grit AO aggregate for non-slip
---------------

What would everyone's advice be? Wait for another few days/weeks? Or do other methods work (like using an Ozone generator?)

Edit: To add to my post...I've tried to pinpoint where exactly the smell is coming from. From what I can tell, it seems to be coming from the expansion joints. The rest of the floor doesn't emit a strong odor.

 

[Garage Flooring]

Hello Everyone,

I've been reading previous postings on lingering smells after a new flooring install, and I'm afraid I have one more to add to the pile.

I had my floor installed over 2 days (Sept. 15-16, temperatures from 50-80 degrees during the day), and 12 days after leaving the windows and doors open all day (closed at night), there is still a strong odor. I can best compare it to a 'nail polish' smell.

The contractor used the following products: Rock Tred LV as a base coat, and Epoxy2U Polyaspartic 85. They stated the smell should have been gone within a couple days, but it is definitely still there. When the door and windows are open, there is no noticeable smell, but after being closed up for only 30 minutes the smell begins to reappear.

The floor is not sticky or soft, and I don't see any issues with the actual install. Even when I put my nose to the floor to smell, there is little to no smell. Am I being oversensitive, and will this continue to 'off-gas' for the next few days/weeks? The contractor came to visit, and he said it smelled normal to him, and likened it to a 'new car smell'. I definitely don't enjoy this smell, and worried I may have to remove this floor.

I also contacted the polyaspartic company, and they stated their product should never be used with another company's system (which is what this contractor did), so they would never warranty this install.

Below is what the contractor did (or said they did):
--------------
1. Mechanically grind to prepare surface to a CSP-2 or greater profile as determined by ICRI (International Concrete Repair Institute)
2. Apply base coat of Rock-Tred LV, 100% solids BPA-free industrial polymer
3. Install PVA Flake System, Full-flake Broadcast
4. Apply protective clear coat: E2U Poly 85 high-performance polyaspartic topcoat
5. Broadcast 46 grit AO aggregate for non-slip
---------------

What would everyone's advice be? Wait for another few days/weeks? Or do other methods work (like using an Ozone generator?)

Edit: To add to my post...I've tried to pinpoint where exactly the smell is coming from. From what I can tell, it seems to be coming from the expansion joints. The rest of the floor doesn't emit a strong odor.

Many of these products, including our own have a strong solvent smell.

Sometimes that smell can get trapped unpainted drywall or insulation
If a second coat is put on to soon it can cause the offgassing to take longer
Sometimes just mopping the floor helps
Ventilation and time typically help most

In extreme cases, we have seen Ozone machines work well but need to be unoccupied space.

 

[CeleryGod]

Thanks for your response Justin. I believe (based on my nose to ground smell tests), that the smell is coming from an expansion joint. Most of the expansion joints have some sort of silicone-looking caulk on top (not sure what material it is), which appears they coated over with the polyaspartic.

The smell is mainly coming from joints where they missed putting some of the caulking, and it's just the rough flakes.

Is the solution for them to go back and add caulking/poly in the missed/rough spots, or just wait for the smell to dissipate? The garage was drywalled/painted prior to the new flooring install, so I'm thinking the smell hasn't attached itself to anything else.

 

[Garage Flooring]

Thanks for your response Justin. I believe (based on my nose to ground smell tests), that the smell is coming from an expansion joint. Most of the expansion joints have some sort of silicone-looking caulk on top (not sure what material it is), which appears they coated over with the polyaspartic.

The smell is mainly coming from joints where they missed putting some of the caulking, and it's just the rough flakes.

Is the solution for them to go back and add caulking/poly in the missed/rough spots, or just wait for the smell to dissipate? The garage was drywalled/painted prior to the new flooring install, so I'm thinking the smell hasn't attached itself to anything else.

I would not try and redo it. Just wait

 

[Armorpoxy]

Often a space heater and fan circulation can work wonders in getting rid of odor over time.

 

[CeleryGod]

Thanks for the advice. As an update, it's been almost 30 days, and the odor is beginning to get better. It's definitely still noticeable in the morning after being closed up overnight (I've been airing out the garage with the windows and garage door open during the day for these 30 days).

 

[DeviantMagick]

Thanks for the advice. As an update, it's been almost 30 days, and the odor is beginning to get better. It's definitely still noticeable in the morning after being closed up overnight (I've been airing out the garage with the windows and garage door open during the day for these 30 days).

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I'm checking out these boards for the same long-term off-gassing issue with the epoxy2u polyaspartic85.
Has the smell fully dissipated yet? Have you done anything differently?