color chips

[deprice]

Can you spread the chips or color flakes on the last coat of epoxy and not put a clear topcoat over them. Any advantages or disadvantages?

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Will be hard to keep clean.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Shea]

It's done all the time but it's not ideal. All the single coat epoxy kits do it this way. The problem is that the chips are exposed to all the traffic. As a result they tend to break apart from areas of the floor. Some will adhere to the floor better than others. Areas with more traffic tend to have less chips after a while compared to areas that get little traffic.

As Scotty alluded to, clean up can require a little more effort since dirt likes to get caught up along the edges of the chips. This also depends on how much you put down as well. It does clean up well though.

 

[Garage Flooring]

Can you spread the chips or color flakes on the last coat of epoxy and not put a clear topcoat over them. Any advantages or disadvantages?

Will be hard to keep clean.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's done all the time but it's not ideal. All the single coat epoxy kits do it this way. The problem is that the chips are exposed to all the traffic. As a result they tend to break apart from areas of the floor. Some will adhere to the floor better than others. Areas with more traffic tend to have less chips after a while compared to areas that get little traffic.

As Scotty alluded to, clean up can require a little more effort since dirt likes to get caught up along the edges of the chips. This also depends on how much you put down as well. It does clean up well though.

These two hit the nail on the head. It is a pain in the tail to keep the floor clean. Plus you will be cleaning up flakes that come off for the rest of your life

Flake aside, in most coating systems a top coat has a ton of benefit

 

[benwah]

Applying a "grout coat" over your chips also seals them in. In my opinion, if you do not cover them with something, you aren't truly completing your floor. There is absolutely no downside to apply clear epoxy and/or polyurethane over those chips.

 

[Shea]

If you want to learn the benefits of a clear coat, here are ten reasons why you should.

 

[mnavillus]

everything said above in this tread is correct.....you can leave the flakes un sealed!....but why..there are to many advantages to having them sealed.

if the extra cost is your concern...just wait to do the application a month or so until you can swing the extra cash for the clear coat.

good luck!