Epoxy Floor Top Coat Compatibility

[dabeechman]

Hey all,

First time poster, but I have a bit of an issue and I am hoping to get some advice.

I purchased a 3 layer epoxy system from one of the well known companies here on the forums and despite their website stating that they ship a clear top coat, they actually sent me a tinted top coat.

My issue is that I didn't catch this until I was ready to lay the final layer over my flaked floor. So I am stuck with 2 solutions, the first is to wait for an exchange and get the clear top coat which would require me to hand sand a 2200sqft facility, or try to find a local supplier today and use a top coat that is not otherwise sponsored or endorsed by the originating supplier. My 24hr clock is ticking

What would you do? Could there potentially be a compatibility issue if I use an off the shelf polyurethane top coat from a local supplier?

Thanks

 

[Shea]

You can do that, but you need to consider a couple of things. The coating products you purchased are designed to work together as a system. If you use a different manufactures product, it typically voids warranties of all the products. Also, the clear coat is the wear coat and the most important component of the system in terms of abrasion (wear) and stain resistance. It should perform just as well, if not better, than the color coat.

Most local companies that offer clear coats for concrete do not have clear coats that perform as well as the commercial quality products that the vendors on this forum typically offer. You may be limiting the performance of your entire floor by applying an inferior clear. Compare the data sheets of the product you were supposed to use vs what you find locally. I will post an article about reading data sheets below.

As an FYI, you can rent a floor maintainer and use a few green scrub pads (dry) to degloss the coating. It's much faster than sanding. Use a pole sander or rotary sander for the edges and corners. You can knock out 2200 sq. ft. fairly quickly that way. Also, is your floor a full color flake application? If so, the 24-hour recoat window does not apply. The clear attaches to all the color flakes and very little of the coating underneath.

How to Read Data Sheets for Garage Floor Epoxy & Coatings

When choosing a garage floor coating or sealer, one of the first things you should do is review the Technical Data Sheets. Otherwise known as the TDS, these sheets can provide important information to you, the consumer, about the composition, characteristics, and performance of the coating or...

allgaragefloors.com

 

[dabeechman]

Thanks for the response Shea, I did a light broadcast of about 1lb per 250sq.ft.

I definitely hear you on trying to maintain the integrity of the entire system. It's starting to get into our cold season here and I was hoping to get my cars and trucks back in the garage before it got too cold and wet.