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epoxy yellowing timeline

tbaz

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Jul 7, 2014
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23
i have clear coated my floor with 100% clear epoxy over grey , i just discovered urethane is the way to go over epoxy and i will do over top eventually , but in the mean time for a garage floor with epoxy what kind of timeline can i expect before noticeable yellowing to occur for indirect sunlight?
 
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shaun oriold1

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There are a lot of factors which will determine the yellowing. How much light is it getting. There is still UV rays in indirect sunlight. What colour is the epoxy ( some will hide yellowing better than others) How good is your vision to notice a slight change over time. Did you apply it to the garage door apron outside the seal? or just inside? That's usually the biggest giveaway as its a harsh difference when the door is opened. Where as a floor inside the door seal will yellow the same, so its harder to tell..

To answer your question though the range is 1day-when you re-coat it.

Even if you put a clear urethane over the epoxy, it will still yellow.
 

600SL

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I had a HD Rustoleum floor for about 6 years. I didn't realize how yellow it got until I went to paint my Pentco workbenches which I found were also yellowed. The floor was grey without flecks and the yellowing tapered from really yellow at the garage door openings to moderately yellow in the center of the garage. I never noticed it or it never bothered me for the six years I had it but that was work shop with heavy use.
 

LegacyIndustrial

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deerfield, IL
tbaz:
It actually "ambers" over time and it's so slight it may take years before you really notice it. Frankly, unless you have a comparison point, like indoors/outdoors, it may be a non-issue for you. Enjoy your floor and worry about it when it's a problem.
 

windward

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Jul 31, 2013
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SE Wisconsin
Putting clear urethane over the top of epoxy will not help prevent yellowing?

I was planning to use the following:

Primer
Grey Epoxy
Heavy flake(probably not to rejection, but heavy)
Clear Epoxy
Urethane

I am planninng to use clear epoxy over the flakes to build the mils, and because it was cheaper (per gal) than the urethane. Would it make more sense to just use urethane over the flakes? Are there other advantages/disadvanatages to clear epoxy vs urethane?

Thanks
Matt
 

Shea

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Sep 19, 2012
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Yes, it will slow it down even more, but it won't prevent it completely. Like Scotty said, with indirect sunlight it will take such a long time that most don't notice it for years until they do a comparison.

If I were you, I would go with 2 coats of clear polyurethane over your flakes instead of using any epoxy. Color flakes do not amber. Since you are going with a heavy coverage the only component that may amber at all would be the grey epoxy. With a heavy coating of color flake, it will be very difficult to notice any ambering over the years in the grey. Also, the polyurethane is much more clear compared to epoxy.

The only advantage of going with a coat of clear epoxy followed by polyurethane is to increase the overall thickness of the floor coating.
 
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Perry H

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Dec 19, 2008
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69
My floor is 4 years old (light gray 100% solids epoxy). It is noticeably more yellow at my garage doors than elsewhere. Interestingly, those doors are only open maybe 1% of those 4 years (if that).
 

rlitman

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Oct 18, 2010
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Long Island
My floor is 4 years old (light gray 100% solids epoxy). It is noticeably more yellow at my garage doors than elsewhere. Interestingly, those doors are only open maybe 1% of those 4 years (if that).

Do they have windows?
 

shaun oriold1

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Oct 9, 2011
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Location
Burlington,Ontatio
I have colored urethane top coat does that yellow?

No. It wont. The yellowing is so faint, its nearly unnoticeable. Unless you have a defined line to see. I usually see it at door thresholds, where the outside is always in light, and the inside isnt. Its very much like the sunlight fading clothing, its so slow, its impossible to tell its happening.
 

shaun oriold1

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Oct 9, 2011
Messages
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Location
Burlington,Ontatio
Good points Shaun!

I also do custom closets as the bread and butter of my business. The garages is where I get to have a little fun though.

I'm always amazed that I'll do these massive dressing rooms for people, and they often have a window(s). Many times people dont see the value in a UV coating on it. Sun (UV rays) is absolutely brutal! Clothing, hardwood floors, furniture, Skin! IT just fades everything. Yet its soo slow and gradual nobody ever sees it happening.
 
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