Lingering Polyurea Coating Smells

[timtimtim]

Backstory:
- I laid down two coats of polyurea coating on my acid etched concrete garage floor from a supplier who advertises on this forum.

For the first coat, it was roughly 80F outside with 62% Humidity, and then the second coat 6 hours later it was 76F and 79% humidity.

We have had the garage doors open and two box fans running as much as possible, and the smell doesn't seem to be lessening at all.
I know this polyurea coating cures using moisture, but there seems to have been plenty of moisture that I would think it's done curing by now. (This may be a bad assumption?)
However, anytime we close the garage doors the lingering odors are overwhelming.

I've seen a few different threads on this board about similar issues, but none seem to ever come to a conclusion.
Any recommendations on how I could speed this process up or remediate the odors? Are there things that I could have done wrong during application to cause this?

Thanks in advance,
Tim

 

[Shea]

The first thing I highly recommend you do is contact the vendor. They are there to help and are your best resource for issues. How many days ago was the coating applied?

 

[Garage Flooring]

Backstory:
- I laid down two coats of polyurea coating on my acid etched concrete garage floor from a supplier who advertises on this forum.

For the first coat, it was roughly 80F outside with 62% Humidity, and then the second coat 6 hours later it was 76F and 79% humidity.

We have had the garage doors open and two box fans running as much as possible, and the smell doesn't seem to be lessening at all.
I know this polyurea coating cures using moisture, but there seems to have been plenty of moisture that I would think it's done curing by now. (This may be a bad assumption?)
However, anytime we close the garage doors the lingering odors are overwhelming.

I've seen a few different threads on this board about similar issues, but none seem to ever come to a conclusion.
Any recommendations on how I could speed this process up or remediate the odors? Are there things that I could have done wrong during application to cause this?

Thanks in advance,
Tim

Hey Tim

I replied to your email as well. 72 hours after install the solvents are gone. You have some odor 'trapped' in some unpainted drywall, insulation, etc. Also sometimes a quick wet mop helps.

Based on our email exchange you are already doing the right things. Ventilation is key.

 

[Shea]

Hey Tim

I replied to your email as well. 72 hours after install the solvents are gone. You have some odor 'trapped' in some unpainted drywall, insulation, etc. Also sometimes a quick wet mop helps.

Based on our email exchange you are already doing the right things. Ventilation is key.

There you go.. always on it!

 

[voiddweller]

I had some get in the drywall. It took about 4 months for it mostly dissipate.

 

[timtimtim]

Yeah, it's been over two weeks at this point. Still can't pull the cars in.
It looks nice though?

 

[crashnburn07]

You can also try to use some Dakota Odor bombs...maybe 2 cans?

My garage took over a week for the smell to disappear.
I just kept the doors open the whole day and close them at night.

 

[Garage Flooring]

I have had customers use an Ozone machine. Space must not be occupied. PM me if you want to try that and I will get you some details

 

[timtimtim]

I have had customers use an Ozone machine. Space must not be occupied. PM me if you want to try that and I will get you some details

I've actually already done that. Isolated the garage from the house and have ran an ozone machine in the garage for 1.5 hours on two occasions.

The smell is not changing. Heavy solvent/chemical smell still will not leave.
Garage doors have only been closed while sleeping, open in some manner (either fully or open a few feet at the bottom) during the day.

Anytime the garage is closed up for approximately 45 minutes the smell returns.
I don't understand where it could be trapped, all the walls are drywalled and were painted one year ago.
Could it be trapped in the paint? Is this possible and does anyone know how I can go about getting smell out of paint?
I've stuck my head into the attic and there is no evidence of any odd smells there.

I've also washed the floor with soap, water, and a brush, but that also did nothing for the smell.

I'm at a loss. I have a garage that looks really nice that I can't use.

 

[Garage Flooring]

That is really odd. The floor is fully cured. There is no solvent left in the floor. We are dealing with odor here, but can't say I have ever seen it stick around that long.

When I have used ozone machines for other odor issues, I have run for long extended periods and they have worked great.

 

[latuk]

What product did you use?

 

[casmurbax]

timtimtim,

checking in see if the smell is any better?

 

[timtimtim]

What product did you use?

I used the Polyurea from Garage Flooring LLC.

timtimtim,

checking in see if the smell is any better?

It's been a just over one month since the coating was applied and the smell seems to be subsiding.

This is with the garage doors only being shut while sleeping. Doors were partially or fully open while we left for work everyday.

We also completely washed the floor two weeks in to no real avail.
We had to run an ozone machine with the garage closed up for about a total of 12 hours to get where we are now.

I'm still interested what it will smell like over this weekend. My intent is to leave it closed up for Saturday and Sunday then assess the situation from there.

Tim

 

[Greg n]

Hi Tim.
Did your floor eventually stop smelling.
thanks

 

[Spacep0d]

This is the nightmare that made me go for snap-in flooring. Hope this was resolved at some point.

 

[Imatk]

I seem to remember there is an option for a "Low VOC" which I bought. I think it's a little more expensive, but in any case mine only took a week or so before it stopped smelling really strong.

Probably two weeks and it was completely gone.