? on epoxy types.

[sufferrar]

I've read post on where you'all talk about 100% solid epoxy and hi-soilds. I know what the water based and solvent epoxy is.

I also see that depends on the type used the drying of the epoxy reduces the thickness of the material put on.

Can some one elaboarte further on what is the difference between 100% epoxy and hi-solids and whatever other types there are that i didn't mentioned and how the thickness of material vary when it's dried.

Educate me.

 

[AlphaGarage]

There is no industry or government standard for the definition "hi-solids." So simply put 100% solids is 100% solids, and "hi-solids" can be anything less than 100%; 40%, 53%, 60%, 33%, whatever they can stuff in and get you to buy.

It's amazing how a lot of marketers, especially for the floor coatings sold as "kits" in the big box stores and on the internet, make it pretty difficult for you to find out exactly what you're buying. You think you're getting a gallon of floor coating, but in reality after all your prep work and application work is done, and the stuff cures, you have less than half of what you paid for and did all that effort to put down.

To see what you're really buying, check out the MSDS or tech sheet, it usually says something like "**% solids by volume." If you can't find that in the kit, call them and ask. Once you have that number, just multiply the amount of the material by the percentage and that will tell you what you'll have after all is said and done.

For example, if you have an epoxy that 45% solids, you could put down a gallon at 12 mils thick and coat 133 square feet (1,604 / 12). But when it's fully cured it would only be 5.4 mils thick (12 x .40).

Whereas with a 100% solid epoxy that same area would have a dry coat thickness of 12 mil. What you buy and put down is what you get.

Hope that helps.

 

[WolverineCoatings]

That's a pretty good answer Fred... and... of course... it goes much deeper than that...

There are MANY types of epoxies. We probably make about 30-50 types although I've never counted. It's getting hard to generalize these days with all of the hybrids we are coming up with.

100% Solids
High Solids
Low Solids
Polyamide
AmidoAmine
Cycloaliphatic
Polysulfide
Polysiloxane
Fluoropolymer
Silicone
Acrylic
Phenolic
Novolac
Bisphenol A
Bisphenol F
Hydrogenated
Mercaptan
Epoxy Vinylester
Novolac Epoxy Vinylester
AHC

I could just go on and on and on...

It's important that you know what you are paying for. At then end of the day, thickness matters! You can only put 'high solids' coatings on so thick unless you do about 10 coats. In addition, diluted coatings (either with solvent or water) generally have weaker film properties when they cure. So, in addition to getting a thicker floor with 100% solids, you also have a stronger coating as well.

Ask Fred to tell you why...

 

[Jaguar Fan]

Eric or Fred,

The thing I've personally found confusing about the "100% Solids" terminology is that the products (resin / hardener) prior to mixing are both liquid (not solid). Maybe I'm the only one who finds it less than clear. I do get, at the end of the day, that for garage floors 100% solids is better.