Good morning, I found your forum while researching polyaspartic coatings gone wrong! I apologize for the long post but I desperately need professional advice as on whether, I am just crazy or this job is bad because the owner has stated; the job is perfect…which is laughable since he has not seen it as of yet.
I had my front 6’ x 9’ cement porch covered by a reputable local company here in Ontario Canada.
Unfortunately, I did not do much research on the product only the contractor, who on the day the application was completed, left his one employee to do it with a new helper. The contractor has not seen the job completed on August 1st and maintains it was done right.
Starting the first evening of the application (never happened before that), we were finding dead wasps, anywhere from 3-13, this morning there are 8. I also find the carcasses of cicada & potato bugs…always dead or in the process of dying on the porch. Shockingly we have ants all over the sidewalk & driveway attached to the porch but the ants will not go on the porch at all, almost like they know; they will die from the toxins. Are these deaths co-incidences?
I have been in contact with the product manufacturer. The product he states is a;
Our Polyaspartics do contain a small trace of solvents. The formulation ratio is approx. 80% Solid : 20% Solvents. We expect complete dissipation of solvents within the first 48 hours to 72 hours as the coating cures. In an exterior setting, solvents will dissipate much more rapidly as the material is not confined. Once the coating has cured and hardened (tac free) the material shall be considered a solid compound.’
So right out the gate, based on his information, we have a major problem because it stunk well beyond that time parameter. PS; love he refers to 20% solvents as a trace amount!
The smell was overwhelming, same as the day it went on for at least; a week and a half.
The contractor denies adamantly that; they cut the product further. The manufacturer states; we have not had any recalls nor product in quarantine.
The day of the application our humidity here was off the charts and storms were being called for; to the point we had a tarp ready and waiting to hang to protect the porch.
Two days ago, I had several people independently smell the porch; they actually put their nose to the preverbal grindstone LOL. All of them smelled something except for one, who admittedly has no sense of smell. After sniffing this is what they smelled in their words; the 11 year granddaughter smelled nail polish, the SIL smelled chemicals and the daughter smelled paint. Now, this is not all over the porch just at certain spots of the porch. I smell a chemical odor, heavier in the early morning before everyone wakes. When I open my front door for the first time I get a; overwhelming smell welcoming me…as they covered the front stoop with it as well.
The issues I see with the application are;
- The topcoat is inconsistent, areas that are dull due to the lack of topcoat
- Inconsistent chip distribution, so there is some mounding
- clouding in areas within a day of application.
- the bow front steps crevices have little to zero top coat
-heavy clear glaze at the junction; where one step meets the other
-appears there are 2 blisters that have ruptured (not that that is a big deal unless there are VOC’s)
-all edges are left raw and exposed along the house and steps with lots of gaps for emissions
My research especially on this board has me very concerned that this porch is emitting VOC’s. Since the application, because I am a delicate butterfly LOL no but seriously I do have allergies…my eyes water, my throat closed and I am using my puffer for asthma. Maybe I am just bat **** crazy but if you could help me and tell me your thoughts on this completed job, it would be greatly appreciated and I can guide my next steps accordingly. It will also help when and if this contractor ever makes an appearance he was supposed to be here yesterday did not show or call, just messaged me he’ll be here at 10…so you know already this guy does not care! I plan to hire an air quality tester and I have already arranged to get a core sample tested for VOC’s.
I really need professional opinions on the quality of this job and if these ‘flaws’ would impact the toxicity as my research says it does…but I am not an expert!
Thank you so much!
I had my front 6’ x 9’ cement porch covered by a reputable local company here in Ontario Canada.
Unfortunately, I did not do much research on the product only the contractor, who on the day the application was completed, left his one employee to do it with a new helper. The contractor has not seen the job completed on August 1st and maintains it was done right.
Starting the first evening of the application (never happened before that), we were finding dead wasps, anywhere from 3-13, this morning there are 8. I also find the carcasses of cicada & potato bugs…always dead or in the process of dying on the porch. Shockingly we have ants all over the sidewalk & driveway attached to the porch but the ants will not go on the porch at all, almost like they know; they will die from the toxins. Are these deaths co-incidences?
I have been in contact with the product manufacturer. The product he states is a;
Our Polyaspartics do contain a small trace of solvents. The formulation ratio is approx. 80% Solid : 20% Solvents. We expect complete dissipation of solvents within the first 48 hours to 72 hours as the coating cures. In an exterior setting, solvents will dissipate much more rapidly as the material is not confined. Once the coating has cured and hardened (tac free) the material shall be considered a solid compound.’
So right out the gate, based on his information, we have a major problem because it stunk well beyond that time parameter. PS; love he refers to 20% solvents as a trace amount!
The smell was overwhelming, same as the day it went on for at least; a week and a half.
The contractor denies adamantly that; they cut the product further. The manufacturer states; we have not had any recalls nor product in quarantine.
The day of the application our humidity here was off the charts and storms were being called for; to the point we had a tarp ready and waiting to hang to protect the porch.
Two days ago, I had several people independently smell the porch; they actually put their nose to the preverbal grindstone LOL. All of them smelled something except for one, who admittedly has no sense of smell. After sniffing this is what they smelled in their words; the 11 year granddaughter smelled nail polish, the SIL smelled chemicals and the daughter smelled paint. Now, this is not all over the porch just at certain spots of the porch. I smell a chemical odor, heavier in the early morning before everyone wakes. When I open my front door for the first time I get a; overwhelming smell welcoming me…as they covered the front stoop with it as well.
The issues I see with the application are;
- The topcoat is inconsistent, areas that are dull due to the lack of topcoat
- Inconsistent chip distribution, so there is some mounding
- clouding in areas within a day of application.
- the bow front steps crevices have little to zero top coat
-heavy clear glaze at the junction; where one step meets the other
-appears there are 2 blisters that have ruptured (not that that is a big deal unless there are VOC’s)
-all edges are left raw and exposed along the house and steps with lots of gaps for emissions
My research especially on this board has me very concerned that this porch is emitting VOC’s. Since the application, because I am a delicate butterfly LOL no but seriously I do have allergies…my eyes water, my throat closed and I am using my puffer for asthma. Maybe I am just bat **** crazy but if you could help me and tell me your thoughts on this completed job, it would be greatly appreciated and I can guide my next steps accordingly. It will also help when and if this contractor ever makes an appearance he was supposed to be here yesterday did not show or call, just messaged me he’ll be here at 10…so you know already this guy does not care! I plan to hire an air quality tester and I have already arranged to get a core sample tested for VOC’s.
I really need professional opinions on the quality of this job and if these ‘flaws’ would impact the toxicity as my research says it does…but I am not an expert!
Thank you so much!
