Professional Epoxy Installer recommending no primer

[randyy]

We recently got a quote for epoxy flooring for our 20’x20’ garage. It is a new construction home that was completed Jan 2022. Cost is $5/sqft, which seems very reasonable to us.

The installer plans to grind the floor, use Versatile “Roll on Rock” 4195 epoxy and cover with 1/4” flakes, then apply a “5108 clear coat”. The installer said the clear coat is Polyurethane. The samples they showed us had “5805 Polyspartic” on the back. Two days to install, another week before we can drive on it.

The installer says that a primer is not needed because the garage floor is in good condition. Should we insist on a primer?

Separately, we could feel the flakes in the samples we were shown. Is this typical and/or preferable? Should we ask for a thicker clear coat so that the floor will be flat?

 

[Armorpoxy]

Hi primer is strongly recommend For the reason that Concrete is extremely porous so if you just put a single coat down that coat soaks into the concrete and doesn’t give enough thickness to get proper protection and hold the flecks.

As to your question about the texture it is absolutely normal to feel the flecks through the top coat since the topcoat is thin and just a protective layer it’s very difficult and extremely expensive to attempt to level out the floor over the flecks plus if you put a clear epoxy down it tends to amber and yellow as all epoxy will and we do not recommend it. The texture of the flecks is also to help making the floor less slippery and to break it up visually a bit so that you don’t see dirt and such coming in from the cars.

We would not be a huge fan of this system, but we have sold many of them on request for a more economical system, although there are tons of installers selling this exact system.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Full-Flake distributions utilize the receiver (receiver of the flakes) coat as the first-coat.
The biggest benefit of a primer is to help keep the color-coat even and not **** in too much.
However, a Full-Flake distribution floor's color-coat will be inundated with flake and any visual issues are gone forever.

Therefore, the system sounds legit. If that poly-coat is less than 85% solids you will likely want a 2nd coat.

Good luck and for those who want to do this themselves... here is a interesting video:

 

[randyy]

Full-Flake distributions utilize the receiver (receiver of the flakes) coat as the first-coat.

This is the sample they provided. Would it qualify as full-flake? Seems like it, to me. The flakes fully covered the sample.

 

[Armorpoxy]

Yes this is a full flake.

 

[Shea]

We recently got a quote for epoxy flooring for our 20’x20’ garage. It is a new construction home that was completed Jan 2022. Cost is $5/sqft, which seems very reasonable to us.

The installer plans to grind the floor, use Versatile “Roll on Rock” 4195 epoxy and cover with 1/4” flakes, then apply a “5108 clear coat”. The installer said the clear coat is Polyurethane. The samples they showed us had “5805 Polyspartic” on the back. Two days to install, another week before we can drive on it.

The installer says that a primer is not needed because the garage floor is in good condition. Should we insist on a primer?

Separately, we could feel the flakes in the samples we were shown. Is this typical and/or preferable? Should we ask for a thicker clear coat so that the floor will be flat?

We consider 4195 epoxy by Versatile as more of a high solids, tinted epoxy primer and not a high solids epoxy wear surface. There are always trade-offs with epoxy formulations and 4195 does not have the best abrasion ratings compared to other high solids epoxy. They rate it as OK for abrasion and do not provide a real-world number. 4195 penetrates well into concrete and even has the advantage of blocking moisture. As was stated prior, the full flake coverage will mitigate any cosmetic issues that may develop. Plus, it's not being used as a wear surface.

Full flake coverage is going to have texture to it. It's not smooth. If you want it smoother, Versatile has the option of applying a high build clear coat before the application of the 5085 Polyaspartic clear coat. It makes it smoother, but not glass smooth. We wrote an article about the exact kit that this installer is offering to apply. You can read it below. Also, 5108 is a fast curing polyaspartic clear coat. It's not polyurethane.

We Review the Roll On Rock® Epoxy Garage Flooring Kit

Learn why Roll On Rock® is one of the better DIY-friendly garage floor coating kits that deliver good performance and value.

allgaragefloors.com

Just as an FYI, Versatile offers 1-day floor coating training classes for this exact system. Unfortunately, many who have attended these classes start a floor coating business using Versatile products and entitle themselves as "professionals" in the business. There are more than a few customers who have ended up with poorly installed systems by these "Professional" installers who are no longer in business. The installer you are dealing with may be very good. However, I would suggest that you verify their credentials, time in business, ask for references, etc.