Should I be worried?

[gregxhammer]

Hi folks,

Great information here, I spent a lot of time doing research prior to laying my new epoxy floor!

My father and brother came out last weekend to help me lay the new Rustoleum EpoxyShield floor. Prior to the actual application, I spent a day and a half scrubbing and prepping the existing floor and it was in great condition before we started work.

The morning of the application, I left with my wife to drop her car off at the auto service center to get new tires put on, and when I came back my Dad had already mixed the epoxy and started the trim work. I was happy to get an early start, but after we had finished, I looked in the box and noticed he had only mixed one container (of 2) of the Part A into the epoxy.

It's been about 2.5 days, and the floor seems to be curing. It's getting harder, isn't tacky, but still isn't quite as "hard' as I expected. I might just worried a bit when I say "isn't quite as hard as I expected." It's actually rather hard.

Should I be extremley concerned? If so, is there anything I can do short of grinding it off and starting from scratch? I appreciate the insight - thanks!

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Greg, Call the mfg and let them know what you are up against.


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[Garage Flooring]

Hi folks,

Great information here, I spent a lot of time doing research prior to laying my new epoxy floor!

My father and brother came out last weekend to help me lay the new Rustoleum EpoxyShield floor. Prior to the actual application, I spent a day and a half scrubbing and prepping the existing floor and it was in great condition before we started work.

The morning of the application, I left with my wife to drop her car off at the auto service center to get new tires put on, and when I came back my Dad had already mixed the epoxy and started the trim work. I was happy to get an early start, but after we had finished, I looked in the box and noticed he had only mixed one container (of 2) of the Part A into the epoxy.

It's been about 2.5 days, and the floor seems to be curing. It's getting harder, isn't tacky, but still isn't quite as "hard' as I expected. I might just worried a bit when I say "isn't quite as hard as I expected." It's actually rather hard.

Should I be extremley concerned? If so, is there anything I can do short of grinding it off and starting from scratch? I appreciate the insight - thanks!

Yes. Be worried. Sorry. This is the contact number they list for support. Call them ASAP and stay off the floor.


EpoxyShield and Concrete Stains
(888) 683-5667

 

[gregxhammer]

Thanks guys. I just called and he seemed a little perplexed to give me a straight answer. He said that I should "give it a chance" to see if it cures. Otherwise, if it starts peeling after I drive on it, to use a product of theirs called Zinsser Power Stripper to remove the epoxy and start from scratch, sigh.

Any other insight from you guys? Would a urethane clear topcoat stop any potential chipping or peeling from happening? Like I said in my original post, the floor isn't really tacky, and I can't peel anything up with my fingers (I tried in the closest corner to the door as a test.)

 

[Garage Flooring]

Thanks guys. I just called and he seemed a little perplexed to give me a straight answer. He said that I should "give it a chance" to see if it cures. Otherwise, if it starts peeling after I drive on it, to use a product of theirs called Zinsser Power Stripper to remove the epoxy and start from scratch, sigh.

Any other insight from you guys? Would a urethane clear topcoat stop any potential chipping or peeling from happening? Like I said in my original post, the floor isn't really tacky, and I can't peel anything up with my fingers (I tried in the closest corner to the door as a test.)

IMHO anything you put on top you are putting a band aid on a festering wound. At some point it will fail. I would follow their instructions, but I would plant on removing and starting fresh.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

If it's still pliable start scraping. Once scraped, wipe down with xylene and try again.




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[Strouty]

That stinks. I guess the "free" help turned out to be really expensive.

 

[James-W]

It is really unfortunate this happened. I bet your dad feels pretty bad about it. Just a thought here, maybe you should give your dad a big hug and tell him not to worry about it, sometimes things happen and you still want his help. Tell him he can start by helping you with the scraping.

 

[captain14]

He was there trying to help you.

How many times did he help you or get you out of trouble when you were growing up?

 

[workhurts]

I wouldn't put anything else over it. If you have the garage all cleared out, I'd bite the bullet and just do it over. Then again, I'm not exactly sure how this all works chemically. There's a reason for the ratios and it could very well be just cure time .. I personally just have no idea.

The suggestion to contact the manufacturer was spot on. I'd call them back and ask for something more definitive. They have chemists.

Here's something I pulled from an online search:

Too much hardener or too much resin in my epoxy mix
The general rule of thumb is if you are down on hardener it is likely to cure EVENTUALLY - maybe a week, maybe a month maybe in 10 years. So it is a matter of how long you are prepared to wait before deciding to strip it all off

If there is too much hardener it is unlikely to ever cure.

There is a few percentage margin in getting the quantities right but we always tell people you have to be PRECISE - that way there will not be problems.

If you are part way through mixing and realise you have made a mistake of more than a few percent ... think about throwing the batch out!

 

[Hot Chop shop]

We might be brothers cause, this sounds just like my dad...

 

[thegarageguy]

you are gonna have to sue your Dad for damages, pain and suffering

 

[Hornman]

Your Dad put in half the hardener, not no hardener. You yourself said it seems to be hardening. Heat will accellerate the hardening, so if you have some way to add heat to the floor, that will speed up the curing. Don't be too quick to give up on your floor.

If you are up for some crazy advice, read the label on the remaining container of hardener. If there are peroxides in the hardener, you can roll it on top of the floor and the peroxides will penetrate the floor coating and will catalyze the floor coating, speeding up the hardening. If peroxides are listed, try coating a small section in an inconspicuous area to see if this works. Obviously, if peroxides are NOT listed on the label, do not apply the hardener to the floor, you will only make a mess.

 

[PT Doc]

Let's say it somehow hardens. How could it hold up using half of the manufacturer ingredients? If half was ok, you wouldn't get twice just for the heck of it. My guess is this floor will be an issue at some point. Do it right the first time. Ummm, the second time. Tell your dad he is grounded and take away the car for a few weeks.