Splitting Epoxy Containers

[rwwoods]

I will applying epoxy to my garage floor one half at a time so I don't have to move everything out. The epoxy kit includes 1 gallon each of base and hardener. I will need half of the kit (one gallon mixed) for each half of the floor, so I need to split the contents and mix one half at a time. What is the best way to split the contents to ensure that that I end up with the proper proportions in each half?

 

[Rock knocker]

Paper cups and the like

 

[Ainsley]

I think you'll do alright just mixing up a gallon at a time (half a gallon from resin and hardener) in a spare gallon can. I used a full kit to do each coat on my floor and mixed a gallon at a time and it worked out just fine. I used the indented lines on the sides of the gallon cans to eyeball half.
I don't think getting EXACTLY 1:1 is all that critical. Mixing properly on the other hand is.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Follow the proper ratio. Some are 4:1, 2:1, etc...

 

[Garage Flooring]

Follow the proper ratio. Some are 4:1, 2:1, etc...

Some epoxy formulations are more forgiving that others. I have seen several high end products with a "Part B" that is done be weight, not volume, and if you do not get it perfect, the floor does not cure.

I have seen others where if you are a reasonable person and make a reasonable effort to divide up what you have things go well.

If I sell the product to a customer I always advise not to split it up. Often I will sell two small kits instead of one large one (at the same price) just to avoid it.

 

[Shea]

Not sure what kit you have, but if you have two 1 gallon containers it may be packaged that way in order to pour the hardener of one can into the resin of the other to mix for 1 gallon total or some version of that. You may want to check to make sure. Either way as Scotty said, check the mix ratios and actual content in each can. Buy some cheap paint measuring cups and divide it up that way to get it correct. Don't forget to premix each container first before dividing it up as you may have heavy solids that have settled at the bottom.

 

[Garage Flooring]

Don't forget to premix each container first before dividing it up as you may have heavy solids that have settled at the bottom.

Second only to not getting the ratio correct this is a huge part of why people who split kits end of with a failure. They skip this step.

It's also part of why people who don't split kits have issues

 

[benwah]

Don't forget to premix each container first before dividing it up as you may have heavy solids that have settled at the bottom.

+1

And don't use the same stir stick for part A and part B!

 

[tncatadjuster]

Turn it upside down and put in a warm place now. This will help with the premixing later.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Turn it upside down and put in a warm place now. This will help with the premixing later.

Awesome advice!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[EpoxyCoat2]

From what they provided, it sounds like a 1:1 mixing ratio, but I would call the manufacturer to double check.
If it is a 1:1 mixing ratio, you can split them into 1/2 gallons (64 ounces) of each. I would definitely double check with the manufacturer on this before doing it.