Should I apply a clear top coat to my epoxy garage floor coating? This is a reasonable question that pops up from time to time for the average DIY’er looking to save some money. The real question, however, is why wouldn’t you apply a clear coat? After all, there are many benefits to adding a clear top coat over the color coat for a garage floor.
Anyone who has installed a garage floor coating properly will tell you that the hardest and most time-consuming part is prepping the floor for the epoxy. Applying the epoxy goes fast. For many, it is the fun part of the job. So after all that work of getting the concrete ready, you should consider spending a little more time and money to ensure a longer-lasting and even more beautiful floor coating.
There are various clear coating options to choose from. However, the one rule to keep in mind is that the clear coat should perform just as well if not better than the color coat. With this in mind, let’s take a look at the top 10 reasons why you should apply a clear topcoat to your epoxy garage floor.
1. Adds durability and wear
A proper clear coat will extend the life and add durability to your garage floor coating. Depending on the type of clear used, it can provide better stain and chemical resistance than the color coat. Lastly, the additional coat adds thickness to the floor coating to absorb impacts better and reduce any chance of hot tire pickup.
2. Protects the color coat
A clear coat acts as a sacrificial layer to protect the epoxy color coat. Without it, the color coat can lose its luster from wear. Though resistant to most chemicals, some oil spills or leaks allowed to sit for long periods can discolor the coating depending on the quality of the color coat applied.
3. Protects the color flakes
If you apply paint chips or color flakes to your floor, the clear coat will lock them in and protect them from peeling up and collecting dirt at the edges. Cleaning the floor and other activities can cause color flakes to pull up or chip away. When a clear coat is added, the color flakes are protected by the clear coat layer.
4. It is easier to clean
A clear coat makes a garage floor coating easier to clean. Dust mops and microfiber mop pads can glide over the floor coating without catching color flakes. This is especially true if you have a heavy flake coverage on your floor. It also allows for scrubbing without the worry of losing color flakes or dulling the color coat.
5. A Clear topcoat Adds depth to the floor coating
The additional layer of a clear topcoat adds depth to the look of the garage floor coating. This creates a richer-looking surface that appears more luxurious and thicker than it is.
6. It Creates a glossier looking finish
A clear coat will add a glossy shine to the floor coating and reflect light better than the color coat.
This is a great benefit when working on projects in the garage or automotive maintenance. The additional light reflection will brighten up your garage space. You may not need to purchase more overhead lighting or as much as you thought you might need.
7. A Clear Coat hides scratches better
All garage floor coatings will develop microscopic and sometimes larger scratches on the surface. A clear top coat helps to hide or camouflage these scratches so they are less noticeable and do not detract from the coating’s appearance. It does this by effectively acting as the sacrificial layer to prevent the color coat from being scratched which is much more obvious.
8. It’s a good medium for anti-slip additives
Anti-slip additives are hidden much better in a clear coat. Because most anti-slip media is translucent in color they will not stand out. Without a clear topcoat, they are added to the color coat instead. This makes the anti-slip granules much more visible as little bumps resembling sandpaper on the garage floor.
Furthermore, anti-slip media is more effective in clear coats. This is because many clear coat options are thinner in dry film thickness which allows the anti-slip media to protrude more. When used in thicker color coats, it does not protrude as much and is less effective.
9. Can be recoated to look new again
After many years of use, an epoxy garage floor coating can start to show its age depending on how much activity it has seen. If it has a clear topcoat, it can easily be roughed up with sandpaper to have a new coat of clear applied.
The sanding of the old top coat removes any blemishes, scratches, and other imperfections that the clear coating acquired over the years. Once the new clear coat is applied, your garage floor coating will look brand new again.
10. Clear topcoats just look awesome!
When you compare an epoxy floor coating with a clear coat to one that does not, there is no question about which looks better. The clear coat gives the garage floor that extra depth and showroom shine that screams “Look at me!”
If you’re on the fence about whether or not to add a clear topcoat to your garage floor coating, think about all the benefits it will provide in the long term. Yes, it will cost a little more money and yes, it may mean one more day of being without your garage. However, once you add a clear coat, you will be rewarded with a garage floor to be proud of for years to come. You will be glad you did it!
Update – Please read
Clear coats are designed for application over 2-part resinous coatings and single-part thermosetting resinous coatings. Do not confuse garage floor paint or 1-part epoxy paint as a garage floor coating. These are very thin acrylic latex paints that will not form a chemical bond with a resinous coating. Please read our article about applying clear coats over paint if this is your plan.
I have used a 2-part epoxy system for all of the floors in my house and now in the hallway I would like to paint on a stencil. What is your recommendation for this process? Type of paint that will adhere best but also will not peel up with a top coat & what is the best top coat. Thanx
Hello Jennyfer. You can use an acrylic paint for what you want to do. It will require that you rough up the hallway and area to be painted with 100-120 grit sandpaper. Once you do that, wipe down the floor with some denatured alcohol on a microfiber pad and then apply the paint. Once it has dried, you will need to lightly sand the paint with 150 grit sandpaper. You can then apply a clear coat over the entire hallway and stencil. We recommend using a water-based clear. You can use epoxy, however, the newer water-based polyurethanes for concrete coatings (not wood floors) have a more water clear look.
Hi Shea — Great website. I have what I believe to be a 2 part grey epoxy on my garage floor — 10 years old. It is very solid. When new it was very slippery so I had an incompetent painter apply another surface over it which I suspect to be an epoxy with flakes and grit in it. I know for sure he did not properly prep the older paint. The top has been flaking off ever since day 1.
Does this sound like a plan? Ideally, I would like to scrape off the top surface and then clean and lightly sand the lower which is still very strong. Then use 1 to 3 coats of clear epoxy or 1 part polyurethane with chips and non stock product. For adhesion, do you recommend epoxy or a polyurethane product (including the various derivs)? I spoke to one of the co’s mentioned in your blog and they recommended epoxy with a primer, but didn’t take a real view on their polyurethane versus their epoxy. No matter what they will not warranty the result. Thanks. David
Hi David. Coating companies do not warranty their products if it is applied over something other than their own or bare concrete. That is typical of the industry. Your plan for prep is good. Once you reach the solid coating, it should be roughed up with 120 grit sandpaper and then wiped down with denatured alcohol on a microfiber mop pad. You can then apply whatever you want over that in terms of coatings.
I’m not sure what you mean about a non stock product. What is your goal? Do you want a color coat with color flakes or do you just want to apply a clear over the older coating to bring back the shine?
I was wondering I had my garage from done and st the end was told to put clear coat to protect it ? I wasn’t sure ? But I thought after applying the clear epoxy the ground would feel smooth instead it feels bumpy is that the way it feels? Or did I get ripped off . I need s reply quick before I pay this guy?
Hello Liticia. Bumpy is normal. It’s caused by the color flakes that were applied into the color coat. Those flakes are thick and create a bumpy feeling.
Hi, just bought (2 Part) Epoxy Shield Garage for my concrete basement. I was just wondering if there was a reasonable way to give it that high gloss smooth look. Glossy and thick enough to smooth out the blemishes from the uneven repairs, filled in cracks, and lil bumps. Is it possible to make it look as smooth as glass without breaking the bank? ?
Hello Juan. Concrete with uneven repairs, bumps, and etc. require grinding to smooth out the concrete before application. A coating is only as good as the concrete prep that is done beforehand. It’s the most important step. EpoxyShield is a thin mil residential quality epoxy that is not as glossy as higher quality epoxy and it is not going to look like the professional installations. It cannot be applied too thick in one application either or you will have cosmetic issues during the curing process. If you do the proper repairs and grind them smooth, you can apply an EpoxyShield color coat and EpoxyShield clear coat (higher gloss) to create a much better look.
Hi there,
I just applied the 2 part epoxy garage floor paint (rustoleum brand) to my garage tonight.. I like the looks of it, but definitely need to apply a clear coat to protect the paint flakes. I really cannot afford to buy a rustoleum clear coat kit like it suggests ($100+ that I cannot afford with COVID going on). I was hoping I could just purchase something that would work/be compatible with. I understand that you would suggest I wait for my budget to open up and allow me to afford the rustoleum purchase, but I’m unsure when that would be and would really like to avoid having to prep the floor with an abrasive. If you were in my position and would not be able to afford the clear coat kit, what would you suggest/purchase? I saw that rustoleum does sell a more affordable acrylic clear in a gallon. Is that something I could use? Thank you very much for any help!
Hello Kyle. If you can’t afford the Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield Clear Epoxy, then we highly recommend waiting until you can. A clear coat is the most important coat. It the one that takes the abrasion abuse and chemical abuse. The water-based acrylic coating will not do well in a garage. The first time gasoline or some other caustic automotive fluid or chemical comes in contact with it, it will smear and make a mess when you try and clean it up.
Thanks Shea,
I understand your recommendation, and totally agree. I work with powder coated sheet metal and pretreatment and final coat (depending on application) is always more important than the color itself. At least talking longevity. I fortunately am using this piece of my garage as my wife’s Salon. I put up some inner walls and made her a small room in our garage. I went the epoxy route since it was actually cheaper than vinyl plank, linoleum, etc. Because it’s a salon, I anticipate color and other hair treatment products to discolor/stain the floor. I’m looking for something to ultimately protect the color though. Since it’s something I imagine I’ll have to “tune up” often. I Should of mentioned that in the beginning. I understand if your opinion doesn’t change though… suppose mine wouldn’t exactly either. If I were to go the water based-acrylic or poly, would I have to etch/scuff up the epoxy beforehand. I just applied the epoxy yesterday. I think I read the answer from other posts, but just want to confirm. Thank you for all you do and all of this helpful info!
An acrylic sealer is not what you want to put down for the final top coat of a salon floor, Kyle. It will stain and can create a real mess with some chemicals that are used in the business. You really are just invited one big pain in the neck if you pursue it. However, it that is what you want to put down, it will require deglossing the surface with 150 grit sandpaper or you can use a floor maintainer with a green scrub pad. A final chemical wipe of denatured alcohol with get all the fine dust and help degloss anything that was missed.
Sorry Shea. I don’t “have” to go acrylic. I’ll take your recommendation that it’s a bad idea… but could I go with a Poly? Another epoxy? I just kind of threw acrylic out there. I just can’t afford the $105 clear coat epoxy kit and if there was a next “best” option, what it would be. Thanks again.
Unfortunately, Kyle, the Rust-Oleum is about as inexpensive as it gets. A Polyurethane concrete coating only going to cost more. If there was an alternative that would perform well for less money we would have mentioned it. I would just stick with the epoxy that you have down now. It will clean up fairly well at the end of the day since it’s only foot traffic. Even if it does happen to get some light stains, they will sand out when you eventually prep it for the clear coat.
Thanks Shea. I’ll just hold off on the clear then.
What is the best clear coat to use over an epoxy floor (9yrs old) to restore the shine ?
Hello Phil. Assuming that your current coating is not peeling or worn through anywhere, we would recommend a clear single-part polyurea over epoxy. The reason for this is that it has a glossier look, it is more abrasion resistant (longer wearing), and it will not amber (yellow tint) like epoxy does. You will need to properly prep the surface beforehand. We have an article here that discusses what is required.
Hello! I’ve prepped my 10 year old bare garage never been painted before concrete floor. I am about to apply the Rust-Oleum EpoxyShied Kit (2-part water based epoxy claimed on the box). What clear coat would you recommend I apply after I am done applying the kit. Thank you for your time!
Hi Gabe. It’s usually best to stay within the manufacturer’s line when doing the DIY kits. Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield has a clear coat as well. You can find it here from Amazon if it’s not available from your local home improvement center.
Hello, I just put down the 2 part epoxy shield in my garage and it went on great. I am going to put the epoxyshield clear coat on next. I was wondering if it were possible to put some more flakes down on the floor in some lightly covered areas and just roll the clear coat over top of them to seal them in.
Hi Logan. Unfortunately, that will not work very well. The color flakes will just attach to the roller and get laid down in a different spot. What ever you do, do not apply some clear, add some flakes, and then come back a 10 or 20 minutes later to roll over those. You will create roller marks and an orange peel effect on the coating. If the areas with less color chips really bothers you, you can apply the clear, toss in the desired amount of flakes to fix the issue, and then apply another coat of clear over that during the appropriate recoat window.
I have clear coated 2 times and I have places it looks like the clear repelled and made holes also it’ left roller marks … what can I do? I plan to sand it.
Hello Ramitinya. Anytime a coating repels and creates holes or craters (called fisheyes), it is due to oily or silicone based contamination on the surface. Also, you will get roller marks if you try to go back an roll it out or apply more clear after it’s been down for more than 10 minutes or so. The best you can do is sand the surface smooth and apply another coating.
Hi. I applied a 2 part epoxy about 8 months ago with flakes. I would like to apply a clear coat over . Would I need to sand before applying the clear coat?
Hello Andy. Yes, you need to rough up and degloss the surface with 120 grit sandpaper before you can apply the clear. After you sweep or vacuum up the dust, it will require a solvent wipe with denatured alcohol on a microfiber pad. After that, you are ready to go. Some people use a pole sander to rough up the surface. If you want something that will be much quicker, you can rent a floor maintainer and use a few 100 grit sand screens to rough up the surface. Once the clear is applied, it will bring the color and more gloss right back.
Hi. I applied the Rust-Oleum Epoxyshield 2-Part Gray Gloss Garage Floor Epoxy Kit to my garage floor a day ago. It is still in the curing process. We have not step foot inside the gara
I would like to apply a clear coat. My question is when can I apply the clear coat and do I need to prep the floor again ?
Hi Michelle. You can apply the Rust-Oleum Clear Coat within 72 hours after the epoxy has been applied without further prep being required.
I applied a clear coat approx 24 hours ago, can I add a second coat of clear on top of that?
Hi Tom. You didn’t state what product you used. If it’s a Rust-Oleum product, then you have 3-7 days depending on which one you used. If some other product, then we would need to know what it is. Either that or you can check the data sheets yourself which should state recoat windows.
I recently applied Rust-Oleum 2 part garage floor epoxy I prepped the floor and mix the bags according to instructions. There seemed to be clumps when applying it to the floor. I do t know what exactly happened. Will a clear coat help? Or would applying a second coat even if I applied flakes help?
Hi Allen. No, a second coat is not going to cover clumps. It will require sanding the surface to remove those clumps before applying a second coat. If it has been more than three days since it was applied, you will need to sand the entire surface with 120 grit sandpaper in order for a new coat to adhere properly.
Hello,
First off, Thank you for such an awesome website with tons of info.
I’m planning on coating my 670 sqft garage floor with 3 gallons of AWF SIngle-part polyurea product as the base coat and a random broadcast of 5 lb flakes (1/4″). I’m trying to use a different clear coat to save costs. What type of clear coats would work over the polyurea base coat?
Hi Allen. We do not recommend using a different clear coat to save costs. The clear coat is the wear / abuse coat and arguably the most important coat you apply. You never want to apply a clear that is not equal to or better than the color coat in that regards. It would be similar to applying a nice custom paint job to your car and then finishing it off with a cheap clear coat to to try and protect the paint job. You would be better off to wait until your budget allows for the proper clear coat. The other option would be to go without the clear coat. When the budget allows for it, you can rough up the color coat with 100 grit sandpaper and then apply the clear to make the floor look new again.
Thanks Shea. I hadn’t read your other article that the top coat should be equal or better than the bottom coat.
On a related note, would the durability of say Rustoleum Epoxy Shield as the base coat improve with a polyurethane top coat, in terms of flake protection and hot-tire lift?
Yes, the durability would improve if you applied a polyurethane clear coat to Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield. However, we would recommend using Rust-Oleum Professional EpoxyShield over the standard water-based version. The water-based version can still suffer from hot tire peel up. Something to be aware of is that the color gloss from these type of kits is more satin in nature.
Since you were originally looking at a high quality commercial system (polyurea), you may want to consider a commercial quality epoxy system. This one here by Garage Flooring LLC would run a few hundred dollars less than the AWF polyurea. It provides a thicker build as well. It would be far more durable and glossy compared to a Rust-Oleum system.
Good Evening. We just put down Behr Granite Grip on our garage floor. I would like to add an clear epoxy to coat. Can we add an epoxy clear coat to Behr Granite Grip?
Hi Marissa. No, you cannot apply an epoxy clear coat. Behr Granite Grip is not a coating nor is it an epoxy. It’s a type of acrylic latex paint with the granite like additives and is not compatible with epoxy or other true coatings. It’s designed as a one component product that is not intended for a clear coat.
Shea I applied Rust-Oleum 2 part epoxy and then I applied Rust-Oleum clear coat 2 days ago I have roller marks in the floor do I need to sand the parts of floor where I have roller marks or can I just apply clear coat over the roller marks to even the clear coat Thanks Ralph
Hi Ralph. No, you need to sand out the roller marks first. The second coat of clear will cover everything up nicely. Just an FYI, Rust-Oleum allows up to 3 days to recoat without further prep. After that, it will require that you degloss and rough up the surface first before applying another coat.
I only managed to cover 85% of my 2 car garage with Rustoleum’s EpoxyShield Clear including anti skid additive as a topcoat. I’ve bought a second kit to finish the job, but figure I will use the additional product as a second topcoat since I have it, for as far as it will stretch. If I don’t use the anti skid additive the second time around, do you think the anti skid texture from the underlying clear coat will still be somewhat effective, or will it be leveled out – buried by this additional clear coat?
Hi Ryan. The anti-slip media is not going to be very effective since it will be covered. Also, do not stretch coatings. Coatings are not like paint. You will get a patchy look of gloss and matte finishes.
Thanks. I decided to use the anti skid for my second top coat, but only used about 2/3 of the bag. I’d recommend going light on the anti skid. I had a lot of git on certain strokes in the first layer, and I think the second coat is coming out OK.
UNFORTUNATELY, I goofed when pulling up my tape line and did a little bit of damage. Does Rustoleum make an EpoxyShield patch kit?
Hi Ryan. Unfortunately, Rust-Oleum does not offer repair kits for any of their coating products.
Any other product you’d suggest?
For repairing? No, you need to use the same product in order for it to look the same. Other products would have more gloss and it would stand out. The only coatings that offer repair kits are your commercial quality coatings available from concrete coating vendors online. The home improvement DIY kits don’t offer anything to repair their coatings.
I prepped our new foundation concrete floors and there were lots of repairs. We used a concrete patch, sanded and etched the entire space. We used rustoleum pearlescents and the patch marks all show up. Will a second coat cover these?
Hi Cathy. It all depends on the repairs really. Were the repairs ground flush to match the surface of the rest of the concrete? If so, a second coat will make a big difference in hiding those repairs. The Rust-Oleum Pearlescents is a thin coating that does not do a very good job of hiding repairs with one coat. If you made repairs but did not grind them flush, a second coat will help to even out the colors, but the texture and surface of the actual repairs will still telegraph through the coating. Just like wood on furniture or a fender on a car, repairs need to be sanded flush (grinding in your case) so that the paint can hide them.
I used the rocksolid grey with blue flakes in my floor garage almost 3 years ago. It still looks great but i want to add a lot more flakes and a glossy clear coat. Id really appreciate if you can give me advise on whats the best way to do it.
Hello Esteban. What you would need to do is rough up the surface of the current coating in order to apply a new RockSolid coating with flakes and then a clear coat. We have an article here that describes how to rough up the surface. Of course you will need to purchased additional flakes. Keep in mind that you don’t want to go so heavy that you don’t see much of the coating. RockSolid is a very thin coating and will not accept real heavy flake coverage as well. Once the flakes are applied you will need to wait about 10-12 hours before applying the RockSolid clear coat.
I used Rust-Oleum rock solid light grey with chips on Saturday. Today is Thursday. The coverage is light in some areas. It doesn’t look horrible just paint settled more into the pores. I don’t want it to peel. Should I or can I put a second color coat on top of color with chips to even out color? If so do I need the same amount of product as the first coat? Should I just add a clear coat over singled chipped coat?
Hi Judy. If the concrete was prepped properly the coating should not peel. A second color coat would create better looking color and gloss. You would require the same amount of RockSolid as before. Coatings cannot be stretched to get better coverage and is the number one reason for poor looking finishes. Applying a clear coat would not improve the splotchy look of the current coat. Whichever you decide, RockSolid allows up to 7 days to add additional coats before further surface prep is required.
Hi I have applied the Rust-Oleum rock solid in colour mocha and it was applied 3 days ago and the paint is still wet and sticky but some places are dry. I would like know how I can fix it? Or is there anything I can use in order to dry the paint?
Hello Happy. It sounds like it was not thoroughly mixed properly in the burst pouches before it was applied. Many times, Rust-Oleum will recommend that you apply another coating. The second coating will activate the first enough to finish curing. Before you do that though, call their toll free number to talk with a customer service tech to see if that is the case or not.
Hi,
I just finished garage floor with EpoxyShield, looks fabulous! Next was my work shop.
But then in my work shop, unknowingly linseed oil was spilled on concrete floor. It is about 1sq foot large and soaked into concrete. How do you clean it? I used degreaser but it is still darker, as it is deeper. Anything else I need to do? Will EpoxyShield stick to it? Not flake? What do you recommend to do?
Thank you as this bothers me a lot.
Franka
Hi Franka. We have an article here that lists the many ways to remove oil from concrete. Once the oil is removed, you may still have a darker area due to a permanent stain. Once the concrete has been cleaned and prepped for a coating, do a water drop test on that area when it’s completely dry. As long as the concrete will immediately turn darker and begin to absorb the water, you will be good to go. If the water beads up or just sits there, then you have more work to do.
Thank you so much. This is encouraging!
Franks
After several weeks of concrete prep, including diamond grinding, sealing the control joints, and crack repair, I’m just about ready to lay down my Rustoleum Professional EpoxyShield in my garage, and since this is a solvent-based product, I want to ensure my top coat is not water-based and will properly keep the integrity of my Professional base coat. I plan to use the Rustoleum EpoxyShield Premium Clear Coat. Is this the product you would recommend over my Professional layer with medium flakes? How long should I wait for the top coat after my base layer?
Yes, that is the one we would recommend, J’net. It’s always good to stay within the manufacturer’s own line if you can when applying a coating system. You will need to wait 10-12 hours before applying the clear coat. You should be able to press your thumb on the coating without leaving a finger print.
Hi, I finished my garage floor with Rustoleum Epoxyshield on Sunday with chips. There were few areas that I thought were not properly coated, I reposted that area with the left over epoxy after one day and it is looking like patch work and I hate it. I’m about to lay clear coat to get a better look. Do you think the patches still show up or will it be covered with clear coat? For get away from this patch work, can I recount full area with an other round of Epoxy before I apply clear coat?
Hi Krishna. A clear coat is only going to make those areas look more obvious. As you have found out, epoxy does not blend together well like regular paint does. You can recoat the entire floor it you like, however, you are too far past the recoat window and it will require roughing up the surface first with 120 grit sandpaper and then doing a chemical wipe with denatured alcohol.
Thanks Shea for your reply. Does it mean I have to prep the surface to remove the entire epoxy coat from the concrete before I coat again? Appreciate some guidance. Thank you
No, it requires roughing up the surface as described. That would include if you decide to do the clear coat anyways as well.
Thank you, appreciate it. Lastly, I see a recoat primer in HomeDepot ( https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-1-gal-Concrete-and-Garage-Interior-Exterior-Recoat-Primer-338806/308295564 ), which doesn’t seem to require sanding. Is this an alternative that I can consider in my case? Thank you
Yes, you can use that if you prefer. It will provide the required bond, however, it will not achieve as good a bond (best) as roughing up the surface.
I recently used the rustoleum one part epoxy paint on my garage , it looks good. Can i do a second coat and what topcoat would you recommend.
Hi Cal. Yes, you can do a second coat. However, 1-part epoxy paint is not intended or designed for clear coats. This article here explains why.
Is clear coat and top coat the same? Can I mix the anti-skid additive with the clear coat?
Hi Umaj. The top coat is the last coat that is applied. In most cases, that coat is a clear coat as well. You want to mix the anti-skid into the final top coat.
Hi I purchased the rust-oleum epoxy shield 2 in 1 Kit with paint chips and also the Epoxyshield Premium Clear Coating Kit, Clear Gloss. How long after I finish the epoxy painting should I apply the clear coat?
I plan on using the epoxy on the side bottom concrete walls as well, do you think it will be necessary to clear coat that too?
And just curious if you’d recommend epoxy past where the garage door closes (right to the start of the driveway) or just up to where the garage closes so it is only visible inside the garage.
Also, we are in a midst of a heat warning here (around 31 degrees, feels like 36-38) in Ontario Canada, should I wait until the weather gets cooler to do this? Does it matter if it rained the day before as well?
Thanks for your help! I see you’ve helped a lot of people already.
Hi Chris. You need to wait a minimum of 8-12 hours depending on the current temperatures. If you can press your thumb to the color coat without leaving a print, then it’s ready to go. You have up to 72 hours for recoats. Only apply the coating if temperatures are between 15-29C. Hot temps are not good. The coating will set up much quicker and you will have less time to apply. I suggest reading their application instructions that come with the kit. They should provide all the info you need regarding mixing and application.