One garage flooring option that has created quite a buzz in the industry the last few years is polyurea/polyaspartic floor coatings. This relatively new coating has become the latest favorite for installers as an alternative to epoxy. It has created some confusion for home owners as well. The fast curing ability of this system is being billed as the “Holy Grail” of floor coatings and is advertised as the best of everything that a coating can do.
So if it’s not an epoxy, what is it exactly and why would you want it on your garage floor? Let’s unravel the confusion about polyurea and polyaspartic floor coatings and see why many garage flooring companies are pushing this new product.
What are Polyurea and Polyaspartic Coatings
Without getting too technical, Polyurea is a subgroup of polyurethane. It is formed when isocyanates react with water or polyetheramines to create a urea linkage. Like epoxy, it is a 2-part component that mixes resin with a catalyst to cause the curing reaction that makes the material hard.
It has low to no VOC’s and has an elongation rate that exceeds 300%, making it much more flexible than epoxy. It is commonly used for spray-on bed liners, interior pipe coating, liquid containment lining and many other industrial applications such as tunnel coatings and fillers for joints. Because of its extremely fast cure rate (less than 5 seconds and fully hard in less than 5 minutes), most polyureas require specialized equipment for application.
Polyaspartic is a type of aliphatic polyurea. To quote Bayer Material Science:
“By definition, a polyaspartic is an aliphatic polyurea because it is the reaction of an aliphatic polyisocyanate with a polyaspartic ester – which is an aliphatic diamine”.
What polyaspartics do is conquer the difficulties of the extremely fast cure rate of polyurea in order to apply the coating in a more traditional manner, with a longer pot life of 5 to 120 minutes depending on the formulation.
So in essence, all polyaspartics are a polyurea, but not all polyureas are a polyaspartic. So to lessen the confusion, this means that when you see a garage floor coating or kit being advertised as a polyurea, or a polyurea polyaspartic, it is really some formulation of a polyaspartic coating.
Benefits of Polyaspartic Coatings
Now that we’ve covered these eye numbing explanations, what does it mean for you? The two biggest advantages of a polyaspartic or polyurea garage floor coating are temperature and time.
Unlike epoxy, a polyaspartic coating can be applied in temperatures as low as -30F to as high as 140F depending on the formulation. That means you don’t have to wait till spring or summer to coat your garage floor if you live in a colder climate.
Typical polyurea and polyaspartic floor coatings are applied in just two coats; the first being both the primer and color coat and the second being the clear coat. Because of their fast cure rates, a complete flooring system can be installed in one day and returned to service the next. This means that you won’t have to do without your garage for 3-4 days like you would for a full epoxy system.
There are many other benefits to a polyurea/polyaspartic floor coating as well. These include:
- 100% U.V. stability – they will never yellow.
- Crystal clear finish that won’t blush from moisture in the concrete.
- Similar high abrasion and scratch resistance to polyurethane.
- High tolerance to heat, meaning hot tire pick up is a non-issue.
- High film build-up that can be controlled by the applicator.
- High gloss finish
- High solids content with little to no VOC’s in most applications.
- High stain and chemical resistance. This includes salts for winter climates.
- Good flexibility for higher impact resistance.
- Excellent wetting characteristics allowing for good penetration into the concrete for a strong bond.
- Decreased chance of bubbles from outgassing due to the faster cure rate.
Costs and Installation Factors
Though a polyaspartic or polyurea flooring system does have some great benefits, there are some other factors to consider before you decide if this is the best system for you.
The first is cost. To have it professionally installed will cost an average of $2 to $3 more per square foot than an equivalent epoxy and polyurethane system.
It is also not the most user friendly “do it yourself” installation and requires a minimum of two people to apply. Depending on the formulation of the polyaspartic, the average pot life is only 20 to 25 minutes. This can be very intimidating if you haven’t done a floor coating before. Also, the materials alone can cost almost twice as much as epoxy.
A good example by Advacoat on how a polyaspartic floor coating is installed
One thing to keep in mind is that like epoxy, not all polyaspartics are created equal. Some of the DIY kits that are being offered are not of the same quality as the more professional versions. So shop around and compare if you want to install a garage floor coating yourself. The formulations are different and come with a lower solids content in order to lengthen the pot life. Grinding the concrete is also the recommended floor prep.
While polyurea / polyaspartic coatings are not affected by water or humidity when fully cured, humidity during installation can cause the coating to cure much more rapidly and should be monitored before installation.
***Update***
There are now newer single-part polyurea garage floor coatings available that are extremely easy to apply. They have and unlimited pot life and excellent protection. Learn about single-part polyurea here.
Another consideration is that if you are a regular garage mechanic, polyaspartics don’t stand up as well to battery acids like epoxy and polyurethane does. They also can be very slippery when wet. If you are not applying full paint chips to add texture, it is advisable to add a slip resistant aggregate into the top coat to increase the anti-slip properties of the coating.
One of the biggest reasons that professional installers are offering polyaspartic floor coatings is to sell the benefit of being without your garage for only a day. A good installer can prep your concrete and install your coating in as little as 6 – 8 hours. You can be moving your belongings back into the garage before the day is done and park your car in it the next. This can be a huge advantage for people who can’t be without their garage for 3 or 4 days.
If you need to have a garage floor coating installed in less than ideal temperatures or need the advantage of being without your garage for only a day, then a professionally installed polyurea or polyaspartic floor coating may be just what you need. It is a great garage flooring option if the cost is in the budget.
Musicman says
I received quotes from two different garage floor companies to have my floor done. The first guy quoted me $4.50 a sf. for what he called a 4 layer epoxy coating. He said it included a primer coat, color coat of my choice, paint chips and a 2 top layer of urethane. He said this was better than epoxy for the top. He said it would take 4 days before I could park my cars in the garage and even then recommended I should park on cardboard for a few days.
The second guy gave me a quote for polyaspartic at $6.00 for what he said was the same thickness but only 3 coats. He swore it was a much better floor than what the other guy was offering even though the warranties were the same and he could do it in a day. I never heard of polyaspartic floors until now. Are they really that much better?
Shea says
Great question Musicman and thanks for visiting us. To answer your question, polyaspartic garage floors are an excellent flooring that will give you years of great service. Assuming both garage floor companies are using commercial products, the epoxy floor with 2 coats of a polyurethane coating is actually going to give you similar protection as the polyaspartic floor. Polyurethane is a thinner coating than polyaspartic and is why the polyaspartic floor would be similar in thickness though one coat less. The biggest advantage of the polyaspartic flooring is getting it all done in one day for you.
Jay says
Great article.
Are polyurea or polyaspartic floors better than epoxy in regions with high heat such as Florida or Desert areas in CA or AZ?
Shea says
Hello Jay and thanks for the good question. The performance of polyurea/polyaspartic and epoxy coatings are not going to be affected by the heat of these areas, but they are affected differently during installation. The polyurea/polyaspartic coatings are more sensitive to humidity during installation than epoxy, but they do much better than epoxy when installed in cold weather or extremely hot weather. Other than that, the differences in performance after installation are covered in the above article.
Marc says
All things being equal. Time not a factor, and a cost vs long time durability which is the better product? A $3000 EPOXY floor or a $5500 Polly floor? I don’t mind paying the 5500 if its a better product, but if its only a “i get my floor back sooner” thing, but epoxy is a better product please tell me.
Shea says
Hi Marc and great question. The short answer is it depends on what type of epoxy system and polyaspartic systems are being installed and why. A quality epoxy system consisting of a primer coat, 100% solids base (color) coat, and 2 coats of polyurethane are hard to beat. They are also the better alternative if you have any type of moisture issues with your concrete. Depending on whether or not you use color flakes, such a floor can easily be 20 mils thick or more. The performance of polyurethane top coats is very similar to polyaspartics as well.
Polyaspartic floors are excellent as well, but it’s important that they are installed by qualified professionals. Floor prep is even more important because of the fast curing times. Some polyaspartics are known for not wetting out well (soaking into the concrete) due to their fast cure nature. Many companies do not use primer with these flooring systems and will sometimes reduce the solids content with the first coat to improve adhesion. The biggest advantage to these floors is the fast installation and return to service time.
Since time is not a factor, in our opinion, a quality epoxy system as described above is a much better value for the money and will provide just as much protection as most polyspartic systems.
Nick says
Hi,
I have two quotes now. One for an Epoxy base, chips,poly topcoat and another pushing the polyaspartic.
Your articles talk about coatings “as thick as 20 mil”. The PAP guy states the end result will be about 10-12 mil because they are typically a thinner product. Is that accurate?
Now my epoxy guy says his system goes on to 66mil! He states he uses a notched squeegy so the 1st base epoxy coat would be approx 20 mil, + roughly 44 mil of chip thickness applied to rejection, + 10-12 mil poly top coat. That seem MUCH thicker than anything I have seen discussed here or on other sites. He is also stating 2 days for the job vs 4-5 days mentioned as typical.
Does this make sense? Should I be concerned about it being too thick?
(I have asked several questions on the site but tyring to put them under the appropriate articles to avoid as much topic overlap as possible.)
Regards,
Nick
Shea says
Hi Nick. The quote about thickness from your PAP guy is correct. Typical polyurea and polyaspartic coating are about 6 mils thick. 10-12 is very realistic for two coats not taking into account additional thickness for a full refusal color chip application.
There is something fishy about your epoxy quote however. Yes, some epoxies can be applied 20 mils thick in one application but that is unusual for a garage floor. It’s expensive as well. Another issue is the color chips. Color chips/flakes run 4-5 mils thick. Adding chips to full refusal will create a textured surface that is 5-10 mils thick. The chips sink into and adhere to the epoxy with the remaining that does not stick removed. It’s physically impossible to get 44 mils of chips to all stick together in a 20 mil coating. They would have to be 9 layers thick.
Also, polyurethane has a dry film thickness of 2-3 mils. He would have to apply a minimum of 4 coats. It sounds like he is very inexperienced or making things up in order to make a sale to an uninformed consumer.
Rich says
My new garage floor was smooth power troweled and will be ready for epoxy or poly in a couple weeks. There is only foot traffic while it cures. What is your recommendation on prep? Does a new smooth floor require grinding, or acid etch, or something else?
Thanks,
Rich
Shea says
Hello Rich. Your new smooth floor requires the same prep as an older floor, especially since it was power troweled. When concrete is power troweled it tends to close up more of the pores at the surface. You need to open those up. We always recommend a minimum of acid etching when applying a floor coating. Grinding is the preferred method if you can.
Ben says
Shea…I live in upstate NY not far from the Canadian Border where the winters are brutal and the use of road salt is part of our lifestyle. My question is: what effect will salt on our vehicles tires have to the finished floor? All of the floors that I have seen that were painted do not last more than one winter. How will a “Polyurea Polyaspartic Garage Floor Coatings” hold up in the North Country?
Thanks….
Ben
Shea says
Hello Ben. Polyurea and polyaspartic coatings are extremely durable and a favorite among many top installers whose reputation is dependent upon the product they use. A quality polyurea / polyaspartic system would do very well under your extreme winter conditions, including road salts and deicing fluids. When properly installed it should last years. As you have witnessed, “Painted” floors, such as latex acrylic concrete paint or 1-Part epoxy paint would not do well at all under those conditions.
Rex says
I have had a polyaspartic floor in my garage here in SW PA where we also get the cold and roads are salted. It is 6 years old and other than a slight bit of discoloration from dirt where the tires sit, it looks like new. The salt and ashes can be hosed off with a garden hose. I haven’t yet washed the floor with soap and water but i suspect if I took the time the spot where the tires sit would come off with some elbow grease.
Pat Good says
I live in Southern Delaware and would like the name of two or three companies I could contact to have polyaspartic or epoxy applied to our garage floor.
Thank you
Shea says
Hello Pat, we are not a resource for floor coating contractors and companies in the U.S. You may want to read this post on choosing floor coating contractors and then Google “garage floor coatings” for your area. You can start the process from there.
Linda says
Hi,
I coated my garage floor with Restore, then epoxy. It still needs a polyurethane coating as the epoxy is chipping under the heat of the tires. Where can I buy a good polyurethane coating that I can apply myself?
Shea says
Hi Linda. You can find polyurethane from Legacy Industrial and Original Color Chips for starters. Keep in mind that you will have to prep the epoxy coating by roughing up the surface and wiping down with denatured alcohol before you can apply the polyurethane.
Scott says
Really great article and answers. I have a wood deck sealed with fiberglass finished with epoxy paint (I think the previous owner used pool paint). I replaced some rot in the deck and am going to repair the figerglass cloth/epoxy. Then, I want to paint the entire deck with polyurea.
Is this a good idea? Do I need a primer over old epoxy prior to polyurea?
Shea says
Hi Scott. As long as the previous coating is adhered well you can apply the polyurea. We doubt that it’s epoxy however because epoxy does not do well outdoors at all and will amber (yellow) badly in sunlight. Applying the polyurea would require roughing up the surface with 80 – 100 grit sandpaper, then wiping it down with denatured alcohol to remove any remaining dust and contaminants before application. One draw back to using polyurea however outdoors on a deck is that it can be very slippery when wet. If you want to go this route we recommend that you add a non-slip additive to the mix.
Gary says
Hi Shea,
I was wondering, can epoxy or polyurea coatings be installed over a driveway. And how would it stand up to Florida SUn, heat, humidity and rain. Also, if it can be applied to an outside concrete driveway, how would I make it as slippery as possible when it’s dry. You may be wondering, “This guy is nuts” . Well, maybe. I am trying to find an exterior concrete coating that would be durable and slippery enough to play hockey on with a regulation 6 Oz. rubber puck where puck would actually “glide” on the surface.
Thanks
GAry in Sunny Florida
Shea says
Gary, we did think you were crazy at first. Some here still think you are, lol. To answer your question though, epoxy is not a good candidate for outdoors. It is U.V. sensitive and will amber among other things when exposed to sunlight outdoors. Polyureas on the other hand can be installed outdoors and will withstand the sun and other elements. To be honest though, how it would react with a hockey puck is beyond us. We don’t think it would be slippery at all when dry. You would need to wet it down to achieve that, but we think that would defeat the purpose as we are assuming you would be equipped with roller blades and not ice skates. You may want to check out SnapSports however as they have flooring available for inline hockey.
Stephan says
Hi Shea
Couple questions. Wanna “clearcoat” the concrete floor in my home. Can polyurethane be applied to an unpainted floor? I was told poly aspartics can. What would be the best choice for scratch resistance and durability? There is much direct sunlight so yellowing is a concern. Thank you
Shea says
Hi Stephan. Both can be applied directly to concrete. A 1-part moisture cure polyurethane can be applied directly while a 2-part aliphatic requires a primer. Since you will have much direct sunlight, a polyaspartic coating will be your best choice since they will not yellow at all. Abrasion resistance, scratch resistance, and chemical resistance is similar between the two. Polyurethane does a real good job at being U.V. resistant, but it’s not quite as good as polyaspartics.
Stephan says
Thank you for your professionalism
William says
Hello Shea,
Large area 5500 sq. ft and will park heavy equipment (tires only) and wash vehicles and etc. but also want to play basketball and volleyball and etc. on a third of the floor. So it would be great to have traction and durability and even some “cushion” per se if any. (Understanding the floor would be exceptionally hard) which would be better suited to fall on: Epoxy or Polyaspartic. Have also considered simply polishing/burnishing. Thank you
Shea says
Hey William, both epoxy and polyaspartic coatings are harder than the concrete they are applied too. That’s what makes them so tough. If you fall on either one, it’s going to hurt just the same! Technically though, epoxy coatings have a harder surface than polyaspartic coatings relatively speaking. FYI, burnishing and polishing concrete will create a more slippery surface and will require periodic maintenance. Have you considered interlocking tile? They can withstand thousands of pounds of weight and will be a much more forgiving surface to fall on.
Mike Krochmal says
Thank you so much for all the wonderful information!
My question, what brand of epoxy is best to use with flakes?
Thanks so much!
Shea says
You are welcome Mike. You can use the color flakes with any resinous coating as well as paint. Brand does not matter as they will adhere to any of them when applied properly.
Bill says
I have an estimate for a hybrid polymer base coat and top coats. 1/2 inch thick total. 10 yr warranty. Includes industrial preparation of floor to guarantee bonding of material to concrete. Also includes “tsunami strips” for under the garage doors. Everything I’ve read about the polyurea flooring sounds good. The floor is 660 Sqft and the cost is $3,250.00. This just seems excessive to me. What do you think?
Shea says
Hi Bill. That quote is right in the ball park for polyurea flooring – it could even be considered a bit low. It works out to just shy of $5 a square foot. That is generally the minimum price point you will find for this type of flooring from contractors. I believe the quote of 1/2″ thick was misunderstood however. That is 500 mils and no garage flooring contractor does coatings that thick.
Bill says
Thank you. I did misunderstand the thickness, it was 1/4 inch thick
Thanks again for your rapid response
Mike says
Great site! Thanks for all of the information! I’m wondering whether there’s any advantage to using a polyaspartic vs. epoxy/polyurethane for garage floors in older homes (ours was built in ’67 in mid-Michigan)?
Shea says
Hi Mike and thanks! The only big advantage of a polyaspartic floor system over a good epoxy/polyurethane system is that it can be installed almost year around in Michigan. An epoxy/polyurethane system needs minimum floor temps of 55 degrees to install. A good polyaspartic system is going to cost more however. The age of your home does not matter. In terms of performance they are both excellent. We tend to lean towards a primer/100% epoxy/polyurethane system in most cases however since you end up with a much thicker coating.
Joe says
Unfortunately there is a down side to all polyaspartic systems. I have installed
them myself. But after doing some testing on their bond to concrete it became
obvious that polyaspartics do not bond well compared to epoxy. We
did side by side tests (ie same concrete, same prep. ) and the epoxy was a much
better bond. We have done one day garages and have not had any call backs but
we do not use polyaspartics as a prime coat any longer.
Shea says
Hi Joe. Yes, that is a concern that has been raised by more than one installation company. Because polyapartics cure so quickly, they do not have a chance to penetrated the surface as well as epoxy or epoxy primers. The real key to a successful polyaspartic coating is in the prep. But we have to agree that epoxy will outperform polyaspartics 9 out of 10 times in most situations when it comes to bonding strength.
Steve says
I have an existing Citadel Polyurea floor done 11/2012 and I have a 5′ long 1/4 -3/8 wide crack now along where the floor meets the driveway and my dealer/installer is no longer around. Is it possible to fill the crack and put a top coat of Polyurea (any brand) on it to effectively fix/seal it? If so, any special prep work to put the top coat on? Second, I live in MN so we track a lot of salt and sand up the driveway and into the garage. After 3 winters there is clearly visible tire lines in the polyuria floor where the cars drive and park. Surface feels rough (not smooth and shiny like other areas) and slightly discolored. Outside of hiring another company to redo this is there any DIY options to fix this? Could I scrub and clean and recoat with a top coat of clear polyuria? Thank you in advance!
Shea says
Hello Steve. You will need to repair and seal the crack before you apply anything on top of it. We talk about how to do different crack repairs along with the type of repair materials to use here. You can easily prep your existing coating for new polyurea. We cover how to do that here. It applies to polyaspartic and polyurea floor coatings as well. A new clear coat can make your floor look new again.
Jim Ignatowski says
Hello Shea,
Excellent article. Question for you … I have a basement slab that is coated with old mastic and carpet adhesive. I’ve been told that with the proper primer, I can apply a polyurea or polyaspartic overlay without actually doing any grinding. Do you agree with that? The cost that I’ve been quoted is closer to $7.00 per SQFT. Can you provide your opinion on this? Any concerns with using this in a basement?
Thanks Jim
Shea says
Hello Jim. If a contractor told you that, don’t hire them. Primer needs a properly prepared surface in order to adhere to the concrete. All the old material needs to be removed and the surface profiled by grinding or shot blast. Since it’s a basement, make sure to do a moisture test before putting down a coating. Hydrostatic pressure can cause even the best of coatings to lift. $7 a square foot for a multi-coat polyaspartic floor including the proper concrete prep (grinding or shot blast) is in the ball park.
Jim says
Shea, thank you for the quick reply. Grinding the floor has always prevented me from doing the job because I’m concerned about the particles contaminating the house. The primer he is suggesting claims to be able to adhere to any surface:
Here is a link to the primer: http://www.ssmincorporated.com/seamsperfect/
Thanks again!
Shea says
We have never heard of this primer before Jim. Since there is no information on their site regarding the actual chemical makeup, abrasion qualities, moisture vapor transmission limits, and etc, it always leaves us very skeptical about any product. Particularly the claims that it will bond to concrete with sealers and mastic. It looks like its original purpose is for roofing.
As a result, we reached out to a couple manufacturers to ask them about this product. Both said if it was as good as claimed for as long as it has been out, then it should be a well known and a well used product in the resinous floor coating business. The problem is that it’s not. One manufacturer went as far to state that they would not warranty their product if it was applied over it. So it really is your call to make.
One thing to keep in mind is that dust can be controlled significantly with the proper grinding equipment by competent installers.
Jim says
I really appreciate the response and detailed information ! Thank you.
Biff says
Hello, is there any type of paint or other option that can be used to offer a much more realistic option on a 1200 sf. ft garage?…..Just gonna drive cars in and out and don’t have $6k to spend…..Thanks!!
Shea says
Hi Biff, you have a large garage! Paint peels within a year after application when it’s driven on and is why people who want something that is going to last opt for a resinous coating such as polyaspartic or epoxy. $6k is about right for a professionally installed polyurea or polyaspartic floor coating. However, if you plan on doing it yourself you can put down such a coating for around $1,100 in materials plus the required floor prep and your time.
If you don’t need a decorative coating and just want protection from the elements for your bare concrete, you can always apply a penetrating sealer for a few hundred dollars for a floor of your size.
Olawale says
Hello,
I am considering introducing metallic epoxy floors in my country (Hot, Humid with plenty of Sunlight all year round)
How does one protect the epoxy from the sunlight? Plus generally, is this a good idea based on the climatic conditions.
Thank you
Shea says
Hello Olawale. Epoxy will amber (yellow tint) in the sunlight. It’s designed for indoors only. Clear polyurea, polyaspartic, and polyurethane top coats prevent yellowing from indirect sunlight, such as in a garage, but it will not stop the U.V. rays from yellowing the epoxy in direct sunlight.
Manufacturer’s have started producing metallic systems for polyurea and polyaspartic coatings however. We suggest you contact one of them to describe the type of environment that you would like to use the coatings in terms of sunlight, to see if they would satisfy your requirements.
Daniel says
I’ve got appx 510sf garage. I am looking to do a color chip floor for looks and durability. I’ve been quoted $3.75/sf by Company A using a Polyaspartic top coat product. Company B has quoted $4.50/sf and says there product is superior and uses a Polyurea top coating. Company A says that a true Polyurea is sprayed on like a bed liner, not rolled on and claim their product is as good if not better than Company B. I haven’t had the chance yet to ask company B if they spray it on or roll it on so I have 3 questions for you;
1. What is the difference in the two products with regards to duration on a garage floor?
2. Does Polyurea need to be sprayed on, or if rolled on is it any better than Polyaspartic?
3. Which coating would choose if it were your garage floor?
Shea says
Hi Daniel. Actually, both quotes are on the low side for a quality polyurea or polyaspartic coating. Polyurea was initially developed as a spray on product that dried almost instantly. It was later developed to roll on and found many more uses, one of which was garage floor coatings. There are few contractors that are doing spray on garage floor coatings.
We can’t tell you which is best without knowing specifics about the product. We suggest you first read our article about reading TDS Sheets. This will give you a better idea about the product and how to compare the two. Second, read our article on How to Choose a Garage Floor Coating Contractor. This will give you some great insight on the questions to ask and how to determine if you are dealing with a good contractor.
Like I said, those are low quotes for a quality polyurea or polyaspartic system and you get what you pay for. Prices can vary however depending on the area of the country and competition.
Gary says
I’ve just had my garage floor Polyaspartic coated. I waited 72 hours before parking on it, but the tires are leaving an imprint where the cars sit over night. Can you give me an idea of what went wrong? Is it a product problem or an installation problem? Could it be that the product was not mixed properly? Will adding another coat with properly mixed product correct the problem. Thanks
Shea says
Hi Gary. Quite a few things can cause the black tire marks. Many times it can be the type of tires themselves. We have an article about that here. If the marks clean up, then it is from the tires and will require an occasional wipe down to remove. If they don’t want to clean up well, it could be that the coating had not fully cured yet or was not mixed properly. Most polyaspartic coatings should cure fully within 48 hours however. It could also be the quality of the product, in which case doing another coat will not fix anything. Do you know the brand used and what the solids content was?
gARY says
The product used was Indmar Chem-thane DCP Flex, 72% solids, The marks are not black tire marks, they are slightly indented and the gloss is gone from the print.
Shea says
OK, that definitely indicates that it had not cured completely before it was driven on. Cooler temps can slow the curing times as well as improper mixing or mix ratio. Indmar is a quality product and it’s very rare to get a bad batch from any manufacturer. Many times even if the mix ratio was off a little, the coating will cure fully but just takes longer. Have you contacted the installer? They should take a look and remedy the problem for you by either recoating or making a good repair where the indentations are.
Gary says
Shea,
My installer has done many expoxy floors, this was his first polyaspartic floor. Can we recoat with the sand, vacuum, wipe down with alcohol and recoat process? What is the proper way to mix product. He gently mixed with mixing sticks, did not mechanically mix.
Shea says
Yes you can Gary. We recommend that you consult the TDS Sheets to determine how to mix it correctly. Mixing processes can vary depending on the manufacturer. You should also have a toll free customer service number to call to get that information as well. We always suggest contacting the manufacturer when technical questions such as these occur, especially after having a product issue such as yours.
David Anderson says
Great article and web site!
I do some occasional work on my cars in my garage using typical jacks, and also roll some heavy cabinets around . Will this type of floor hold up to this use?
There is a company where I live that uses “ZG-SHIELD® POLYUREA” floor coating. Is this the same material that you are referring to in the article?
Shea says
Hi David. Yes, that is the same type of coating as in the article. It will hold up well to automotive repair projects, floor jacks, or any other heavy objects with wheels.
DuWayne says
I am a contractor in Minnesota and have been using 72 % polyaspartic from hp spartacote for 6 years with no failure but the smell is nasty. Thinking about switching to elitecrete epoxy with there polyaspartic top coat it’s not as strong of odor. But I’m concerned about durability. I’ve tried hp pure and it is hard to work with. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks
Shea says
Hello DuWayne. Elite Crete has great product as well as very knowledgeable people who should be able to assist you with choosing a product that will work best for you. There are a lot of variables to consider for your neck of the woods since temperature can be an issue with epoxy. It has a much longer recoat window as well unless you are using an accelerator. We can understand your concern with switching if you have not had a failure. That’s probably more of a testament to your prep than than the product however. Have you discussed with Spartacote the possibility of adding a small amount of solvent to the HP Pure to increase the pot life and make it easier to work with? The amount used should not smell as bad as what you use currently.
As far as epoxy goes, a high solids is a great choice for a base coat. A 97% solids for example is extremely durable, has a high build, little to no smell, and is easier to work with than 100% solids. Wetting characteristics are generally better than polyaspartics as well. Elite Crete has a lot of experience working with contractors in the north and should be able to provide some real good input. Ask for Gene Dean. He is extremely knowledgeable in the field. Last we spoke with him he was Director of training and tech support for Elite Crete.
DuWayne says
Thanks for providing this information it makes me feel more confident. I did talk to hp and you were right about the solvent. I found Your comment about my prep work interesting because we do grind everything extensively with 16 grit diamonds. Thanks again for all your expertise. You have a great website site and I have picked up a lot of pointers.
Gianna Cavallini Solano says
I have a question and I am trying to find the correct technical info to answer it, but I can’t.
Are these systems recommended for pool decks, and for the interior of a pool?
I found some info on covering pool decks with poliurethane elastomeric as a primer and a first coating, then vynil chips and as a topcoat two coats of a polyaspartic base sealer.
But for the interior of the pool I didn’t find any information, could you help me?
Shea says
Hello Gianna. Polyurea is used for pool lining and is sprayed on. We don’t have any direct information, however, we recommend that you contact Liquid Fusion Liners for more information.