Are you looking for a product you can use to protect and decorate your flooring? There are several floor coatings available in the market, like epoxies. Also, there is a product growing in popularity due to its effectiveness and fast-curing time: the polyaspartic floor coating.
The floor coatings industry is a booming market worldwide due to the growing construction sector and the higher usage of coatings in residential, commercial, and industrial applications. Coating products protect floors against cracks, stains, and moisture while providing a shiny and durable surface. The industry is forecast to achieve a compound annual growth rate of 6.6% until 2025 from $2,490.2 million in 2018.
What Are Polyaspartic Coatings?
A type of polyurea, polyaspartic coatings was first used in the 1990s to protect steel against corrosion. Due to its effectiveness, the applications of the coatings increased rapidly. Manufacturers also added colored pigments to use it as a decorative coating.
The coating is a two-part system comprising of a resin and a catalyst. During the application, the two parts are mixed to create a curing reaction. The coating’s curing time ranges from five to 120 minutes, depending on its formulation. It also has very low viscosity, resulting in an excellent wetting ability.
Advantages/Benefits of Polyaspartic Coatings
There are many advantages of polyaspartic floor coating. Its many benefits make it a more favored product over epoxy and urethane. Among the benefits of polyaspartic coatings are:
- They have a fast curing time. The coats can dry and gain full strength in around 30 minutes to one hour.
- They can be applied easily in different weather and temperature conditions.
- They have a negligible odor and low volatile organic compound contents due to their high solids content.
- They are transparent, glossy, and non-sticky when fully cured.
- They have an excellent wetting ability due to their low viscosity.
- They achieve bubble-free surfaces, even in areas with high humidity.
- They are resistant against the majority of stains, including oils, fats, and red wine.
- Their abrasion resistance is higher than urethane and epoxy coatings.
- They can give UV protection to underlying coatings.
- They provide a long-lasting, durable, and glossy finish to your surfaces.
Useful Tips in Polyaspartic Coating Application
The installation process of polyaspartic floor coatings is very different from other polymer coatings. They are mixed and applied differently, and have shorter working time. Here are some tips to consider when using the product:
- Polyaspartic mixtures take longer time to blend in a mixing vessel, but a shorter time to dry. Make sure you mix only the exact amount you can fully apply within several minutes to ensure proper cutting in/edge work.
- Advise your squeegee worker to determine the thickness of the finish to prevent over-rolling and uneven finish. Also, utilize a smaller squeegee during the application to achieve even surfaces.
- Make sure your workflow can cope up with your fast-setting coatings.
- Always maintain a small pool of material in front of your squeegee to avoid unbalanced glossiness of your finish.
- Take into account the relative humidity and temperature in the area when making your mixture. Higher heat and humidity mean faster mixture drying time.
- Have at least two workers when installing the coating, even in small jobs like a residential garage.
Polyaspartic floor coatings can both provide protection and decoration to your flooring. With the right application procedure, you can achieve a glossy finish and adequate protection against cracks, stains, and moisture.