Polyaspartic and polyurea coatings were developed over 20 years back to coat steel to prevent corrosion. The good performance generated experimenting as a concrete coating. They start as two components which can be mixed together basically like an epoxy and rolled on a concrete surface. Colored pigments could be added and decorative chips or quartz could be broadcast into the wet coating. The most truly effective coat encapsulated the quartz and chips yielding a cosmetic result.
Unique Characteristics
So simply they are a covering that protects the concrete garage floor. However they are a lot more sophisticated. When polyaspartic esters are put into a polyurea the capabilities change with regards to the desired result. As an example, adding polyaspartic esters will increase the cure time. polyurea coating Use less and the cure time could be decreased. Adjusting the ability of the item means that in the hands of an expert there is finally a solution for the concrete floor.
In place of utilizing an off the shelf product that’s one size fits all, the item could be adjusted to suit the application. It has resulted in a solution in Minnesota that’s extreme temperatures and issues that are very different than anywhere else.
How They Stop Moisture Pressure
The concrete garage floor typically has extensive ground moisture and freeze issues that trap moisture in the ground. When ice and snow begin to melt the moisture gets within the slab and pushes upwards through the airholes and veins in concrete. This happens everywhere but is extreme in very cold climates. Polyurea and polyaspartic blends have now been created that have the unique ability to wet or absorb into the concrete rather than simply staying with the surface. Provided the outer lining is ground the proper way with professional grinding equipment the pores of the concrete are opened allowing the polyureas to soak into the surface. Once they cure they become the main floor and a permanent moisture barrier.
How They Fix Damaged Concrete Floors
Salts which can be pushed to the outer lining from moisture pressure settle on the floor and start deteriorating concrete. This along with de-icing salts from cars and trucks which can be tracked onto the floor rapidly deteriorate concrete especially in Minnesota. Adjusting the ability of a polyurea to absorb into the outer lining means badly damaged floors could be fixed. Considering that the polyureas can soak into porous concrete they become the main floor. With the proper blend the concrete will break prior to the polyureas. What might appear hopeless are now able to be fixed.
Flexibility Can Be Adjusted
Due to the extreme conditions causing cracked concrete the polyureas could be adjusted to be thin enough to fill a crack all the way to the bottom, not just at the surface. Flexibility or elongation as it is referred could be increased and so the filler will move with the concrete. Yet another feature is that polyureas will cure deep in the crack even when their is moisture in the walls of the crack. Cracks are like vents for moisture vapor. The capability to permanently fix a crack in the concrete floor prevents moisture pressure and salts from delaminating the most truly effective coating.
Making a Non Slip Surface.
Conscientious polyurea coating professionals add a non slip feature into each coat. For floors with high traffic there will be some wear and every coating will wear with a degree. By mixing the proper size particles into each layer the coefficient of friction (non-slip) will always exist. Many coatings are too thick to construct non slip particles into each layer and are braodcast only at the surface. Non Slip Particles in the outer lining will dislodge from use and become slippery fast.
The Final Decorative Coats
Abrasion resistance could be adjusted so the floor with extreme surface abuse will endure within the long term. But when sand, dirt and de-icing salts hit the outer lining every floor are certain to get some extent of wear. Polypaspartic polyureas have the unique ability to be slightly sanded and recoated restoring the outer lining like new.
