Epoxy floor paints are a misunderstood area of the floor paint world, with many looking to take advantage of the good name of ‘epoxy’ when it comes to flooring durability. In this quick blog, I’m going to explore 1 part epoxy floor paint Vs 2 part epoxy floor coatings. We hope this helps you moving forward.
Single component epoxy floor paints are typically a latex acrylic floor paint with a small addition of epoxy, which air dries like a traditional paint. A two part epoxy floor coating is a two componentkit which cures by an exothermic reaction when both parts are mixed together.
The reactive curing process of epoxy floor coatings creates a cross-linking of the chemical components; resulting in a very hard and durable surface which is resistant to staining, abrasion and chemical attack. And even with two component epoxy floor coatings, there are differences to notice. 100% solids, water based or solvent based – commonly used terminology but what do they mean?
The terms themselves simply refer to the carrying agent involved, be it water, solvent or if it is 100% epoxy. How much carrier agent is shown by the solids content usually express in % format. A 100% epoxy product means exactly that – 100% of the product is epoxy. Water based paints will usually have a solids content somewhere around 50%, and higher for solvent based.
The amount of solids means the amount of paint left on the floor after the product has cured. A paint with high amounts of carrier agent will usually apply more easily, but the final result will be a thinner film thickness per coat. Here’s a guide for coverage rates of the different types of epoxy floor coatings:
Solvent based – 7.5m2 per kg
Water based – 8m2 per kg
Epoxy floor coatings with a carrier agent will generally apply at 100 microns per coat.
100% solids – 4.5m2 per kg
A 100% solids epoxy coating, or ‘high build coating’, will typically be applied at 200 microns per coat.
Which is the right product for you? The most important factor is to not be fooled into thinking that a single component ‘epoxy floor paint’ will demonstrate the same performance capabilities of a two component epoxy floor coating. And if you do decide for the two component epoxy, then you should consider the following as a general guide:
Solvent based – large scale, quick applications in a medium duty environment.
Water based – works well as a penetrating first coat and in low to medium duty areas, or in live working areas.
100% solids – for industrial floors requiring excellent abrasion and chemical resistance.
1 Part Epoxy Floor Paint Vs 2 Part Epoxy Coatings – by Sean Scott
Managing Director of Vuba Building Products Limited
I have spent time on the FeRFA Technical Committee (Resin Flooring Association)
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This is a great blog and dispels a couple of the myths when it comes to epoxy floor coatings. Hopefully decorators will find the information useful when deciding on what paint to use when coating a floor. Vuba are a market leader with great quality products and an awesome reputation.
I think you answered my question with a Yes. I was curios to know if you can apply 1 coat Epoxy paint to my garage floor that had already been painted with an acrylic garage floor paint many years ago. I came to this conclusion after reading “Single component epoxy floor paints are typically a latex acrylic floor paint with a small addition of epoxy, which air dries like a traditional paint.” I hope I’m not wrong.
Can you apply a 2 part epoxy paint over a 1 part epoxy paint on a garage floor?
I have a 1 part epoxy paint on my garage floor but it is not resistant to chemicals like gasoline spills. Can l apply a 2 part epoxy paint over what l have now. Is any prep needed to do this?