DIY epoxy floor repair

In detail: do-it-yourself epoxy floor repair from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

Epoxy floors have become very popular due to their durability, attractive appearance and practicality. The technology for installing such a floor requires certain skills and knowledge, but many manage to make self-leveling epoxy floors with their own hands. Everyone can choose exactly their own version of the floor, which will be suitable in terms of cost and properties, and perform certain tasks.

What are the benefits of epoxy floors?

Epoxy floors have a smooth and glossy surface due to the complete absence of seams. The degree of specular gloss can be influenced by additives. The seamless surface prevents moisture, dirt and bacteria from entering and accumulating and is therefore often used in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
They are dirt-repellent. The coating is unpretentious in care.
They are capable of not reacting to chemical compounds.
Epoxy resin is non-combustible and can be used to achieve a non-slip surface during the pouring process by adjusting the degree of roughness.
The material is durable, reliable, almost does not wear off and does not deteriorate under the influence of ultraviolet rays. An epoxy self-leveling floor can last over 30 years.
Almost odorless. You can feel it only when kneading. To get rid of it completely, two airings are enough.
The optimal combination of price and quality.
Easy to fill with your own hands.

The coating also has disadvantages, including:

Epoxy flooring is quite brittle due to its hardness. If a heavy object falls to the floor, cracks and chips may appear;
Over time, scratches appear that spoil the appearance of the floor. Unfortunately, it cannot be sanded like, for example, parquet, and therefore many people prefer a matte surface to a glossy one;
Sophisticated dismantling technology.

Video (click to play).

It is important to remember that it is possible to install an epoxy self-leveling floor with your own hands only on a clean, prepared base. The surface is thoroughly cleaned from dust, debris and other contaminants. If the surface is uneven, one vacuum cleaner and an anti-stain solution is indispensable, you will have to putty it. Self-leveling floor technology provides for the moment that the smoother the surface, the less material is consumed. If the cracks are large, then it is better to level the floor with a rough fill. At this stage, you need to think over everything well, take into account the nuances of the process technology and the features of the room. The quality and durability of the coating will depend on the surface preparation.

Also, a mandatory requirement for the floor is horizontal. With a small difference, you can fill in the finished floor, it will correct the situation, but there will be an increased consumption of material. If the magnitude of the difference exceeds the norm, then it is better to first make a concrete screed and wait for it to dry completely.

Before proceeding with the installation of the floor with your own hands, you need to select the desired material and calculate its amount, select the appropriate tools. You will definitely need a primer, cleaned quartz sand, a self-leveling two-component floor (for example, Epolast) for the base and base layers, polyurethane transparent varnish, epoxy putty. Epolast can be laid on concrete, metal or wooden structures. If the epoxy floor is poured indoors under high loads or high humidity, then Epolast will be irreplaceable.

Also for filling you need:

Construction mixer,
A vacuum cleaner,
Different spatulas,
Needle roller,
Sintepon rollers,
Raklya,
Plastic and metal containers,
Personal protective equipment.

A primer is needed for better adhesion of the substrate to the epoxy resin and for uniform absorption. The amount of primer will depend on the porosity of the surface. If the substrate is very porous, a thin layer of primer will not be sufficient.

After applying the first layer, at least a day should pass. At the same time, excess liquid must not be allowed, avoiding the formation of puddles. For this, there are special spray guns that allow you to distribute the primer evenly over the entire surface and reduce its consumption.

The following conditions must be met for pouring epoxy floors:

Indoor humidity not more than 80%;
The temperature of all materials involved in mixing must be at least 15 ° C;
Room temperature level from 5 ° C to 25 ° C. It is recommended to avoid sudden changes in temperature of the air and the surface of the coating;
It is better to carry out priming work immediately after cleaning the surface from dust. If more than 2 hours have passed, then it is better to clean the surface again;
The primer must be completely uniform. After stirring, it should take four minutes. It is necessary to use the ready-made mixture within 30-40 minutes.

To finally close all the pores and make the coating smoother, a base (underlayment) layer is applied, the thickness of which is about 1.5 mm. Mixing of the basic composition of the epoxy floor occurs at the stage of sealing the pores. The components are thoroughly mixed, then the container with the composition should stand for about three minutes for air to escape, and immediately after that you can shape the floor, evenly pouring the composition with a rubber spatula.

The consumption of the basic composition is usually 400 ml per m2. Particular attention should be paid to the places where the composition is in contact with other coatings, in the corners and near the columns.

The stage of pouring the finishing layer of an epoxy floor is very important, and requires accuracy. The thickness of the coating may vary, but not very thin. The composition is distributed using a squeegee. In order not to disrupt the technology, after 15 minutes, but no later than half an hour, the entire surface is pierced with the needles of a special roller to get rid of air bubbles that can spoil the uniformity of the floor. For this procedure, you will need paint shoes, without them it is difficult to imagine movement in a liquid composition.

For additional protection of the epoxy flooring, clear polyurethane varnish can be applied using a roller or brush in one or more coats. The varnish dries completely in a day, but you can use the floor in four days.

The technology of pouring an epoxy floor with your own hands is quite complicated, and the whole process is very laborious. It takes a long time for each layer to dry, to comply with all stages of the technology. It is necessary to constantly monitor that dust does not fall, so it is better not to open the windows until the very end. You need to be attentive to all details, especially at the stage of finishing pouring. Even on the floor in a small room, it will take 10-12 days.

Defects of polymer floor coverings occur due to long-term operation, poor quality of the base, violation of installation technology, as well as due to emergency impacts. Repair of the self-leveling floor is carried out after the nature of the damage has been established and the reasons for their occurrence have been clarified.

Consider the types of plastic deformation of epoxy and polyurethane coatings, grouping them by nature and localization

In practice, they usually face 6 types of problems localized in the polymer itself:

Poor quality concrete screed, violation of the technology of installation of bulk polymer floors, as well as unintended exposure to moisture lead to the following consequences:

Blistering, cracking and peeling of the polymer layer.
If the self-leveling floor peels off from the primer, this is due to dirt, dust or moisture that got on the base before pouring the polymer. If the primer peels off along with the polymer, the reason lies in poor quality. concrete, or in violation of the installation technology. This can be a failure to sand the concrete, insufficient dust removal and degreasing, or applying a primer to a damp surface.
Cracking without loss of adhesion to the substrate.
The polymer will flake off together with the primer and the concrete layer. The reason is the poor quality of the foundation.
Craters and through pores.
If the thickness of the polymer layer is sufficient to guarantee the closure of the pores of the base, then the reason for the formation of craters lies in the absence of a primer layer.

Drops of heavy, pointed metal objects can cause chipping and gouging in the floor, compromising the integrity of the concrete base. The pouring of aggressive chemicals onto polymers with insufficient chemical resistance leads to the destruction of the coating to the entire depth, up to the concrete screed.

In cases where the nature of the damage does not indicate a low quality of the substrate, it is sufficient to determine the boundaries of the proposed repair using a trial coating removal. In several places, it is necessary to measure the moisture content of the concrete screed to determine the complete technical specifications for the upcoming work.

When analyzing the reasons for the peeling of the polymer layer, you should use not only a moisture meter, but also a hardness tester, as well as a building thermal imager. Only this device guarantees the detection of hidden sources of moisture in concrete.

Depending on the type of defects, the repair of self-leveling floors includes surface treatment of the polymer layer, its removal, or dismantling together with a part of the concrete screed.

You can remove visible scratches and restore the epoxy's original gloss by polishing. The operation is carried out with a rotary polishing machine with felt discs, on which a special emulsion is applied.

The restoration of polyurethane floors is carried out by applying a protective varnish.

Any surface treatment is preceded by thorough cleaning, dust removal and degreasing.

In some cases, it is sufficient to remove only the top polymer layer by grinding with diamond wheels. This is done when a coating with beads, bubbles, superficial discoloration is subject to renovation. A new finishing layer is poured onto the sanded surface. If the area of the defects to be corrected is small, an industrial rotary installation can be dispensed with. For localized grinding, a conventional hand-held angle grinder is used.

Repair of cracks and delamination involves the complete removal of the polymer coating. In the case when the quality of the concrete substrate is not satisfactory, but they are going to remove the old fill over the entire area of the room, the sequence of actions looks like this:

Where the coating has poor adhesion, scraper-type rock drill bits are used for removal.
In areas with preserved adhesion, bits and grinders are used.
The exposed surface of the concrete screed is sanded.
A sequence of actions is performed that corresponds to the technology of installing a polymer floor: dedusting, degreasing, priming, applying the first layer, etc.

If the coating is removed in a limited area, then the perimeter of the repair work is first determined (it is done in the form of a rectangle). The pavement is then cut to the concrete along this perimeter. Further work is carried out, as with the complete removal of the floor.The only difference is that the joints with the old coating are sanded and treated with special mastic.

What are the selection criteria: completely remove the coating or carry out local repairs?

If decorative properties are important (for example, in offices and shopping centers), then local repairs are appropriate even if the general condition of the surface is satisfactory. The decision to completely replace the polymer floor (regardless of the type of object) is taken, as a rule, if more than 30% of the area of the self-leveling coating is damaged.

When replacing the coating locally, use materials of the same type that have already been applied. An exception is cosmetic repairs using methyl methacrylate mixtures. They work well in contact with other materials. The advantages of methyl methacrylates are the speed of work, the disadvantages are low abrasion resistance.

If the peeling of the polymer layers occurs due to the poor quality of the concrete substrate and the unsatisfactory condition of the waterproofing, then you cannot do without reworking the screed.

If cracks in the screed are found with satisfactory concrete quality, the substrate should be restored. The traditional restoration technology consists in joining cracks to the required depth, followed by dust removal, priming and filling with a polymer repair compound.

Recently, an alternative technology called injection has begun to develop. First, the polymer layer is removed to fully expose the fracture. Then, at an angle of 45 °, holes are drilled in the concrete towards the crack along its entire length with a step of 30 - 40 cm. Special fittings - packers are hermetically inserted into the holes. An injection pump is connected to the packers and a waterproofing compound is injected until it emerges from the fracture.

All repair actions after crack filling are similar to those described in the previous subsection.

Do not delay the start of the repair. The price of delay is that instead of cosmetic or local renovation, you will have to completely change the polymer coating.

Defects such as peeling or cracking tend to grow in size rapidly. But you should be especially in a hurry in case of emergency chemical destruction of polymers. To prevent the reaction from continuing in the thickness of the material, it is necessary to limit the affected area and completely remove the polymer layer from it.

In what cases does it make sense to save on calling specialists and do it yourself repairs? The decision to renovate independently is economically justified when the proposed work is limited in area and does not require the rent of expensive equipment. For example, having carefully studied the technology of working with repair compounds and armed with a cutter, perforator, scrapers and an ordinary spatula, you can replace the coating in small areas. But this makes sense only if the necessary materials are available for sale in exactly the amount in which you need them.

The epoxy floor is a cast, sturdy structure. It is easy to care for and harmless to human health. This coating is very common in luxury apartments, airports, restaurants and more. If you dream of making such a floor in your modest home without high costs, then this article is for you. It tells you how to make your own epoxy floor. But first, let's consider its positive and negative sides.

Epoxy floor at service station

Better floors than epoxy are hard to find. They contain ideal proportions of hardeners and epoxy resins, which, when combined, form a durable and monolithic coating. Such a floor has a lot of positive technical characteristics:

Wear resistant.
Lasting.
Resistant to temperature changes.
There are no seams.
Simple cleaning.
Resistant to aggressive chemicals.
A wide range of designs and so on.

In a medical facility

In view of all this, such a floor is very popular in a wide variety of premises, including residential apartments. To be objective, one should not forget about some of its shortcomings:

The pouring process involves a large amount of work, and the material used must be of high quality.
If the technology is not followed, the coating may delaminate.
It will take a lot of effort to remove some of the old and damaged epoxy floor.

Considering all these nuances, you must make a personal decision whether to have epoxy floors in your home or not.

The surface needs careful preparation

To achieve the highest quality result, it is extremely important to complete a number of preparatory work:

Preparation of the base.
Pouring the main coating layer.
Laying the decorative layer.
Finishing layer.

If you follow the technology at each of the listed stages, you can make an epoxy floor yourself and of high quality. The correct preparation of the instruments also plays an important role.

Epoxy Floor Pouring Tools

To work you will need:

Several rollers covered with padding polyester.
Needle aeration roller.
2-3 spatulas 600 mm wide.
Mixer for mixing.
For organic-soluble materials, a special mixer is required, which is equipped with the function of adjusting the speed and reverse.
Raklya.
Paint shoes.
Special vacuum cleaner.
Respiratory protection.

To remove all possible contamination, each metal element should be soaked in a solvent before starting work. This also applies to new purchased instruments.

A concrete screed is the best and most reliable base for an epoxy floor. According to theory, the composition can be poured onto a ceramic or wooden base, but this will require extremely complex preparation. Moreover, the service life of such a coating will be much shorter. For this reason, it is best to use a concrete floor as a base. It's time-tested!

Structure

The floor surface must be level and dry. For every two meters, horizontal deviations are allowed only up to two millimeters.

This can be achieved using self-leveling mixtures. Room humidity should be no more than four percent. Neglecting these tips is unacceptable, as epoxy flooring does not have vapor permeability properties. If moisture gets on the base floor, the filled epoxy layer will gradually deteriorate.

Installation of an epoxy floor with a decorative layer

Checking the moisture level is easy. To do this, cover the floor with plastic wrap and leave it for two days. If during this period no condensation forms on the film, then the room is dry and you can start working.

If the screed is fresh, then it acquires absolute strength after one month. If you have to work on the old screed, then a number of preparatory work will be required here. For example, remove dirt, grease, paint stains and other possible contamination. After that, it is necessary to level cracks, chips and level the surface as much as possible. To secure an old subfloor, buy an epoxy paint and apply an even coat to the floor surface. Apply a waterproofing layer along each wall. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove all dust from the surface. Only then can a layer of primer be applied.

Painting concrete floor

Floor priming

The primer is applied in two layers. The second - after the first is completely dry. Gloss spots should not appear on the surface of the primer, otherwise it will lead to dirt. If such a place appears, then it should be cleaned and primed again. In some places the primer may absorb more strongly, so re-primer will be required. After applying the second layer, the surface is covered with quartz sand, which is removed after a day.

Quartz sand for floor

Wide range of designs

After applying each layer, the rollers should be thoroughly rinsed.

Base layer

The primed surface dries up after 24 hours. Now it's time to apply the base coat. For this, a squeegee or spatula is used, with which the composition is evenly stretched in strips. To move on the flooded surface it is necessary to use only paint shoes. In this case, shuffling movements should not be allowed. The aeration roller removes air from the composition. You can step on the floor exactly after two days. A decorative layer can be placed under this cover.

Epoxy floor installation

Although epoxy floors will not shrink, heat shrink joints should be filled along the walls with sealant.

Self-leveling floor with a decorative layer

Epoxy flooring can be decorated in different ways. For example, decorative tips are poured onto the floor that has not yet frozen. in addition, after the floor has dried, the surface can be painted with acrylic paints. For an apartment, hand-painted is an ideal option. For example, in a printing house you can order a banner network. Any digital coating with the required resolution will be applied to it. A cheaper option would be to apply a graphic image, which is performed using a vinyl stencil sticker. Well, if you want to create chic floors, then you can do volumetric printing of a 3D image using special microlenses. You can order them from an advertising agency or a printing company. When the decorative layer is fixed, a finishing coat is applied. It is not uncommon for a glossy finish to distort the image. Therefore, you can use a matt polyurethane varnish.

Decorative coating with quartz sand

So, to create an epoxy floor in your home, you need to carry out a number of sequential processes. Each layer must be executed perfectly exactly according to the instructions. This is the only way you will be able to achieve the desired result.

This video shows the step-by-step pouring of an epoxy floor in a garage:

And here you can see how an epoxy floor with quartz sand is poured:

Epoxy bathroom floor

Dark self-leveling floor in the living room

Striped floor

With the image of fish

Water pattern

Elegant decor in a classic style

Black and white pattern

With a small black and white pattern on a gray background

With a picture of flowers

Self-leveling floor with the image of leaves and pebbles

Dark epoxy self-leveling floor

Bulk 3D

Restoration options for self-leveling floors depend on the nature of the defects. It is worth considering in more detail possible breakdowns, the causes of defects and how to eliminate them with your own hands or by calling a professional team.

Peeling of the top layer of the coating together with the primer from the base surface is one of the most common types of defects. The reason is an obvious defect in the production of work or the technology for pouring the coating was not followed, for example:

the process of grinding / cleaning the surface is poorly performed to remove a weak layer of concrete, cement laitance, etc.
the surface dedusting procedure was not carried out before priming;
the priming process is carried out on a damp, dirty substrate.

Do-it-yourself refurbishment option: dismantle the coating, clean and degrease the surface, fill in the new composition in strict accordance with the technological requirements. Cost when calling professionals from $ 15 per m².

The reason - technological violations of the process of pouring floors, for example:

drying of the primer (before applying subsequent components) took more than 48 hours;
pouring was carried out on a dirty primer layer (dust, water, dirt);
the dew point has not been removed before coating the primer.

The repair technology is simple and with some skill, you can do it yourself: the surface needs degreasing, cleaning.And after that, you can apply a polymer or self-leveling floor, observing the recommendations established by the manufacturer. The cost of professional services is from $ 10 per m².

The reason is the low strength of the screed and strong mechanical impact. Under such loads, the layer with high strength characteristics detaches from the weaker concrete base, forming cracks.

DIY repair options:

dismantling of the polymer layer and impregnation of the top layer of the screed for maximum hardening;
cutting down the concrete base on the cracked area and restoration with repair compounds (sold in stores).

After that, the polymer coating is poured. When cracks appear over the entire area, it is necessary not to repair the floor with your own hands, but to call the craftsmen to perform a new screed with higher strength characteristics. Service price from $ 20 per m².

The reason is the heavy load on the plots. It is formed in places where baggage is carried, when transport trolleys pass, high cross-country ability, and so on. Repair option - dismantling the old layer and pouring the new composition. Service price from $ 15 per m².

The reason is the abrasion of the polymer layer from intense and prolonged stress. Do-it-yourself repair technology is simple - apply new polymers, having previously cleaned out the old ones.

The reason is mechanical impact with blunt or sharp heavy objects. Often whole fragments of the concrete base are chipped off together with the polymer. Do-it-yourself repair of defects is possible, but difficult: cleaning, priming, filling, coating. Professional service from $ 15-20 per m².

The appearance of cracks on the surface of the self-leveling floor, says that the reason is the concrete screed. The concrete base “weakened” and, for one reason or another, lost its strength qualities. The appearance of cracks on the self-leveling floor is impossible as such! The composition is extremely mobile and flexible to crack. With small forms of defects, they can be primed, having previously expanded, putty and paint over.

Important! If there are a lot of cracks, the technology of refilling and repairing a self-leveling coating is useless. We need a call from specialists to completely dismantle the top layer and replace the concrete base. Issue price from $ 25 per m².

Repair of self-leveling floors with your own hands or a team of professionals includes the following stages of work using the technology:

Pouring new layers over old ones. It is necessary to pre-wash and dry old surfaces, sand and degrease. And then pour a new layer, creating a solution according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
Repairing areas damaged to concrete also requires stripping, sanding and drying. The filling of the polymer layer is carried out strictly according to the instructions, including the priming operation.

Remember that only epoxy-based materials are used to repair cracks in epoxy floors. You can watch all the stages of work on video, but it is still better to call professionals. The cost of the service can vary depending on the complexity and volume of work. But even at a cost of $ 25 per m², you will get a new beautiful floor in a short time, and not a bunch of problems, a waste of money and nerves.

Posted by: admin in DIY repair 03.06.2018 0 100 ViewsEpoxy floors have become very popular due to their durability, attractive appearance and practicality. The technology for installing such a floor requires certain skills and knowledge, but many manage to make self-leveling epoxy floors with their own hands. Everyone can choose exactly their own version of the floor, which will be suitable in terms of cost and properties, and perform certain tasks.What are the benefits of epoxy floors?

Epoxy floors have a smooth and glossy surface due to the complete absence of seams. The degree of specular gloss can be influenced by additives. Seamless surface hinders penetration and accumulation of moisture, dirt and bacteria, and therefore this floor is often used in hospitals and other medical institutions.

They are dirt-repellent. The coating is unpretentious in care.

They are capable of not reacting to chemical compounds.

Epoxy resin is non-combustible and can be used to achieve a non-slip surface during the pouring process by adjusting the degree of roughness.

The material is durable, reliable, almost does not wear off and does not deteriorate under the influence of ultraviolet rays. An epoxy self-leveling floor can last over 30 years.

Almost odorless. You can feel it only when kneading. To get rid of it completely, two airings are enough.

The optimal combination of price and quality.

Easy to fill with your own hands.

The coating also has disadvantages, including:

Epoxy flooring is quite brittle due to its hardness. If a heavy object falls to the floor, cracks and chips may appear;

Over time, scratches appear that spoil the appearance of the floor. Unfortunately, it cannot be sanded like, for example, parquet, and therefore many people prefer a matte surface to a glossy one;

Sophisticated dismantling technology.

The moisture content of the finished dry screed should not exceed 4%. Only a smooth and clean surface can be primed.

Before to start to install the floor with your own hands, you need to select the desired material and calculate its amount, choose the right tools. You will definitely need a primer, cleaned quartz sand, a self-leveling two-component floor (for example, Epolast) for the base and base layers, polyurethane transparent varnish, epoxy putty. Epolast can be laid on concrete, metal or wooden structures. If the epoxy floor is poured indoors under high loads or high humidity, then Epolast will be irreplaceable.

Also for filling you need:

Construction mixer,
A vacuum cleaner,
Different spatulas,
Needle roller,
Sintepon rollers,
Raklya,
Plastic and metal capacity,
Personal protective equipment.

The impregnation should be thorough and thorough, and it is better to make several layers.

The following conditions must be met for pouring epoxy floors:

Indoor humidity not more than 80%;
The temperature of all materials involved in mixing must be at least 15 ° C;
Room temperature level from 5 ° C to 25 ° C.It is recommended to avoid sudden changes in temperature of the air and the surface of the coating;
It is better to carry out priming work immediately after cleaning the surface from dust. If more than 2 hours have passed, then it is better to clean the surface again;
The primer must be completely uniform. After stirring, it should take four minutes. It is necessary to use the ready-made mixture within 30-40 minutes.

Poor mixing of the components of the mixture can "crawl out" by defects in the coating

The composition should not be in the container for more than 10 minutes.

After a day, the topcoat will dry, but only after a week will the epoxy self-leveling floors be ready for use. All this time, the surface must be open, it is necessary to avoid the ingress of moisture, dirt and dust.For additional protection of the epoxy flooring, clear polyurethane varnish can be applied using a roller or brush in one or more coats. The varnish dries completely in a day, but you can use the floor in four days.The technology of pouring an epoxy floor with your own hands is quite complicated, and the whole process is very laborious. It takes a long time for each layer to dry, to comply with all stages of the technology. It is necessary to constantly monitor that dust does not fall, so it is better not to open the windows until the very end. You need to be attentive to all details, especially at the stage of finishing pouring. Even on the floor in a small room, it will take 10-12 days.All these efforts are worth it to end up with a very effective floor that will bring joy and comfort to any home. Dear reader, leave your opinion about the article in the comments or share your experience of using this coating.