Epoxy Coatings Homeowner Application Notes Epoxies are probably the toughest, must durable and chemical resistant floor coating available to the ordinary homeowner or industrial general contractor. As a result, epoxies are often applied over concrete floors in many industrial and commercial locations. Individuals sometimes will epoxy coat their garages, work shops, or basements. When applying an epoxy floor coating to concrete the standard traditional surface preparation is to shot blast the surface.
Shot blasting units are machines that look like commercial lawn mowers.
They chip' the concrete surface with tiny steel balls, providing a clean, rough, open' surface that usually ensures a successful coating job. Only large contractors can afford to own shot blast units. Most contractors hire subcontractors to perform the shot blast surface preparation. While this works with industrial projects, for individuals and homeowners shot blasting is not practical or economical. Below is a generally acceptable alternative for preparing new or existing concrete for epoxy topcoating.