Concrete Library

Epoxies and Coatings

Garage Floor Systems

Industrial Coatings

Terrazzo Floors

Garage floor coating systems come in a wide range of colors and finishes. There are basic low grade systems common in track homes and spec properties, as well as the high-end commercial grade systems commonly found in the more discerning or custom-built homes.

Regardless of the quality factor the basic ingredients are similar. Garage coatings are usually an epoxy product characterized for its incredible strength and bonding abilities. Garage coating systems should:

• Provide light reflective qualities brightening the area.
• Improve chemical resistance to oils, spills and household chemicals.
• Allow for easy soil release and clean ability.
• Provide impact resistance for dropped tools and equipment.
• And remain bonded through all temperature extremes.

Although many garage coating systems are marketed for the do-it-yourself-ers, most heavy-duty premium systems rely on the advanced chemistry of commercial grade products as well as a properly trained professional coating installer. The professional grade products are not readily available to the general public. Most do-it-yourself products are water based which make them easy to transport or ship, store and use, but the trade off if often the quality, longevity and long-term durability of the system.

When looking for ways to improve the aesthetics and functionality of an industrial storage or work area, owners are turning to industrial epoxy and coating systems. With the many benefits associated with having a clean, light reflective and durable finish, it is easy to understand why epoxies and coatings are growing in popularity.

With new developments in chemical technology, we are experiencing a dramatic change in the way concrete is sealed, coated and protected. Polyaspartic, polyurea and polyurethane coatings are now taking the place of epoxies as quick turnaround and more abrasion resistant coatings.

Invented by the Venetians in the 1500s, cement-based terrazzo is one of the oldest types of decorative flooring systems. Highly prized for its timeless beauty, this mosaic-like floor topping consists of small pieces of marble or granite embedded in mortar followed by polishing. But a newer type of terrazzo has entered the scene, offering a host of benefits that threaten to shrink the market for traditional cement-based systems.

This formidable competitor is thin-set epoxy terrazzo. It is applied at a thickness of only 1/4 to 3/8 inch, as opposed to traditional terrazzo that must be applied at thicknesses of 2 to 3 inches. This modern-day terrazzo is excellent for multicolored patterns and designs because the epoxy resin matrix can be pigmented, like paint, to achieve an unlimited spectrum of colors. It can also accommodate a wider variety of richly colored aggregates, including chips of marble or granite, recycled glass, mother of pearl, and various synthetic materials. With the creative use of divider strips to separate areas of contrasting colors, it's possible to produce borders, logos, geometrical designs, and other artistic compositions.

Terrazzo—chips of marble, glass or other aggregates embedded in tinted cement, ground smooth and polished to a silky sheen—may have been yet another of mankind's accidental discoveries. In the 15th century, mosaic artisans in northen Italy swept waste marble chips out onto their terraces, terrazzi, and smoothed the surface simply by walking over it. When workers learned to press the chips into a more permanent clay base, then grind and polish them with heavy stones, terrazzo caught on. Michelangelo used it in St. Peter's Basilica. George Washington strode over it in his cherished Mount Vernon. In the 1950s, Richard Neutra and other modernist architects specified terrazzo in their designs, and by the '60s, it covered floors in developer houses across the Southeast and Southwest.