Have you ever seen a beautifully coated garage floor start to crack and peel out of nowhere?
In the Akron and Cleveland area, the fluctuating seasons can pose unique challenges for garage floors. Homeowners might be familiar with the harsh winters and humid summers, but the hidden threat of moisture can be just as problematic. Proper assessment of concrete moisture content is essential before applying any garage floor coating, a step often overlooked by one-day polyurea contractors and DIY enthusiasts.
Moisture trapped beneath the concrete slab can create hydrostatic pressure. If the upward pressure is significant, it separates the concrete slab from the primer coat causing delamination (peeling). This can happen within six to twelve months of application, resulting in expensive re-coating projects and unnecessary headaches. This is Ohio—humidity and precipitation can fluctuate quite a bit, so ignoring a thorough moisture assessment can easily lead to premature coating failures.
Legitimate professionals conduct comprehensive moisture assessments before starting the application process, and there’s not really a good reason to skip this step. This process includes inspecting for signs of moisture like efflorescence and dark spots, and the pros utilize calibrated moisture vapor transmission meters for precise readings. If medium to high moisture levels are found, a moisture-mitigating epoxy primer is applied. This primer cures slowly, allowing time for it to deeply penetrate into the substrate. Using a moisture-mitigating epoxy provides the robust foundation for the subsequent layers: a flake broadcast and polyaspartic clear topcoats.
Using a slower-curing, moisture-mitigating epoxy primer typically requires a minimum two-day installation process. Using a polyurea as a primer coat in order to get the job completed in one day is a bad idea. While quick solutions may seem convenient to the customer, these systems are prone to premature failure, especially in the presence of moisture, leading to more expenses in the long run.
Moisture under your concrete slab is the bad guy here. Proper preparation (concrete grinding and proper primer coat) ensures a durable garage floor. A well-installed coating system can withstand Ohio’s changing seasons, providing homeowners with a beautiful and resilient garage floor for years.