One day polyurea coating systems can seem quite alluring to the uninitiated, however these systems are very rarely suitable for someone who is looking for a long lasting floor coating. One of the biggest problems for epoxy floor coatings is the moisture level in the concrete. If there is too much moisture (which is often the case), the coating will peel sooner than later, leaving you with an expensive and time-consuming headache to deal with not far down the road. So, how do contractors get around the issue of high moisture levels? The answer is by using epoxy with moisture mitigating technology. Moisture mitigating epoxy does what the name suggests, it prevents moisture from seeping up, protecting the coating from peeling. The good news is that this drastically increases the lifespan of the coating system, the bad news is that it adds an extra day to the process.
The moisture mitigating tradeoff
While it may seem like a no-brainer to wait one extra day to add dozens of years to the lifespan of the coating system, you will be amazed by the number of contractors that cut this corner to save themselves a few bucks. If you hire a contractor that does not assess the moisture level of the concrete, save yourself from the inevitable disaster of removing an existing coating. The phrase “do it once, and do it right” applies especially with epoxy floor coating systems.
Moisture tests and their importance
Depending on the climate of your region, it is almost a guarantee that you will need some type of moisture mitigating epoxy to properly protect your coating system. Even if you happen to be a lucky exception with low enough moisture levels to allow a 1 day coating system to work, ensure that the contractor came to that conclusion by personally coming to the site to grab the moisture levels with a moisture meter. It’s not something that can be determined over the phone or online.
Read more about various moisture testing methods:
https://www.concretenetwork.com/bob_cain/
The same concept applies to DIY coating systems. Unless you have a moisture meter lying around, it is not worth it to test your luck. You will thank yourself in the future for seeking a contractor that uses moisture mitigating epoxy. Because, once again “do it once, and do it right.”
The key takeaway here is that your concrete is almost certainly too moist to allow a 1 day system to work effectively. Unless you personally verify that the moisture levels in your concrete are good enough to allow a 1 day system to work, it’s much better to play it safe and find a contractor with 2 day systems that uses some sort of epoxy with moisture mitigating properties. You will thank yourself greatly in the long term.
Read our next blog about the most common questions you should ask your contractor prior to the job: