Concrete floors offer a durable surface that can stand up to many things, but the surface is porous when untreated and can absorb chemicals and other spilled products. Using concrete floor coatings to add a finish to the floor can help increase the durability and seal the concrete, offer your floor some protection, and reduce wear on the surface. 

Floor Coatings

Concrete coatings are available in many different colors and styles, including clear coatings that seal the floor while retaining the industrial look of the concrete. In some situations, the clear coatings offer the best fit for the space and are easily painted onto the floor when you are ready.

The floor must be clean and dry for the coating to adhere to the surface and provide the protection you need. If you need a tough surface, talk to the supplier about getting a sealer that will resist marring and scratching when walked on or if things are moved across it. 

Epoxy floor coatings can be used inside and outside to seal concrete floors, and once hard, they provide a surface that looks great and is very hard to damage. Adding some pigment to the epoxy to produce a colored floor coating is an option, or adding some flacks of material to create patterns on the floor could be an interesting look in the right setting.

In all these situations, the protection for the floor is the same. Still, the addition of color or other mixed-in materials can significantly impact the style of the space, so weigh your options carefully before you have concrete coatings installed. Once the material is on the floor, it is hard to remove if you don't like it.

Coating Installation

Having concrete floor coatings installed by a professional service is often the easiest way to ensure the coatings are applied correctly and will last for a long time. If the concrete surface needs grinding to ensure it is level and smooth, the flooring contractor can handle that for you before the coating is put on the floor. 

Often older floors that were not coated previously can benefit from removing the top layer of concrete to remove dirt, stains, and other flaws, especially if you are going with a clear sealer on the concrete surface. The process is not something you want to undertake on your own and must be done precisely to ensure no high or low spots are left on the floor. 

Once the floor prep is complete, the sealer can be spread over the entire floor and allowed to cure. Typically this is done in several coats and allowed to cure overnight before the next coat is applied. Once the concrete floor coating is complete, it can be buffed to a shine or left in its natural state.  

Contact a company that provides concrete floor coating services to learn more.