Gone are the days when people considered concrete and cement as the only flooring materials. But now with advanced science and technological interventions, epoxy flooring leads the pack by being a cost effective, easy to apply and durable flooring material.

One — Part Epoxy Floor Coating:

Any true residential epoxy flooring material in Melbourne will always be a two-part product containing resins as well as the hardener/activator. These two substances, resin and hardener are mixed just prior to the application and then the floor coating product ‘epoxy’ is made! You might find ample shops selling premixed epoxy in a single container but these are not true epoxy and quite different from the original ones!

Characteristic features:

  • Generally sold in a single container, save you from two-part mixing hassle
  • Often claimed to be as one-part epoxy
  • It is relatively cheap and costs around $40 for a gallon!
  • Dries out very quickly, typically less than an hour
  • Relatively easy clean up and maintenance

Two-Part Water Based Epoxy Floor Coating:

The two part epoxy flooring in Melbourne is generally water based and is excellent in making the DIY projects to be a huge success. They can be readily used as garage flooring, home improvement as well as in hardware stores. Water is used as a solvent and these are hybrid products that have genuine epoxy components. An identifying feature is that they are available as separate products, are low VOC containing and have relatively low odours.

It is advisable to do thick coatings as the thinner coatings do not last long! They take typically 48 to 72 hours for drying as the solvent needs time to evaporate fully. They are easier to work and apply and in all a win-win solution for your garage flooring! You can even make it attractive by sprinkling some coloured vinyl chips!

Two-Part Epoxy Floor Coating With 100 Percent Solids/ True Epoxy:

The two-part epoxy floor coatings are described as 100 percent solids as they do not contain any traditional solvents unlike the other types of epoxy coatings. They provide attractive finish on the hard concrete floors. They might seem to be expensive but remain durable for years to come!

Characteristic features of True Epoxy Floor Coating:

  • They are labelled as ‘100 percent solids’
  • They are available as two-part products and sold separately
  • Typically dries in less than 24 hours
  • It is loaded with pungent odours and is extremely smelly thus demands good ventilation throughout its application and drying
  • Applied in conjuncture with vinyl floor chips
  • Renders a very hard and long lasting surface!

The bottom line: The right floor coating entirely depends on how much wear and tear the surface will be experiencing on a daily basis. The one-part floor coating might do wonders for interior floor coating as it does not see much use and is unlikely to experience moisture. When choosing epoxy for garage flooring then try to invest in two-part epoxy as it is both durable and involves easy application.

Author's Bio: 

The author provides excellent advices when it comes to residential epoxy flooring in Melbourne. Contact the author for top in class epoxy flooring in Melbourne.