Painting Concrete Floors

 

Step #1:
CLEAN THE FLOOR. Concrete floors should be cleaned with a good detergent if it just has dirt and dust on it. If the floor has grease or oils on it then use CORONADOS ’ 93-500 SURE PREP #1 OIL & GREASE EMULSIFIER. Mix sure prep #1 according to label instructions (light oil: 1- part SURE PREP #1 to 15 parts water and for heavy oil: up to 1 part SURE PREP #1 to 6 parts water).

Step #2:
ETCH THE FLOOR. Floors should be clean and dry before etching. Use CORONADOS ’ 93-400 SURE PREP #IV concrete etch. Mix 1 part acid to 3 parts water, this solution of 93-400 and water should etch approximately 100 square feet per mixed gallon. Muratic acid is an alternative to the 93-400, although it will not yield nearly as many square feet nor will it give as even of an etch as the 93-400. Acid solution should produce foaming and fizzing on the surface, if this does not happen there is a sealer on the floor and it must be removed. The result of etching should be a feel of 80 grit sandpaper.

Step #3:
NEUTRALIZE ACID SOLUTION. Apply ammonia straight not diluted on the acid about 5-10 minutes after acid was applied. This will neutralize the acid allowing the acid to be completely rinsed away with water.

Step #4:
PAINTING. The floor should be thoroughly dry before painting. For best results your first coat should be thinned 25% with the proper thinner, whether it’s water for latex paint or naptha for oil paint or even epoxy reducer for epoxy paint. Find out what the proper thinner is and use it do not substitute. A second coat should then be applied without thinning. Allowing a coating to cure thoroughly before heavy walking traffic or vehicle traffic is important to coating life and durability.