Epoxy sealants are used in many industries including aerospace, medical, electronics, automotive and marine.
They can be used for sealing, coating, and protecting surfaces from corrosion or wear.
Epoxy sealants are also used in the construction industry to seal concrete floors and walls.
What is the difference between epoxy and sealer?
Epoxy sealant is a type of sealer. Sealer is a broad term that encompasses several types of products, including epoxies. To understand the difference between epoxy and sealer, it helps to know how each one works.
Sealers are used on porous materials to prevent liquids from becoming absorbed into them. (Think: spilled wine on your new table.)
They also help keep stains from appearing in vulnerable materials like concrete or wood floors. Although there are many different kinds of sealers, they all have one thing in common: they’re applied to surfaces in order to prevent bad things from happening.
Epoxy is a type of adhesive that’s known for its strength and durability making it ideal for high-traffic areas like concrete driveways or garage floors; it’s also commonly used for metallic surfaces such as aircraft frames and automobile panels.
Epoxy can be used as a sealing agent but can also function as a strong adhesive, whereas traditional sealers do not serve this purpose.
In other words, you can use epoxy to repair something that has broken or attach two objects together securely; you cannot do this with traditional sealers.
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Can you use epoxy as a sealer?
There are various types of sealers for concrete floors. Sealer is designed to protect and preserve concrete surfaces, whether it be on a commercial or residential level.
Epoxy sealer is a type of coating used to seal floors to protect them from stains and abrasion, making them easier to clean and keep looking like new. Epoxy flooring can also be used in the home, especially in the case of garage floors.
Learning how to apply epoxy sealer is not difficult, however, there are some important steps you should follow for best results.
Before you start applying epoxy, you need to make sure the surface is smooth and clean before applying the epoxy sealer.
This means removing any old paint or oil stains as well as cleaning dirt off the floor. You will then need to wait 24 hours before applying your epoxy flooring in order for it to dry properly before applying an additional coat.
If you don’t wait 24 hours before adding another coat of epoxy flooring then it may not cure properly, which can cause your new coating to peel up or crack after only a few months when properly maintained at room temperature with proper lighting exposure, such as sunlight exposure during wet conditions while using this product with caution when using direct sunlight because this product contains UV resistant chemicals that can fade at high temperatures, such as going outside during hot weather will cause your adhesive layer of concrete sealant becomes brittle which can make cracks occur easily when pressure applied onto a sealed layer.
How do you apply epoxy sealer?
Before applying your epoxy garage floor sealer, you must properly prepare the surface. Any grease, oil, or dirt will affect how well the epoxy adheres to the concrete.
To clean, use a degreasing solution or concrete cleaner and apply it with a push broom. Scrub in a circular motion while working your way across the floor one section at a time.
Then rinse thoroughly with water and let dry completely before moving on to an application.
Now that your floor is ready to go, you can start mixing the epoxy coating. Your kit should contain two containers labeled Part A and Part B as well as an application roller tray and sleeve.
For every gallon of mixed coating material, you will need both an A and B container so plan out how much material you need before starting.
All mixed materials are used immediately after mixing so if you don’t think you can finish applying mixed materials within 30 minutes, only mix what you know you can use in that timeframe.
Using a drill mixer at low speed, mix contents from the A container for three minutes then add contents from B container to A and mix for another three minutes until there are no streaks or clumps visible before applying with a squeegee or paint roller onto the prepared surface making sure to work quickly once applied and not letting it sit too long without being rolled over again to avoid bubbles forming in finished product. Now just wait 24 hours for it to dry!
How do you apply epoxy sealer to concrete?
Concrete is one of the most durable types of flooring with a service life of up to 100 years. However, because it is porous concrete tends to absorb liquids and moisture that can be damaging over time.
Therefore, the best time to apply an epoxy coating to your concrete surface is when you first install the concrete or after grinding or sanding it so as to create a roughened surface that gives epoxy something to adhere to in order for the finished product to be durable and long-lasting.
Otherwise, you may need to remove old sealers or coatings prior to applying epoxy.
The most important thing before applying epoxy sealer is ensuring that your floor is clean and free from all contaminants such as oil, dirt, stains, and grease.
If there are any loose materials on the surface make sure they are removed by grinding or sanding if necessary. You should also allow ample time for any existing moisture on your floor (from washing) to evaporate before sealing it with epoxy resin.
How long does epoxy sealer last?
So how long does epoxy sealant last? It depends on the type of epoxy you choose and what surface it’s being applied to, but in general, most types of epoxy resin will last a minimum of ten years, while high-end resins can last more than 20. Below is a breakdown of epoxy’s expected lifespan.
- 3-6 months: Solvent-based polyurethane coating with no priming; cheap epoxies
- 6-12 months: Waterborne polyurethane coating with no priming; solvent-based polyurethane coatings over primed surfaces; lightly used garage floors
- 1-2 years: Waterborne polyurethane coatings over primed surfaces; solvent or waterborne acrylic coatings without primer
- 2-4 years: Solvent or waterborne acrylic coatings over primed surfaces; solvent or waterborne urethane coatings without primer
- 4-6 years: Lightly used industrial floors coated with low solids paint (not recommended for high traffic areas) Heavy traffic industrial floors coated with two coats of low solids paint (not recommended for high traffic areas); solvent or waterborne urethane coatings over primed surfaces
- 6-8 years: High quality water based acrylics over a well-prepared substrate (recommended)
Is it better to seal or paint concrete?
We get it; painting concrete is a DIY trick that can work if you’re looking for a cheaper solution for your garage floor or basement. And yes, sealing concrete is more expensive than painting it.
But what you have to consider here is the long-term cost of the two sealant options. Painting concrete does not preserve its integrity of the concrete.
In time, all the moisture will start seeping up through those pores, and all that paint will peel and crack. Putting epoxy sealant on concrete makes sure all those imperfections are sealed shut, so you don’t have to worry about anything ruining your beautiful new floors.
Does epoxy require primer?
Many people have questions regarding primer and epoxy. If you have the same question, then this is the perfect page to find out the answer. Primer does not necessarily need to be used before applying epoxy.
There are many benefits to using primer, but sometimes it is not necessary if you know what kind of surface you are working with.
Do you need to seal concrete before epoxy?
The short answer: yes.
The long answer: You should always seal concrete before applying epoxy coating, for a number of reasons.
First, epoxy seals directly to the concrete surface, which means that any debris or moisture will be trapped under the epoxy.
This can create divots and gaps in your flooring surface and reduce the lifespan of your epoxy installation.
Second, if you want to create a smooth surface when you apply the epoxy, you need to seal the concrete first. If there are any imperfections in the concrete they could show through once you apply the epoxy coating.
Conclusion
In this article, you’ve learned:
- What epoxy sealants are.
- The different kinds of epoxy sealants are available on the market.
- How to choose the right type of epoxy sealant for your project.
- How to apply and mix an epoxy sealant.
