Is a commercial coating the right choice for your business? Cost-effective, aesthetically versatile, and durable, these coating solutions make a great choice for many commercial enterprises.
In this post, the Skyline Concrete Coating team goes through the benefits of installing a polyurea and polyaspartic coating system.
Why Install a Commercial Coating in Metro Washington?
A commercial coating works perfectly in an area that has heavy traffic, needs regular cleaning, or requires a non-slip surface. Potential applications for this commercial coating in Metro Washington include:
- Showrooms
- School rooms
- Gymnasiums
- Parking lots and garages
- Warehouses
- Restrooms
- Barns
You may choose to install polyurea or polyaspartic coatings for several reasons.
Durability
Polyurea and polyaspartic sealants are both durable and scuff-proof, scratch-proof, and capable of withstanding daily abuse. The coatings bond with the surface chemically, meaning that the surface will not lift, flake, or chip.
Aesthetics
A commercial coating can become an interesting design feature in itself. When you require effective solutions that look great, these sealants rank as one of the best choices because you can customize the look with the following:
- Colors
- Vinyl flakes
- Glitter, mica, and quartz crystals
- Metallic elements
- Glass drops
We can emulate expensive materials like stone or marble or use a clear coat over concrete for an industrial look. Some firms opt to embed their logos and company colors.
Easy Cleaning and Maintenance
Cleaning these surfaces proves surprisingly easy. In most cases, you only need to sweep the floor or mop it with warm water. For stubborn dirt, you can simply use a soft brush or purpose-built cleaner.
Maintenance may entail fixing the odd scratch. You can normally accomplish this by polishing the floor. However, for deeper marks, you may need to patch the area. In addition, you won’t need to refinish the surface every few years.
Fast Installation
The downside of the old-fashioned epoxies stems from the weeks it can take to cure. What business can afford to close for weeks today? Fortunately, the latest polyurea and polyaspartic coatings are ready for use within 24 hours of installation.
It takes our team about a day to lay the coating in the average-sized space. This means that we can usually install your flooring on a Friday or Saturday, allowing you to move back in on Sunday or Monday.
Polyaspartic vs. Polyurea Commercial Coatings
At Skyline Concrete Coating, we advise using a polyaspartic primer, polyurea as the base, and polyaspartic as the topcoat. This gives you the best combination of cost-effectiveness and durability. However, you need to understand the important differences between the two in each category.
Concrete Bonding
Polyurea consists of a thick coating similar to molasses. It eases into cracks and crevices but may not fill in all the pores in the concrete. The polyaspartic layer is thinner and can easily fill in the pores. Both materials bond with the concrete, but polyaspartic holds a slightly better bond.
Cost
Polyaspartic generally costs more than polyurea because it is a superior product. For this reason, we offer our clients a combination of the two. Clients can thus reduce the cost without sacrificing quality.
UV-Resistance
Polyurea offered a vastly improved option over the epoxies available in the past. It doesn’t have the volatile properties of epoxy when exposed to UV light. Epoxy yellows and becomes brittle in direct sunlight, making it easier to crack.
Polyurea is less likely to discolor or fade and won’t become brittle in the light. However, polyaspartic contains UV protection that prevents UV radiation through to the final layer.
For this reason, we can now confidently offer to cover parking lots and other areas in full sunlight.
Durability
Epoxy can become brittle when it ages. Dropping a tool on it can cause it to crack. Polyurea creates a more flexible surface and therefore becomes less subject to damage. A polyaspartic commercial coating proves much stronger and more efficient.
A good comparison is between a diamond and resin grinding pad. Both make effective options, but the diamond pad lasts longer and offers greater resistance to damage. Polyaspartic remains slightly flexible, making it better able to resist impacts. It hardens to a granite-like finish and looks good for many years after installation.
Chemical Resistance
Polyurea and polyaspartic both repel liquids and provide chemical resistance. We will discuss which option is better for you based on the chemicals you use in your business.
Is This a DIY Project?
It seems like such an easy project, especially if you read advertising. If we believe the marketers, all you need to do is to pour on the coating and allow it to dry. In theory, it does work that way, but the reality reveals a rather different picture.
For starters, the epoxies available in hardware stores usually consist of lower-quality materials. Secondly, the epoxy will lift within a couple of years without proper preparation. Finally, the epoxy requires careful mixing as incorrect ratios of hardener to epoxy prevent hardening.
Pouring an even layer is more difficult than you might realize. You have to move quickly enough to create an even coating but not so quickly that bubbles can form. It takes some practice to get things right.
Contact Us Today for Your Free Estimate
Do you need advice on the best commercial coating for your business? Would you like a free estimate? Contact Skyline Concrete Coating at (571) 831 2144 to discuss your project. We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee in addition to our industry-beating 15-year warranty.
