Concrete Floor Preparation Before Epoxy: What to Check

Most floor coating failures trace back to what happened before the first coat went down. Use this list to get a concrete floor ready, and to check your installer is doing the groundwork properly.

Check the slab

• New concrete generally needs about a month to cure before coating.
• Look for damp patches, white powdery salts or dark areas that never dry.
• Ask for a moisture test, especially on ground-level slabs with no membrane.
• Note cracks, spalled joints and old repairs so they are priced in.

Deal with contamination

• Oil and grease soak into concrete and stop coatings bonding.
• Old paint, sealers and adhesives usually have to come off completely.
• Tell the installer what the floor was used for in the past.

Surface preparation

• Diamond grinding or shot blasting gives the coating a profile to grip.
• Acid etching alone is rarely enough for an industrial floor.
• Cracks and joints should be repaired or treated before coating, not coated over.

Plan the shutdown

• Clear the area completely, including racking if the floor beneath it is being coated.
• Agree on the hours of work, access, power and where dust extraction will vent.
• Get the return-to-service times in writing: foot traffic, light vehicles, forklifts.
• Cool or humid weather slows curing, so allow some slack in the schedule.

After the job

• Ask for the product data sheets and the cleaning instructions.
• Avoid harsh cleaners and steel-wheeled loads until the coating is fully cured.