What should you think about when painting a concrete floor?
For this purpose, epoxy or alkyd paints are usually used. Epoxy must be prepared: from a small jar the composition is poured into a large container and mixed, tinted. It is not necessary to prepare the alkyd to be used, it can immediately be used for its intended purpose. But before the very works with alkyd paint, the surface must be primed, epoxy does not require it.
When choosing which floor paint is best for , you need to take into account the features of the room. This can be a production site where frequent mechanical damage or any shock loads to the surface are possible, which means that a high reliability of the coating and the durability of the concrete floor are required. In this case, often use durable paint.
For thin-layer filling( for example, civil purpose), polyurethane enamel is taken. Epoxy water-based paints will create a durable coating with high resistance. But acrylic water-based floor paint is used to protect concrete and cement-sand screeds, for example, in cellars or garages.
And as there is an acrylic primer that is designed for priming mosaic floors, as well as cement-concrete screeds and other similar surfaces.
Several rules for choosing a paint
There are a lot of paint options. So, we sum up, in accordance with the operational specifics, different consumables are selected:
- for finishing the floor in utility buildings, in garages, for the finishing of concrete landscape elements, means are used that are usually used to cover various production premises, they are based onepoxy enamels and solvents;
- to paint in a residential area, it is necessary to take formulations with a water base;
- in order to treat surfaces in corridors, offices or on balconies, it is best to take two-component polyurethane elastomers;
- if it is required to provide elasticity and water resistance of the coating, one-component polyurethane dyes must be purchased;
- if you need paint for wood floor, then there are various options: oil, alkyd and water-acrylic.
Paint for the concrete floor is ready, what next?
Before starting any surface treatment( painting), it is necessary to prepare it. It is important to clean the concrete surface before painting, you can take a steel brush. It will help not only remove excess debris, dust and dirt, but also clean the surface of the weak upper layer.
The weak top layer can not resist the loads, which is why it should be removed. Sometimes used grinding equipment. This may be necessary if the surface is severely damaged, has chipped and potholes.
If micro cracks or cavities appear during preparation, they should be puttied. In order to increase the quality of the porous surface or the adhesion to the paint, the concrete floors are covered with a primer.
When the damage to the upper layers is removed and defects are eliminated, a polymer or concrete screed is made which will very well later be painted. From dust, it can be treated with stabilizing solutions.
Concrete floors are usually covered in several ways, from two to three. No matter what color you choose for the floor, the colors can be of absolutely any shades. So creativity is possible!