Getting ready to coat your concrete floor?

Do this first: Prepare your concrete floor for a maintenance-free coating that lasts

06-07-2017

Article 2 of 5 in a series

Step 1 to preparing your concrete floor is a thorough repair of any surface damage... Here are the three steps to follow, to make sure your coating bonds for life.

1) Carefully locate and clean any damage to your concrete surface.

Damage includes cracks, holes and spalling (the result of moisture forcing the surface to peel, pop out or flake off).

2) Choose the material(s) appropriate to the job.

•   For minor repairs, a simple patch material is all you need. When choosing the best-suited product for your job, consider the material's ease and speed of use, manufacturer's reputation, as well as environmental safety.

Citadel's Fast Patch™ requires no cure time, mixes in an easy 1:1 ratio, applies without special equipment, and has zero VOCs. (Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, emit gases that compromise air quality and cause potential health hazards.)

•   To fill expansion joints, you'll want a flexible material that levels itself, retains its volume when dry, and bonds well with concrete under a variety of conditions.

Polyflex-93™ cures quickly, reducing your downtime, whether temperatures are in the single- or triple-digits. (In the Midwest, that can happen in a single day! True story.) The VOC-compliant, flexible filler dries to tack-free in under 25 minutes with no shrinkage, and allows vehicle or foot traffic in an hour – bonding strongly to the concrete's joints, leading to long lasting performance.

•   For more extensive repairs, such as setting anchor bolts, repairing deep cracks and damaged control joints, and filling spalling, look for a less viscous, nonporous repair material. The near-solid filler should be versatile, stable, and bond well to concrete under diverse conditions, and preferably be easy to use, quick to set, and environmentally friendly.

Fortification Formula™ is a fast-curing repair material that bonds well to concrete, wood, fiberglass and asphalt, and can be used to repair damages up to 3" deep without additional filler. 100% solids, nonporous and VOC free, it is workable across temperatures and gets your floor to service-ready within 10-30 minutes. Once cured, Fortification Formula™ will not swell or shrink with heat or cold, and inhibits bacteria, mold and other pathogens.

3) Complete the repairs, ensuring that the floor is smooth and level. Now you're ready for the next step!

If you have questions on what preparation your concrete floor needs before coating, or on which repair materials are the best fit for your project, Citadel has been manufacturing floor coating systems for 40+ years, with installations in 15+ countries. Let our flooring experts help. Click here for a free consultation.