Concrete Flooring: 5 Signs You Might Need New Concrete Floor Coatings
While a bare concrete floor can withstand plenty of pressure, a coated concrete floor is even stronger. If you want your concrete floors to last a long time and retain a beautiful appearance, coating your floors checks off both boxes.
However, just like concrete itself, these coatings don’t last forever. Their durability will depend on their composition, quality of installation, and maintenance. Certain types of epoxy concrete floor paint, for instance, may last longer than others, and polyurea coatings tend to go even further.
No matter which type of coating you choose for your floors, you will eventually need to install a new coat. But how can you know when it’s time? We at Anderson Painting can help. Here are five signs you might need to invest in new coatings for your concrete floors.
How to Know You Need New Floor Coating
1. You Can Count the Cracks
On most days, we can’t feel the earth shifting beneath our feet. That doesn’t mean these movements aren’t occurring, though. As nature takes its course, even the strongest foundations struggle to remain stationary. As such, concrete floors begin to fracture.
A flexible floor coating will minimize the appearance of these cracks and offer enough leeway for some shifting to take place. But, over time, some cracks may form anyway. When this happens, moisture, dirt, and other particles can gain entry to your floors and cause further damage. So, if you notice significant cracking in your floors, it’s time to think about filling them in and installing a new coating.
2. An Uneven Surface
As mentioned above, the ground moves more than we think, and as a result, very few places offer a flat surface on which to stand. A properly installed floor is meant to counteract nature’s imperfections to provide a flat, even surface, and floor coatings provide an additional layer that further promotes this level plane. Therefore, if you can feel dips and inclines as you walk along your concrete floors, it may be time to resurface them. Or, more significant repairs might be in order.
3. Moisture Is Making itself at Home
Aside from enhancing your floors’ appearance, flexibility, and maintaining a level surface, the main purpose of garage floor sealing is to keep moisture away. Even small amounts of water can do serious damage to a concrete floor.
A healthy seal prevents moisture from accessing the concrete’s pores and crevices. If a spill should occur, removing the liquid should be relatively easy. However, if moisture is lingering on your floors, your coatings may not be performing as well as they should. Additionally, vapor might be entering your floors from below. If this is the case, you’ll need to install a vapor barrier between the earth and your sub-floor before recoating the surface.
4. A Chipping, Flaking Surface
Also known as spalling, a chipping, flaky surface indicates a number of potential issues with your concrete floor coatings. This can occur when underlying moisture and/or extreme temperatures delaminate sections of the coating. If your floors are displaying these signs, floor sealing might not be enough to resolve the problem. Instead, the root cause should be addressed first.
5. Discoloration
Concrete floor coatings come in various colors and textures. Some people will opt for a solid color, while others might prefer a blended look with embedded chips, etc.
Whatever your preference, though, you don’t want to see major changes in the color or overall appearance of your coatings. A discolored floor usually means moisture intrusion. Once again, determine the source of this issue before investing in new coatings so you can ensure the water stays away from your floors.
It’s easy to take concrete floors for granted. We often step, drive, and work on them without a second thought. However, these floors must be protected if you want to avoid major repairs down the line. By watching for the signs listed above, you can stay on top of this crucial maintenance. And if it’s time to get new coatings for your floors, make sure you’re getting them installed by a trusted, experienced team.
Anderson Painting contractors will inspect your floors and coatings and work with you to find the right solutions for your floors. For more about us and everything we do, call us today at (919) 610-1855 or email us at info@andersonpaintingnc.com!
