How Long Will Your Cement Floor Coating Last?
Painting and/or sealing your concrete floors can extend the lifespan of your floors while offering multifaceted protection and beauty. Of course, investing in residential or commercial floor paint is no small (or cheap) decision, so if you decide to go this route, you want to get the most out of the initial application. In some cases, your coatings can last several decades before needing serious repair or replacement, but there are several factors that determine whether or not your particular application will last that long. So, how long will your cement floor paint last? While there’s no way to know for sure, let’s go over the conditions that contribute to this answer.
How Long Does Cement Paint Last
Which Type of Coating Are You Using?
One factor determining the longevity of your floor paint is, naturally, the type of coating you choose from the outset. Epoxy concrete floor paint remains the most popular option, but it’s in good company with polyurea, urethane, acrylic, latex, and more. There is plenty of variation within each of these categories, too, depending on the brand, additives, etc. Here at Anderson Painting, we apply Penntek polyurea concrete coatings, which offer a 15-year warranty — these treatments can last 20-30 years on average, too.
What Do Your Concrete Floors Put up With?
There’s no way around it — the more wear and tear your floors undergo, the shorter their lifespan will be. Consider the difference between a low-use residential garage and a high-traffic industrial workplace. The former might receive mild foot traffic and deal with the weight of one or two vehicles, while the latter must put up with constant foot traffic, heavy machinery, higher risk of impact and spills, etc. Plus, commercial spaces are often larger than residential spaces, so there is more ground to cover and maintain. As such, the exact same cement paint might only last half as long (or less) when applied in a factory as it would when applied in someone’s basement.
All that said, you can still take steps to extend the lifespan of your polyurea coatings (or whatever paint type you choose).
What is the State of Your Substrate?
The lifespan of your cement floor paint also depends on your floor’s condition, which is why proper preparation and repairs are crucial to achieving the best-looking, longest-lasting paint job. Before application, concrete floors should be thoroughly cleaned, cracks should be filled, and the substrate must be structurally sound overall. All of this will allow the coating to properly bond and prevent moisture and debris from setting between the substrate and the paint..
Was the Coating Properly Applied?
Proper preparation is key and so is proper application. Different types of cement coatings require different methods and feature variable dry/bond times. Failing to adhere to these requirements can result in poor sealing and, therefore, a short-lived application. Even the best epoxy paint may only hold up for a couple of years if not properly installed. For this reason, it’s important to hire flooring specialists to apply cement floor paint and those who use more durable coatings, like Penntek polyurea floor coatings.
What is Your Maintenance Regimen?
The final difference-maker in a floor coating’s lifespan has to do with maintenance. Let’s say you went with Penntek polyurea floor coatings, had your floors properly prepared, and hired experts to install the coating. In one universe, you neglect your expertly-sealed floors and in another, you regularly sweep, dust, and wash them. In the former scenario, your floors might do fairly well for several years, but around year three, four, or five, you might notice peeling, flaking, staining, etc. In the latter scenario, you might enjoy your floors for thirty years before thinking about a re-application. Indeed, maintenance makes a major difference in determining floor coating longevity.
The Verdict
How long will your cement floor paint last? Well, it depends on the coating you choose, how you use your floors, the condition of your floors, the quality of preparation and application, and, of course, how well you care for your floors. Ideally, your cement floor paint can last several decades. And while there’s no way to guarantee long-lasting floors, the experts at Anderson Painting will put you in the best position by installing Penntek polyurea coatings, whose 15-year warranty will also give you peace of mind.
To learn more about us and all we do, call today at 919-610-1855 or email us at info@andersonpaintingnc.com!
