By  Lifetime Epoxy Expert Guest Author: Craig Adamson

Attention Huntsville Metro and Madison County Home and business owners! Acid stained floors are simply extraordinary flooring alternatives if you are tired of carpet, tile and wood flooring. Acid stained floors offer warm earthy tones or vibrant hues, there are simply unlimited color options and your contractor can even do custom colors. Lifetime Epoxy is one of the most trusted names in Concrete Staining Services in North Alabama. 

All concrete surfaces can be stained inside or outside new or existing concrete. The process usually takes about two days start to finish but the results are incredible. If you are thinking about having stained floors there are some simple precautions that should be taken in order to save you money and to assure you that your floor will turn out properly.

New concrete should be covered with plastic to protect it from stains from other trades such as painters plumbers etc... all stains on any concrete surface have to be removed before staining can take place and this can be an added expense to having your floor done. Acid stains are translucent and may not take stain in areas that have previous stains on them such as paint. Rule of thumb is that if you know you are going to have an acid stained floor then you should cover it if possible.

If you have old concrete that has a lot of stains then there are other options such as micro toppings. A micro topping is a new concrete surface that is applied from paper thin up to 1" thick. Micro toppings can be used to fill imperfections in the surface Micro toppings can also be used for different affects such as a rock texture, slate texture, spray textures etc... and micro toppings can be stained.

A few years ago I started playing around with micro toppings on other surfacessuch as plywood, tile and marble. We have come up with a way to put a micro topping over plywood in the interior section of our home that does not have a concrete surface. The result of our new technique is a allergen free and easy to clean surface with vibrant colors and earthy tones. This technique can also be applied over tile as long as the tile is not coming loose. This saves the consumer the cost of tear out and disposal of other flooring products.
Another option that is hitting the flooring market pretty hard right now is metallic epoxy, if you are looking for a real neat effect in a one of a kind floor look at the metallic epoxy. Metallic epoxy is a coating it starts with a prime coat of 100% solids epoxy and then the metallic epoxy is applied a day later. There are different effects that can be achieved with metallic epoxy such as spraying denatured alcohol, or acetone on top of the metallic epoxy when it is wet to achieve a mottled look. Use a leaf blower to blow the epoxy around to achieve a rippled look. These techniques should only be done by trained professionals as you can also ruin a floor if not done properly. When done properly metallic epoxy has a strong look of an acid stained floor.

Maintenance on a acid stained floor is simply done with micro fiber mops, or a mild detergent such as simple green. Do not use any cleaners that are abrasive. If your floor should start to look dull a simple coat of a mop on wax such as uro finish from colormaker floors can be applied to renew the shine and it will make that floor look new again.
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If you are looking for ideas you can see pictures of floors that we have done at our website [http://www.specialeffexonline.com]
My name is Craig Adamson and I am the owner of Special Effex designer concrete floors. [http://www.specialeffexonline.com] Special Effex specializes in acid stains and dyes, Epoxy coatings, and concrete resurfacing. We service the Rockford Illinois and all surrounding areas. We have been as far as South Carolina with our work. If you have a small concrete surface or a big commercial property there are no jobs to big or to small we can do them all. We will leave you saying "Wow I Can't Believe It's Concrete" We also teach decorative concrete and do consulting for company's doing decorative concrete.
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Craig_Adamson/308679
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3289555

By Lifetime Epoxy  Expert Guest Author: Patrick OShea

Any new business in Huntsville and Madison has concerns on how to lay out the design of their showroom, warehouse or offices. The base concrete floor is already there, so why not dress that up? Many new businesses are turning to an attractive, durable and low maintenance selection of epoxy flooring. Lifetime Epoxy is the most trusted name in commercial epoxy flooring in North Alabama.

Many options for flooring will come up including carpet, tile, hardwood, laminate, linoleum, marble, concrete and other types. Anything can be done to differentiate from one business to another, but the benefits must coincide with the attractiveness. Carpet will attract dirt and dust, tile can break easy, hardwood and marble flooring is expensive and laminate can look too cheap. 

Epoxy flooring for businesses has many advantages. One is that an epoxy floor will repel water, dirt, dust, chemicals and any other type of stain that carpet will soak in. Carpet stains easily and traps dust and dirt within. Tile repels most stains and dirt, but is very brittle and can chip easily. Hardwood floors are expensive and can be easily damaged by water. Marble is beautiful, but much more expensive than decorated concrete.

Epoxy floors can withstand high pressure and weight. This is ideal for warehouses, garages, industrial plants and other high traffic areas. Especially those businesses with forklifts and heavy machinery being used in the plant or factory. Depending upon the mix and style of epoxy, the durable finished product can withstand between 800-4000 psi.

If your business is considering floor plans for new design, or wanting to renovate the old style, epoxy floors can be very beneficial to your plans. There are many different flooring companies specializing in the applications of epoxy resins. If your business is interested in getting a quote or finding a contractor, visit Commercial Decorative Concrete Contractor [http://www.decorative-concrete.biz]. Fill out the form and a representative will be able to contact you.
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Written by Patrick OShea, intended for use by Decorative Concrete Business [http://www.decorative-concrete.biz]Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Patrick_OShea/632728
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5756266

By  Lifetime Epoxy's Expert Guest Author: Edward Winslow 

Lifetime Epoxy installs polyaspartic materials in most residential garages. It is important for you to know why polyaspartic is the best choice for your home garage. Polyureas and Polyaspartics were originally developed for coating steel to prevent corrosion. The outstanding qualities of such as a fast cure and durability led to experimenting for use on concrete industrial flooring.

What Are Polyaspartic and Polyurea Coatings?

Simply they are an advanced version of concrete floor paint. They are a two component product that are mixed together prior to application and are rolled on the surface. They come in clear but are usually pigmented with gray or tan but any color can be created. Vinyl colored chips can be broadcast into the surface while wet. Either a full broadcast can be applied which looks like a terrazzo finish or chips can be lightly sprinkled to give a little more character.

Benefits of Polyureas Over Epoxy Coatings

1. Rapid Cure - Polyureas can dry in an hour so multiple coats can be applied in a day. For businesses that cannot allow for downtime this solves a big problem. An example is a company that can only allow for downtime over a weekend. With the right surface prep equipment the concrete can be ground smooth over a Friday night, cracks and spalling fixed the next morning with two coats applied on a Saturday, two on Sunday and in service for Monday morning.

2. Adhesion To Concrete - Polyureas have the unique ability to "wet" into concrete. This means they absorb into the concrete after the surface is ground smooth with industrial floor grinding equipment, diamond blades and a dustless vacuum system. The benefit is that the polyureas cure as part of the concrete rather than sticking to the surface like an epoxy. This substantially alleviates risk of delamination. Highly skilled professionals will test the density of the concrete and adjust the"wetting" for a particular surface.

3. Cold Weather Application - It has been reported that polyureas can be applied at below zero temperatures. Though few would attempt in extreme cold a coating can be applied on a cold concrete floor. This means projects can completed year round.

How Polyaspartic and Poyurea Coatings are Applied

1. Grinding The Concrete Surface - This requires specialized equipment, diamond blades and a dustless vacuum system. The applicator will adjust the speed of the diamonds which circulate over the surface grinding the top layer of the concrete. This creates a lot of dust which is contained in specialized high power vacuum systems. The grinding process removes the highs and lows in the surface creating a flat floor.

2. Crack Repair - Because polyureas can be thinned, they can fill a crack all the way to the bottom about 4 inches. Most crack fillers only fill what you can see and really just serve as a bridge in the crack penetrating 1/4" to one inch. The most effective crack repair will flow to the bottom, cure below the surface and "wet" into the wall of the crack with flexibility. Polyureas do it all. They block moisture vapor pressure that can delaminate a coating.

3. Application of Polyurea Industrial Flooring - Once the surface is ground smooth and flat the coatings are rolled on the surface. Since the floor was ground smooth the coatings are applied at an even depth throughout the floor.

4. Rapid Cure and Fast Return To Service - In new construction or remodels a fast coating application is a money saver. Most coatings take a week to apply and cure. With the proper surface preparation equipment and manpower a 10,000 square foot floor can be applied in 3 days and used on the fourth. It is even possible to complete larger floors with enough equipment.

Slip Resistance, Recoat, Durability and Ease of Maintenance

An advanced professional will use a specific size non slip aggregate in each coating layer. Aggregate size is critical to function. Too large and it will sink to the bottom of the bucket during mixing. Too small and it will be lost in the mix and become ineffective. Building the right size into each layer ensures slip resistance above the legal standards for the life of the floor.

Floors will wear from use. Excessive wear will require a recoat and not all coatings can be recoated. Most will require complete removal with excessive wear. Polyureas on the contrary can be lightly sanded and resurfaced to look and perform like new. Again a feature that outperforms other systems.

Polyasparics and polyureas are extremely durable like epoxies while being easier to maintain. Epoxies and polyureas will get scratched. The difference is that a scratch in epoxies gets frayed, trapping dirt and bacteria. Polyureas get a straight scratch which means routine cleaning removes dirt and bacteria while prolonging life of the floor.

For more information about using garage floor polyureas and epoxy coatings visit website www.portlandgaragefloor.comArticle Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Edward_Winslow/169240
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3556563

By  Lifetime Epoxy Expert Guest Author: James Mcgillvray  
  
Attention Alabama industrial floor maintenance supervisors. As you know, concrete floors are porous surfaces which rapidly create dust, retain stains and are prone to cracking because of the wear of daily use. In an industrial environment, those weaknesses increase exponentially, creating potential perils for workers and users of these floors. Unless protected by the adequate coating materials, industrial floors not only become unsafe, but also deteriorate at a much faster rate. Lifetime Epoxy of Boaz Alabama specializes in industrial loor floor coatings up to 30,000 sf.

The main advantage of industrial coatings is the general improvement of the floor condition and life cycle: they strengthen the floor surface, increase its resistance to abrasion, wear and chemicals, improve its appearance and ambience, and contribute to make it safer, delaminating hazard and danger areas, marking out guidance to fire exits or offering anti-slip protection. All of these features are of particular importance for commercial and leisure industries, where floors and facilities are open to the general public.

Other industries may also need anti-slip coating for their floors, along with other features avail
able for industrial floor coatings such as resistance to extreme temperatures, pressure or chemical wash, high hygiene standards, dust-free preparation and easy maintenance, as seen in the case of food and beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. As advised by professionals on industrial flooring in London, each type of industry has particular needs regarding the specific wear conditions their floors have to be able to endure; therefore, choosing the adequate material is essential to ensure the best performance and the lowest life cycle cost.

Making the most of industrial floor coatings means choosing materials specially designed and engineered to withstand the particular abuse each type of industrial floor is subject to, be it chemical exposure, abrasion, impact or thermal shock. Apart from these four elements, there are other important aspects to consider when deciding on a certain coating material. Epoxy, for example, provides a tough, protective and very hard coating, with the additional advantages of being easy to clean and maintain, allowing to create differentiated areas with color and texture, being non-toxic and safe for the environment or providing anti-slip protection for workers and general users.

Coatings bonded directly to the surface of the concrete floor, such as Epoxy coatings, offer a long term protection, most of them including also an aesthetic value, very useful to certain industries. For the automotive industry, for example, Epoxy coatings offer a hard wearing, easy to clean solution with a high degree of slip resistance in greasy and wet environments, and the additional value of a decorative feature to reflect the colors of a corporate branding.

Offering high strength and resistance, hygiene and resin floor coating features, industrial floor coatings help businesses maintaining the highest safety standards
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/James_Mcgillvray/1401376