One or Two Day Installs?
We often get asked why we do not promote a 1-day installation like some of our competitors.
The reason is very simple… Strong Bond does not believe it is the best coating solution for our customers!
The 2-day system is generally accepted in the industry as the superior application offering the most durable finish for the longevity of your garage floor and the best value for the customer.
A 1-day install may be enticing but we believe a fast cure is not the best cure!
Let’s look at the facts
A 1-day installation uses Polyaspartic as a complete system; it cures rapidly and allows a quick “get in and get out” service. Polyaspartic technology was initially designed to be used as top coat, not base coat, in the early 1990’s. When using Polyaspartic as a base, the contractor may need to “thin” the first coat with solvents to have a successful bond to the concrete. Polyaspartics are not well known for being successful in high and fluctuating moisture environments like Atlantic Canada.
Deeper concrete penetration
A Strong Bond 2-day installation uses only High-Grade commercial epoxies as a base coat and Polyaspartic as a top coat. Epoxies are time-tested and supported by many years of industry research and experience by major coating providers. A common consensus, industry wide, is that epoxies cure much slower and allow for much deeper penetration into the pores of the concrete, providing superior adhesion. The epoxy requires time to cure and that is why you need two days for a proper installation.
Cautious of the one day installs
It is Strong Bond’s position that you need to be cautious of contractors promoting the 1-day Install. Most avoid testing the concrete slab for moisture and instead, treat every floor the same. Testing the slab is key when deciding best practices for your concrete and environment. Because Polyaspartics cure very quickly, your contractor is in and out in 1-day. That’s right, just 1-day in your garage. Imagine how much more profitable it makes it for them to be in and out in one day. Ask yourself, does this business model have my best interest in mind?
Warranty
Which leads us to our next concern…Warranty! As previously discussed Polyaspartics were designed in the 90’s as top coats and have only in recent years been experimented with, as base coats, or mechanical bond coats.
Some contractors are offering 20+ year warranties with lots of small print, in many cases, leaving the homeowner with no warranty or one that protects the contractor only. It is important to ask questions and to understand that the system being installed in your garage has a proven track record for the duration of the warranty being extended.
Case in point, our research shows Polyaspartics have only been used as a full system in Atlantic Canada for about 5 years and with questionable success as application of these products require trained and experienced installers. Long warranties all sound great until you get all the details.
Quality Products
Another concern of some lower cost Polyaspartics, is that they can contain much less solids than high quality epoxies or other Polyaspartics on the market. In this case, they will contain solvents that will evaporate and be released as the product cures. This equates to the coating being up to 25% thinner than advertised. This can affect the longevity of your floor. Also, you will be having strong solvent odours as there could be “solvent entrapment”. Solvent entrapment occurs when high solvent-based products are either applied too thick which could lead them to crack, or when solvent based products are top coated.
Proper floor Preparation
Other factors to consider for any coating in your garage besides temperature, moisture levels and curing times are the actual floor preparation procedures and the experience of the contractor. You need to ensure the proper profiling of the floor before applying any coatings. These standards are known as CSP (Concrete Surface Profile) and are established by the ICRI (International Concrete Repair Institute). There are different hardness levels of concrete and they require different equipment and tools to properly profile and prepare. There is no “one size fits all.”
Getting the job Done Right…..
Strong Bond employees are trained to ensure your floor is properly prepared before coating. We use only the best products and equipment to ensure the job is done RIGHT… not FAST!
Our advice is to “stick” with the products and processes that have been established and proven over many years in the residential garage flooring industry.