Epoxy floors are a tough, resilient and very durable type of floor coating used in multiple residential, commercial and industrial applications. Epoxy flooring maintains a very high luster while taking a beating, but you will want to provide at least minimal maintenance for an epoxy floor to keep it in top shape.
Below we have listed the best practices in caring for your epoxy floors.
Keep the surface dirt and grit free, especially if you are moving equipment, machinery or vehicles on and off the floor. Protect the floor with plywood sheets or mats before sliding heavy equipment, machinery, pallets, or materials across the floor. This is especially important for newly installed floors that may not yet be fully cured. Use Pallet jacks and carts to avoid damage when moving heavy items. Dirt, grit and small rocks can and will embed or scratch an epoxy floor if allowed to remain. Epoxy floors can take a lot of scratches before they start to show the damage, but it is best to remove all sand or dirt on a regular basis. The best way to accomplish that is to use a shop vacuum with a soft brush attachment. How often you vacuum depends on how much dirt and grit are tracked onto the floor. When it comes time to move heavy machinery across the floor, take extra precautions to ensure the surface is dirt and grit free before moving equipment.
Avoid using soap-based cleaners. Soap-based floor cleaners leave a haze on the epoxy flooring that builds up over time. In most instances, epoxy floors do not need soap. Depending upon the surface texture of your floor, warm water and a good mop, deck-scrubbing brush, and/or a floor squeegee will usually do the job just fine. As a general rule, wet cleaning of smooth and semi-smooth epoxy floors is best accomplished with a mop, while textured floors with slip-resistant, aggregate surfaces such as many flake, quartz, and sand are best done with a soft to medium bristled deck brush. A floor squeegee is also a useful tool for moving any standing water off the floor and into nearby floor drains. If you need extra scrubbing power use something like soft soap to aid you with the tougher spills or stains.
Spot Cleaning. Often you only need to vacuum or sweep a small area of the floor where something has been spilled or tracked in. If a liquid material has been spilled along with the dirt, vacuum up the excess fluid with the shop vac and then mop the area with warm water. Epoxy floors are highly water resistant and very easy to clean when liquid spills occur.
Heavily soiled epoxy floors. The best way to clean up a dirty epoxy floor is as follows: Sweep and vacuum the entire area. Once you have removed all the surface dirt, grime and grit, use a hard foam mop, or soft bristled deck brush and warm/hot water to get rid of all the built-up dirt. After that, if needed to remove more stubborn dirt or stains you can use: Dishwashing soaps like Dawn, Joy. Ivory, etc.…, Simple Green, Formula 409, Fantastic, Windex, Bon Ami, Scrub Free, Soft Soap, and Mr. Clean; or you can use a clear ammonia and water mix (at 2-3 ounces ammonia per gallon of hot water) for mopping is all that is needed to adequately remove soiling.
Stubborn stains. Some stains such as rust can be stubborn. We have found using a 1:1 ratio of CLR and warm water to be effective. Apply it directly to the rust spot and scrub using a scrub brush or soft scrub pad and rinse with cold clean water. (Do not allow the CLR & water solution to sit for more than a minute or two on the surface). You may also use a scrubbing sponge or a soft deck brush and warm water (caution is advised when using a scrubbing pads as they can dull the floors finish). Avoid using steel wool or harsh chemicals like comet, they are too abrasive. Use soft soaps or liquid detergents and a light to moderately abrasive brush. The use of a steam cleaner is not recommended for this flooring system. Excessive heat shock may cause swelling, blistering and subsequent adhesion failure to this flooring system. Never use any cleaning compounds with citrus or acid in them. Citrus cleaners and vinegar will break down the epoxy catalyst and must be avoided.
DO NOT USE: Vinegar, bleach, Ajax, Comet, abrasive scratch pads, harsh abrasives, steel wool, or undiluted ammonia.
Oil, car chemicals and other chemicals. Antifreeze, oil and other car-related chemicals can be wiped up with shop towels or a paper towel. The important thing about car spills is to not allow them to sit on the floor surface for too long. Even engine oil has chemicals that could be potentially hazardous to an epoxy floor. If gas is spilled, wipe it up immediately. Paint, household cleaners and other spills should be treated in the same manner, wipe them up with shop towels as soon as the spill occurs.
Accidental Scratch or Scoring damage. Should the floor surface become heavily scratched or scored by abrasive materials it may be necessary to take additional steps to repair. To accomplish this first clean the surface with an approved cleaning method listed above. Then apply an approved polish or glaze coat to the surface. Zep products work well with our epoxies and can be easily found at Lowes’, and Home Depot or online. Buckeye CastleGuard® is also an excellent wax type product that is most easily found online. When applied routinely these products will not only hide existing scratches but will also protect the surface from future scratches. Repeated applications building up the thickness of the polish or glaze coat will provide improved scratch resistance. Please note: CastleGuard® is often the preferred method to coat interior metallic epoxy floors after installation, as it is the most cost effective, long term solution for slip-resistance, scratch mitigation while still providing the visual clarity and depth of design that most clients have come to expect from epoxy metallic flooring. Deep scratches and or gouges that penetrate through the decorative epoxy layer will need professional repair and likely re-coating of the topcoat. Please contact the coating specialists at Armortech Resurfacing, Inc if this should occur.
Washer Scrubber Dryer Machines. Technical advances in floor maintenance equipment over the past decade has provided industry with low cost, highly efficient machines applying low foam cleansers with vacuum suction drying. The use of these machines is recommended as being the most effective method of cleaning floors with minimum disruption.
Follow these simple steps and keep your new epoxy floors looking great for years to come.
Caring for your floor will take a minimal amount of time, but it will need to be done on a regular basis to keep your new epoxy floor shining for many years after the installation. If you have questions feel free to ask your floor coating specialist at Armortech Resurfacing, Inc. to make sure you know and use the right cleaning tools and supplies for your particular flooring type.
Portland, Oregon....It's not everyday we get a call for a pure white floor in a garage, really. However, when the owner told us that she was planning on turning the space into an art studio, we were all in. First of all let me just say, "I love those beautiful wooden garage doors! Don't you? Of course you do! Who wouldn't. Anyway, after prepping the floor with our floor grinder, we installed our 12 PSI vapor barrier, white pigmented epoxy base coat and installed a slip-resistant aliphatic urethane topcoat. We even added a hint of charcoal pearl metallic pigment to the base epoxy give it just the right amount of sparkle in the sunlight.
Watch the full youtube video/slide show below:
Call Armortech Resurfacing, the Northwest's trusted epoxy flooring contractor today to schedule a free, no-obligation estimate.
THE BEST SERVICE - THE BEST QUALITY - THE BEST PRICING
SERVING OREGON & WASHINGTON
OREGON: (503) 791-8780
WASHINGTON (360 225-1488
TOLL FREE: 1-866-308-2400
VISIT US ONLINE AT
WWW.ARMORTECHRESURFACING.COM
Is your bathtub dull, dingy, or hard to clean? Or, maybe you have a tub or shower surround that is chipped, cracked, or simply the wrong color. Before you tear out and replace that old antique tub, bathtub, or shower surround, call the bathtub refinishing experts at Armortech Resurfacing. For only a fraction of the cost of removal and replacement of your old tub, our highly trained and factory certified bathtub refinishers can restore the original look, shine, and luster of your existing bathtub to a like new condition.
Replacing a bathtub can be a very costly and time-consuming endeavor. In addition to the actual cost of the replacement bathtub, you have demolition, labor and plumbing costs. Not to mention the cost of the tile, grout, caulk, and flooring that may need to be repaired.
But, the good news is you have options. Unlike, a traditional remodel, which often requires weeks of dirty and dusty construction, and a prolonged intrusion of your personal space. The skilled bathtub refinishers at Armortech can make your bathtub, shower surround, countertops, floors, and other kitchen & bathroom surfaces beautiful again, often in as little as one day! And, it can be done without the demolition and exorbitant costs associated with a traditional remodel.
Call Armortech Resurfacing, the Northwest's trusted bathtub refinishing contractor to receive a free, no-obligation estimate.
THE BEST SERVICE - THE BEST QUALITY - THE BEST PRICING
SERVING OREGON & WASHINGTON
OREGON: (503) 791-8780
WASHINGTON (360 225-1488
TOLL FREE: 1-866-308-2400
VISIT US ONLINE AT
WWW.ARMORTECHRESURFACING.COM
Lake Oswego, Oregon... The other day we got a call from a distressed RV owner. He was selling his RV and had told the new buyer he would have the old and damaged Corian style countertops repaired before the sale finalized. Unfortunately, he had been unable to find anyone to do the repairs. Until he called Armortech. After giving an estimate over the phone based on pictures the client had texted over, and after choosing a color (Misty Gray) from our Stone Accent line we arranged a time to do the repairs the following day. The corian counter had a lot of damage with large cracks running across the front of the sink (see the photos in the left hand column).
Although, it took the crew the better part of the day to complete the tight quarters project. The client was able to finalize his sale with his buyer as agreed. We love a happy client!
Watch the entire refinishing process in the video/slide show below:
Are the countertops in your RV, trailer, or mobile home showing their age and in need of a facelift? Call the countertop refinishing pros at Armortech today to schedule a free, no obligation estimate.
Seaside, Oregon...The Armortech crew resurfaced the old formica countertops in this ocean view home. We applied a Stone Accent finish in (Pearl Stone), added a new tile backsplash, sanded and refinished the old oak floors, and even whitewashed the old brick fireplace...before we left the client spotted a sample board we had in the truck and asked if she could have it. Of course, my wife said. Its kinda cool to see she liked it so much she displayed our sample board as art over the mantle...she says it reminders her of an "angry ocean". I think I'd have to agree. What do you think?
Call the pros at Armortech, and lets talk about the scope of your project.
Here at Armortech we pride ourselves on being able to provide a broad range of refinishing services to meet the needs of our diverse clientele. From the homeowner, or business in need of a completely custom bar top, counter, or island centerpiece, to the home renovator, landlord, or property manager in need of repairing and updating the color scheme of an otherwise functional counter top; we offer a broad variety of solutions to meet their vastly different needs and budgets.
On the project shown below the Seaside, Oregon home owner was getting ready to sell their home. The problem, the white tile counter in this small bathroom/laundry was really showing its age. (Photos in far left column)
In addition to the large broken piece of bullnose on the front edge, and multiple small chips throughout, the once white grout had become stained and dingy. Although a common tile when it was installed in 1995 the client had been unable to find an exact color match locally to make the needed repairs. Not wanting to incur the expense, or time loss involved in tearing out and replacing the countertop, the owner opted to have Armortech repair and refinish the existing counter, a one-day process, in our Stone Accent™ finish (Misty Gray). (Photos in right column)
We also swapped out the the old and dated vinyl flooring for a updated gray "more beachy" vinyl plank flooring.
The home sold shortly after going on the market. We’d like to think we played a small part in that.
Call Armortech Resurfacing, the Northwest’s trusted refinishing contractor to schedule a free, no obligation estimate today!
SERVING OREGON & WASHINGTON
OREGON: (503) 791-8780
WASHINGTON (360 225-1488
TOLL FREE: 1-866-308-2400
VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.ARMORTECHRESURFACING.COM
Surface restoration and refinishing is not just what we do, it is our passion and our craft. And, it is our dedication to our craft that allows us to approach each project with enthusiasm and a desire to provide the highest level of craftsmanship each and every time.
Prior to establishing Armortech Resurfacing, the two founders honed their craft, and accumulated decades of experience working for others in the construction industry, including one of the top land-based flooring contractors in the country. Over those years, they not only mastered the multitude of techniques and procedures required to expertly apply a variety of epoxy products to many very different surfaces. They also gained the project management skills needed to successfully run multiple teams of skilled tradesmen and laborers for an interior design firm servicing some of the biggest names in the cruise line industry, in drydocks from Europe to the Bahamas.
After reaching the proverbial glass ceiling, they decided to break out on their own and formed Armortech Resurfacing, Inc. with the vision of bringing their decades of expertise working with specialty coatings and seamless epoxy flooring to their community, friends, and neighbors.
We look forward to the opportunity to earn your business and are confident our meticulous attention to detail, dedication to quality craftsmanship, and service will make us your first choice when considering a specialty coatings contractor.
Armortech Resurfacing, Inc., operates in Oregon & Southwest Washington.
Our service area includes the greater Portland Vancouver metro area, the North Oregon Coast and the following cities.
