To make a bold statement, look no further than metallic Epoxy. Epoxy floors in Melbourne and Victoria have become very popular in the past few years, and Metallic Epoxy is leading the way. Metallic Epoxy flooring is laid down in several steps:
- We must pour the Epoxy over an even and well-sealed surface, and for that reason, we take the time to grind back, fill pits and thoroughly seal the underlying concrete.
- We mix & pour the liquid resin on-site, blended with various colour stains to meet the chosen colour scheme.
- We drop in the metallic resin, and our floor artists create the desired layering and pattern.
Once that’s cured and hardened, we apply sealers and a clear topcoat (typically high gloss to deliver that glass-like finish).
By far, metallic Epoxy is the most technically challenging floor covering to get right. There are many dimensions to it and processes, and it takes considerable skill and experience.
Over the years, we’ve answered many cries for help from homeowners and businesses who’ve employed less experienced services for their epoxy floor with appalling results. For that reason, we only recommend engaging a specialist with a strong pedigree in Epoxy to deliver your floors for you. Old, worn-out looking floors can be a real eyesore in your home.
Many homeowners are replacing them with modern, sleek and unique looks, and the finish that has rapidly gained popularity in the last couple of years is epoxy flooring.
One of the most attractive options for epoxy flooring is metallic, which could be just the thing you need to bring style and pizzaz into your home.
FAQs About Metallic Epoxy Flooring
Is Metallic Epoxy The Same As Regular Epoxy?
Both ‘normal’ Epoxy and metallic Epoxy use epoxy resin, but the techniques of metallic Epoxy are quite different. As the name suggests, it includes metallic stains, but the application technique and layering are very different and much more involved with Metallic Epoxy.
Is Metallic Epoxy Floor Slippery?
Despite the glass-like appearance, Epoxy is not as slippery as you might think, and a non-slip coating can also be applied. That said, for areas prone to getting wet, we don’t recommend metallic Epoxy, and you might like to explore Epoxy Flake or a single tone epoxy that can have a more textured surface without compromising its beauty.
How Much Does Metallic Epoxy Finish Cost?
$130 – $170 sqm + GST ( based on application to a clean concrete floor)
Will Metallic Epoxy Floor Stain Or Damage With High Heels?
No. Due to the sealing and hardening process, the finished epoxy flake floor is like rock and will not get stained with red wine or get pitted if walked on with high heels.
What Colours Are Metallic Epoxy Available In?
We can make your metallic epoxy floor to match any colour scheme. It’s an incredibly versatile medium.
How Long Will My Metallic Epoxy Floors Last Me?
The average lifespan of a metallic epoxy floor is roughly 30 years. With proper maintenance and low traffic, your floors can last even longer. However, you can expect about 20 years out of your surfaces with heavy traffic and abrasion. Only the topcoat coating needs to be reapplied every 2-6 years to keep your floor maintained. There’s no need to scrap your foundation to start over completely.
Are Metallic Epoxy Floors Slippery?
The short answer is yes, but it goes deeper than that. All polished and coated surfaces tend to get slippery when wet. We mitigate this by applying a no-slip agent during the final step of the installation. That will ensure that your metallic epoxy floors never get too slippery for safe use.
Will Metallic Epoxy Coatings Work In My Home?
Absolutely! Metallic epoxy coatings have risen in popularity in residential homes. They’re popular in kitchens, garages, living rooms, and garages. They look gorgeous, you can customize them to your hearts’ content, and they’re easy to clean. What’s not to love about that?
Who Should Install My Metallic Epoxy Floors In Brisbane Or Gold Coast?
Without a doubt, you need to reach out to us at My Floor for a free estimate. Here are the benefits you’ll enjoy by using our team:
- Affordable prices
- Seasoned installers that can knock out your project in 1 to 2 days
- A fantastic team that excels at creating works of art out of metallic epoxy coatings
- Free estimates
- Lengthy warranties
- Epoxy that’s non-toxic and environmentally friendly
- Tons of additive options like anti-microbial and no-slip
- Total service area covering Brisbane, Gold Coast, and beyond!
Benefits of Metallic Epoxy Flooring
Resilience And Resistance
Like most epoxy flooring options, metallic Epoxy is resilient and resistant, which means that (providing it is installed properly by a professional), it shouldn’t crack, warp or wrinkle.
In addition, epoxy flooring is tough and can withstand high traffic and is resistant to damage from most chemicals and fluids and heat, making it perfect not only for interior spaces within your home but in workspaces too.
Wow Factor
The biggest reason people choose a metallic epoxy finish is its amazing, sleek and modern appearance. A metallic look can help turn any floor, splashback or countertop into a contemporary work of art. When used in homes and foyers, and retail areas, they make a statement and become a talking point.
Unique Design
What’s so good about a metallic finish is that combining the many different colours and installation techniques creates a unique design every time, which means it will be different from anyone else.
In addition, we can create 3D illusions by manipulating pigmentation in the metallic mixture that is unique and is virtually impossible to replicate.
No metallic epoxy floor designs are the same, and every floor is bespoke. As a result, there are many possibilities with designs and outcomes.
Longevity
As long as the metallic Epoxy is professionally installed, it can last for several decades without peeling or cracking. It is why more and more homeowners are using Epoxy in their homes; because it can extend the lifespan of your concrete slab.
Safety
Epoxy floors provide a reasonably safe and durable surface. With most intentions for metallic floors to be high gloss and shiny, the offset is that the floor can get slippery when wet. This can be the downside to bright and shiny. We recommend using mats and protecting furniture feet, to ensure the floor is well protected.
For a little added safety, we can stir in a powdered aggregate that will give some slip resistance. In turn, this does dull the floor slightly. For the options, we can demonstrate the look with our sample boards. A metallic epoxy finish is a great way to modernize any residential, commercial or retail space. Its clean, artistic, and unique appearance is the perfect choice for adding a wow factor that leaves a legacy.
How to Install Epoxy Flooring for a Garage That Stands Up to Spills and Stains?
Epoxy floor coating is a two-part mixture of resins and hardeners that revitalizes, protects, and updates concrete floors in garages, basements, sunrooms, and patios.
Epoxy coatings are rolled on in multiple layers to create seamless stretches of flooring that withstand grease, scuffing, moisture, and chemicals. In addition, epoxy coatings firmly adhere to concrete and are unlikely to chip or peel like regular garage floor paints.
Their durability and non-flammable nature make epoxy-coated floors a good choice for garages and basement workspaces.
They are strong enough to withstand dropped power tools, carry the weight of rolling and parked cars, and stand up to spills of all kinds. When properly applied, epoxy floor finishes can endure for 20 years.
How to Choose the Right Epoxy?
Epoxy floor paints are tough, resin-based paints that come in two separate parts mixed before applying. There are three different types of epoxy paint: solid, solvent-based, and water-based.
Solid Epoxy
Solid Epoxy is the purest form of Epoxy. It doesn’t contain solvents that evaporate. These products are expensive and difficult to handle because they harden very rapidly. This finish should be applied by a professional.
Solvent-Base Epoxy
Solvent-base epoxies contain 40-60% solids.
They penetrate the concrete surface and adhere well. They are available in a wide range of colours. However, because the solvents are powerful and potentially hazardous, you must wear a respirator when applying the finish. You’ll also need to ventilate the garage and keep people and pets away from the area.
Water-Base Epoxy
Like solvent-based epoxies, water-base epoxies also contain 40-60% solids. However, the benefit of this type of Epoxy is there are no hazardous solvent fumes.
These epoxy finishes are sold at most home centres and hardware stores and have become increasingly popular alternatives to solvent-based finishes.
Tips for Applying Epoxy Floor Coatings
Applying epoxy floor coatings is almost as simple as rolling paint on a wall or across a porch floor. But before you begin, you need to thoroughly clean and patch the floor to be coated.
You should also carefully calculate how much mixture is required to cover the area you wish to coat with Epoxy. Many floor epoxy kits supply only one coat of coverage, and you’ll need a minimum of two layers.
Next, measure the square footage of the area to be coated, and compare that with the coverage supplied by your preferred floor epoxy kit.
Time is of the essence once the Epoxy paint and the hardener components are mixed-the epoxy mixture is only workable for about 2 hours. Consider this time frame to determine how you will paint yourself out of a garage, patio, or room.
Potential Drawbacks
Although their benefits are many, epoxy coatings require a good deal of surface cleaning and preparation up front and multiple applications with curing times of at least 12 hours for each coat.
For optimum curing, concrete surfaces should be bone dry, and at least 55°F, and air temperatures should be between 60-90°F. Plan on at least a day of prep time (more if you have to fill holes and patch cracks in the concrete floor) and at least two days of painting time to complete a garage floor.
Epoxy floor coating finishes are naturally shiny, which makes them easy to clean but slick when wet (anti-skid additives can be added to give surfaces more traction).
There are some concrete surfaces, such as those that suffer from dampness or those that are already sealed, that are unsuited to epoxy floor coatings. New concrete must have cured for at least 30 days before epoxy coatings can be applied.
If you want to hire out the work, data from HomeAdvisor show that having a professional lay down an epoxy floor will cost you between $3 to $12 per square foot, with an average two-car garage floor costing anywhere from $1,200 to $6,000 to complete. Before you hire a contractor, ask how they plan to prep the floor, what type of Epoxy they will be using, and how many coats they will be applying.
It is recommended that professionals should apply three layers of 100% epoxy with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Get multiple quotes, and check the contractors’ references.
How to Apply Epoxy Floor Coatings?
Prefer to tackle it yourself? Read the epoxy floor coating manufacturer’s instructions before you start, and use these step-by-step instructions as your guide. What You’ll Need:
- Two-part Epoxy paint
- Flat-edge shovel or scraper
- Shop vacuum
- Garden hose
- Power scrubber with brush attachment or long-handled acid brush
- Stiff-bristle brush
- Rubber squeegee
- Plastic sprinkler can
- Drill with stirring bit
- Paintbrushes
- 9-inch medium-nap roller and roller pole
- Duct tape
- Plastic bag
- Cleaning/degreasing solution
- Rubber gloves
- Respirator
- 32% muriatic acid
- cleaning concrete floor
- Clean concrete surfaces.
If necessary, use a flat-edged shovel or scraper to remove hardened debris. Then, vacuum the garage floor. Prepare a cleaning/degreasing solution according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Wearing rubber gloves, use a stiff-bristle brush and the solution to scrub off any grease or oil stains.
Wet flooring
Use a hose to wet the entire floor with water. Working in 5-foot-square sections, use a power scrubber with a brush attachment and the degreaser to clean the entire floor. Use the stiff-bristle brush to scrub the corners and along the walls where the machine can’t reach. After the floor is clean, use a rubber squeegee to pull soapy water into a central area.
Remove the solution with a wet-dry vac. Check with your county’s environmental office to see if you are allowed to dispose of the solution by flushing it down the toilet.
Prepare acid-etching mixture
Pour a gallon of water into a plastic sprinkler can. Wearing a vapor respirator, pour 12 ounces of 32% muriatic acid into 15 cups of water (for smaller or larger amounts, use 1 part acid to 10 parts water) in the sprinkler can. Mix the solution for a few seconds with a paint stirrer. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over a 10×10-foot area.
Scrub and etch
Power-scrub the 10×10-foot area for 10 minutes or use a long-handled acid brush (to save on equipment rental). Repeat the sprinkling/scrubbing process until the entire floor is acid etched. Rinse three times to flush acid residue. Let the floor dry overnight.
Mix epoxy coating
Following the manufacturer’s instructions, use a drill and stirring bit to mix together the two epoxy solutions. To ensure complete blending, pour the mixture into a second bucket and power-mix the paint again.
Apply along the perimeter
Start applying the epoxy coating around the perimeter of the garage. Using duct tape, tape the area directly beneath the garage door. Brush a 4-inch strip of Epoxy against the tape and along the garage walls.
Roll on Epoxy
Use a 9-inch-wide roller with a medium nap to paint the floor. Attach the roller to a pole. Then, dip the roller into the bucket of Epoxy so only the bottom half of the roller is covered. (This loads the roller with the right amount of Epoxy.)
Working in a 4-foot-square area, apply Epoxy to the garage floor in a large “W” pattern. Backroll to fill in the pattern and remove any roller marks.
Make sure edges remain wet as you move from section to section to prevent noticeable seams from forming. Let the first coat dry per the manufacturer’s instructions.
Apply a second coat
If you don’t want a glossy floor (they are slippery when wet), add a non-skid floor coating into the Epoxy for the second coat. Stir with the drill and stirring bit. Repeat Step 7. Want to add color flakes? Scatter them lightly while the area is still wet-add more flakes until you create your desired pattern.
Finish your epoxy floors
Mask off and paint the bottom 4 inches of the garage or basement wall with the epoxy mix used on the floor. This border creates a cohesive look that also acts as a protective baseboard.
Conclusion
A metallic epoxy coating is a seamless, multi-layered epoxy system. It uses metallic powder and thousands of tiny, glitter-esque pigments. These pigments and powders get mixed into a clear epoxy resin.
When we pour the coating onto the floor, the colors and dyes become agitated. The pigments twist, turn, separate, and combine to reflect light. As it hardens, it forms gorgeous three-dimensional patterns.
These can be waves, swirls, and ripples. You can select any of these designs based on your preference. Also, you get unique choices of color, depth, and texture. As a result, options for customizing your metallic floor are genuinely endless. That’s why metallic coatings have become so trendy in ritzy areas that are looking for glamor.
How much does it cost to epoxy garage floor?
Epoxy garage floors cost between $1,447 to $3,006, with the national average at $2,227. If you’re tired of the plain concrete flooring in your garage, you may be interested in long-lasting epoxy flooring. Epoxy is a rugged and durable finish that will transform dull garage flooring into a gleaming surface.
Is it worth it to epoxy garage floor?
Epoxy flooring protects the underlying concrete from moisture, stains, grease and cracks. In the long run, this can save you a great deal on cleaning and maintenance costs by eliminating the need to clean carpet or grout. It’s also very reasonably priced for the duration and level of protection that it offers.
Why you should not epoxy your garage floor?
Steer Clear of Epoxy on Your Garage Flooring- #1: Epoxy has Weak Adhesion. Compared to paint, epoxy has far stronger adhesion. …
- #2: Epoxy Takes Multiple Days to Fully Cure. …
- #3: Epoxy Fades. …
- #4: It Can Stick to the Wrong Places! …
- #5: Poor Flexibility. …
- #6: Cooler Temp Applications Are Tough.
- Which Is Better Epoxy Or Stained Concrete? - March 30, 2022
- What Is The Difference Between Resurfacing And Refacing Kitchen Cabinets? - March 30, 2022
- What Is The Epoxy Coating For Basement? - March 30, 2022
