When you have a plain concrete floor in your basement, its unfinished appearance can be a bit unattractive with its grey color and assortment of stains and cracks. However, a basement floor is generally not the best surface to apply carpeting or other non-moisture-resistant surfaces. As such, this makes it necessary for you to look at some other flooring options to improve the basement's appearance and protect the concrete floor from stains and damage. For this reason, a concrete floor epoxy coating is a good way to finish your floor. Here are some tips and instructions to help you prepare and coat your basement floor in an epoxy coating treatment.
Consider Your Finish Options
There are a variety of concrete basement floor treatments you can choose from when you are preparing to finish its surface. Concrete is a great medium in which you can apply a stain that penetrates into the concrete's pores and makes the finish resistant to damage. You can also apply epoxy paint to the concrete or use a clear coating finish so that you can apply colored flecks to the surface to give it visual interest to your space.
You can also consider grinding down the surface of the concrete to expose the aggregate within the concrete and give the floor an attractive and decorative appearance, which you can seal with a clear coat of epoxy. Another option is to polish the concrete floor to give it a smooth shiny appearance, similar to a polished stone of granite or marble slab.
Prepare the Floor
Once you have selected the type of finish you want to apply onto your concrete floor, you will need to make sure the surface is prepared to accept this process. This will prevent your new finish from peeling up, cracking off, or failing in any way. First, look over the surface of your concrete floor for any cracks and other damage you want to patch. If you choose to apply an epoxy finish over bare concrete or a stain, for example, any damage on the concrete floor will still be visible. Additionally, you also don't want the cracks to further widen as this can result in your surface epoxy chipping off in some areas.
Apply a concrete patch compound to fill the cracks, making sure you level the edges. If you need to, use a concrete sander to smooth the edges of the repair once the patch has cured. The floor needs to be level and smooth in order to avoid any damage. Next, clean the floor with a concrete cleaner to remove stains, oils, and other materials that prevent the epoxy from adhering or that make the floor look unattractive. Contact a basement floor coating service for more information.