Choosing a floor coating or concrete covering can seem easy, but making a mistake can be very costly later on. Picking the wrong product might result in it not sticking well, or it could wear out much faster than you expect. This poor choice? It means you’ll have to pay twice as much to remove the bad coating and apply a fresh layer of the right one.
Let’s explore the different reasons why choosing the wrong concrete floor covering will actually be a whole lot more expensive for you.
Poor Adhesion
Applying a cheap or wrong type of coating won’t stick well to your concrete. This means it is more likely to quickly start peeling and flaking off, typically just within months after putting it on. So you’ll have to pay extra for removal of the failed material, go through a messy process of extracting it, and buy and apply another layer (the proper one this time!) of product. It’s double the bill for prep and materials.
Chemical Damage
If your floor needs to resist harsh chemicals but you only choose a standard paint instead of a chemical-resistant epoxy, it’s a recipe for disaster. The solvents will only eat right through it, damaging the coating and the concrete underneath. Repairing all these and coating it with the correct material only doubles your expenses.
Moisture Problems
Moisture from the ground moves upward with concrete. But if your coating isn’t breathable or lacks special waterproofing materials, then the trapped moisture beneath will create bubbles and blisters. This will cause the coating to lift completely, totally erasing all the hard work you’ve put in, so now you have to fix the moisture issue and pay for a new, correct coating.
Delamination from Heat
In areas exposed to high heat, like near a furnace or a welding station, getting low-quality coating can soften and detach from the concrete. This delamination leaves you with a damaged, patchy floor. In turn, you’ll have to pay to prepare the surface again and apply a heat-tolerant industrial coating instead.
Abrasion Failure
A soft coating in a high-traffic area like a busy garage or workshop will show wear sooner than you think. Heavy foot traffic or tires turning quickly on this surface will quickly grind it away, so you’ll have to spend more money on replacement materials and labor sooner than you expected. It only proves that paying for durability upfront is actually worth it.
Warranty Void
Using the wrong prep methods or incompatible primer combinations typically voids the manufacturer’s warranty. When your coating fails early, you have no recourse left. This means you shoulder the entire cost of stripping the failure and replacing the system out of your own pocket.
Wrapping Up
So, the key takeaway is simple: getting a quality concrete coating right from the start is an investment, not just an expense. Don’t skimp on the correct material to save a little cash now, because it might only cost your wallet more sooner than you think.
