Folsom is growing by leaps and bounds. If you travel down Placerville Road past the El Dorado Freeway, you see giant areas of residential housing in all phases of development. In addition, many home and business owners throughout Folsom are looking to improve their property. Whether your development or improvement will be indoor or outdoor, it will no doubt involve concrete – as the foundation, the floor, or additional structures. It’s important to protect your Folsom concrete so that it lasts a full lifetime, and there’s no better way to do that than with epoxy coatings!
But in many cases, especially with new housing developments, there is often a rush to complete projects in sequence. Occasionally, contractors or homeowners work on more than one project at a time, and without good planning, a risky overlap could happen. For epoxy coatings, it’s vital to apply them when the concrete is at the right stage.
Green Means Wait
Creating a concrete floor starts with concrete in a liquid state. It’s spread out over a prepared area, and once in position, the concrete is allowed to set. This involves letting the moisture in the concrete evaporate. When concrete is in this evaporation stage, it’s referred to as being “green.” Most concrete stays green for about 28 days, depending on surrounding temperature, humidity, and shading. The original concrete mixture also comes into play. For instance, some mixtures are meant for industrial strength, and might take longer in the green stage.
It’s important to leave the concrete alone and not apply epoxy coatings until after it is set. If you try to apply epoxy coatings on green concrete, the surface of the concrete may still contain moisture that will be trapped under the epoxy floor. Not only will the concrete be weaker, but wear and tear on the epoxy floor may cause the concrete underneath to flake off, leaving an unsightly floor.
Past the Green Concrete
How do know when concrete had matured past the green stage? Experts in the industry use tests at different intervals to monitor the progress of the concrete. West Coast Epoxy also uses tests to verify your concrete’s ability to bond with epoxy coatings. But remember that most concrete stays green for a month. That gives you an opportunity to schedule other building or renovating projects, so they do not overlap or get in the way of your maturing concrete.
As you patiently wait for your concrete to stabilize, check in with West Coast Epoxy and discuss with us what customizations you’d like for your epoxy floor. There are many options, including:
- Micas
- Flakes
- Granules
- Gloss finishes
- Marbled finishes
- Coved flooring
- Embedded logos or pictures
- No-slip finish
- Matching countertops
You can also combine some of these options to create something unique to your home or business. Honestly, the best time to discuss the look and feel of your epoxy coatings is before the concrete is green, before it’s even poured. Give our office a call or send us a request for a free onsite consultation using our online form. Whether you’re building a new home in Folsom or adding to your existing one, West Coast Epoxy is here to help you protect your concrete once it is ready!