Learning About 100% Solids Epoxy Floor Coating

What is 100% solids epoxy floor coating?

As the name “100% solid” suggests, the coating itself does not contain any water or solvents that could evaporate while curing, it will maintain 100% of its thickness, body and shape after cure.

How do we measure the thickness of the coating?

There are two ways of measuring thickness after the coatings are applies. Wet film thickness (WFT) and dry film thickness (DFT). The coating or paint is measured twice before and after it has dried.

The percentage of the paint thickness that still remains after it has dried or the gap between WFT and DFT is what the percentage is based on. It’s common that the percentage of the solidity of the coating or paint decreased after the drying process is over. The solution is to repaint it or add more coating until the desired thickness had been achieved.

In a more technical calculation, a 50% solid requires two processes of coating at 20mm of thickness to achieve DFT of 20mm. The difference with 100% solids is that they don’t need two processes of coating. They can maintain the same level of thickness when they are applied and after they have finished drying thus maintaining 100% thickness.

Advantages

The biggest advantages of using 100% solids coating are lower time consumed and the absence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). A lot of DIY customers have had great success with 100% solids epoxy coating, because of the extremely short pot life and cure time of only 30 minutes. Rapid drying is a big selling point for some businesses where time is essential. Also because of the drying times are so short the coatings are not mixed until they are sprayed from a spray gun.

VOCs are created from evaporating solvents exist in lower solids coatings, and it can be dangerous in a small environment or confined spaces as it causes health hazards for workers. Perfect for DIY consumers who are cautious.

Disadvantages

That being said 100% solids coating isn’t always good for every situation. The cost of a few more coats of paint won’t exceed the price of a more expensive paint. Rapid drying time isn’t always a plus either, especially if a scheduled maintenance already established or something other than drying time is keeping your equipment from being in service, in this caserapid drying time won’t give you any benefits.

For DIY customers who have never used 100% solids epoxy floor coating, rapid drying time can be a big problem too. Since the coatings can dry faster than they are applied it may causes many problems. Poor surface preparation may shorten the life expectancy of your coatings system.

Why do we recommend it?

100% solids epoxy floor coating is really appreciated by professionals. Rapid drying time allows them to do their job much faster and more efficient than less solids coating. The work will be done in no time, the coatings can be walked over in a matter of hours, perfect for consumers who want their equipment working again as soon as possible.

Additionally, you can choose the option to add more fibers to many high solids coating formulations. This ensures that you will get more support for your structures for years to come, actively increasing the life span of your coatings.

Weighing between the pros and cons of 100% solids epoxy coating and calculating what type of coating you need for your needs or businesses can lead to a more efficient business maintenance, time or money wise.

Keep in mind that 100% solids are not the solutions for everything. The options that consumers can choose are very versatile so it’s unwise to lock onto one option before doing some research.

Contact Zeraus to consult on which type of epoxy coatings is preferable for you.