With a mixture of resin and a hardening chemical, epoxy flooring is a unique material that seals the floor surface, making it durable, long-lasting, and highly resistant to stains, liquids, and more.
And on top of that, epoxy flooring comes available in many different colors and styles and can provide the floor with a glossy and appealing finish.
Epoxy is often used as a sealer, or as a final layer in the process of painting a floor, so as a general rule it is completely possible to put epoxy over paint.
In fact, that is often how epoxy flooring works! You paint the floors, then you seal it with epoxy! Unless you’re just applying epoxy, which is also fine.
However, there are some instances in which the epoxy floor will not be able to adhere to the pre-existing paint. Mainly, if that paint has already been sealed.
If this is the case, then you will first have to remove the top coating of the sealer so that the paint underneath is exposed once more, and then the epoxy will be able to be applied without further issue.
There are many different ways in which a coating of sealer can be removed from the floor, and there are different abrasive tools or products that can help you along the way.
The most common solution is to simply sand down the sealer until it is completely removed. Then you clean the entire surface, make sure it is smooth and in good condition, and you can apply the epoxy floor right on!
Can you Epoxy a painted concrete floor?
Concrete floors are amongst the most popular when it comes to using epoxy, as the epoxy will make the concrete flooring incredibly durable and resistant, as well as giving it a more appealing finish.
For example, epoxy is the highest recommended product, on average, to use on basement concrete floors!
But what if your concrete floor is already painted? Can you simply add the epoxy on top? Or will the epoxy struggle to adhere to the surface and fail?
Once again, it depends on the state the surface itself is in. As a general rule, there are no issues with adding epoxy to an already painted surface.
In fact, having the concrete be painted can help the epoxy adhere even better, and it can provide overall better results and an extra layer of protection and durability.
So while epoxy can adhere to paint without issues, it cannot adhere onto another sealer, as the surface will be too slick and glossy to grasp on to, and the epoxy will essentially not be able to remain on it properly.
So basically, if you want to put epoxy on your already painted concrete floor, you first have to check whether it has been sealed or not, and if it has, you need to remove the coating of the sealer on top.
To check whether your concrete floor has been sealed or not, there is a very easy test you can perform. Just spill a few drops of water onto the floor.
Does the water stay on top? Then it is sealed! Is the water slowly absorbed into the floor?
Then the floor is not sealed, and probably should be! (Don’t worry, adding epoxy to the concrete floor is the same as adding a sealer, and the epoxy will be a great layer of protection, as well as making the floor completely waterproof!)
There are other methods, but abrasive techniques are usually the most effective. Once this is done, you can add the epoxy over the paint.
How long does Epoxy paint last on a concrete floor?
Epoxy floors are incredibly durable, and they work especially well with concrete floors, increasing the lifespan and providing a great layer of protection.
On average, epoxy paint will last between 10 and 20 years when applied to a concrete floor. This is far more durable than a regular painted concrete floor, so the epoxy paint truly is worth it!
