Concrete Floor Preparation Hub

You must allow new concrete to cure fully to release excess moisture. The industry standard is 4 weeks per inch of concrete depth. For a standard 4-inch slab, this means waiting roughly 3–4 months. We strongly recommend testing the moisture content; it must be below 75% Relative Humidity (RH) before applying any resin coating.

Yes. Concrete is like a sponge—it is porous. If you apply a topcoat directly, the concrete will suck the resin in, leaving the surface weak and likely to peel. A dedicated primer seals the substrate, prevents air bubbles (pin-holing), and creates a sticky surface for your topcoat to bond to.

No. Powerfloated concrete (smooth, shiny finish) is too dense for acid to penetrate effectively. You must use mechanical preparation (diamond grinding or shot blasting) to break the "surface tension" and create a key. Using acid on a powerfloated floor is the #1 cause of coating failure in industrial settings.

For light-duty residential garages, Acid Etching is an acceptable DIY method if the concrete is open and porous. However, Diamond Grinding is superior in every way. It removes weak surface laitance, levels bumps, and guarantees the perfect mechanical profile for the paint to grip.

You cannot simply wash oil off the top; you must draw it out. Oil penetrates deep into the concrete capillaries. We recommend using a high-strength Industrial Degreaser and scrubbing vigorously. For deep stains, multiple treatments may be needed. If oil remains, the paint will not stick to that specific spot.

If your floor was built before the 1980s, it likely lacks a DPM. To check, tape a square of clear plastic sheeting to the floor and leave it for 24 hours. If the concrete under the plastic looks dark or has water droplets, you have rising damp. In this case, you must use a "Surface Damp Proof Primer" before painting.

Only if the existing paint is sound (not flaking) and compatible. You should perform a Solvent Rub Test: rub the old paint with a rag soaked in Xylene. If the old paint softens or dissolves, it is a single-pack paint, and you cannot put a heavy-duty epoxy over it. If it stays hard, just sand it down to create a key, clean it, and recoat.

Laitance is a weak, milky layer of cement dust and water that rises to the top of curing concrete. It looks solid, but it is very brittle. If you paint over it, the paint will stick to the laitance, and the laitance will snap off the concrete, causing your floor to peel in sheets. It must be removed via grinding or etching.