Why You Should Use An Epoxy Primer

One of the most common questions we get asked is "do I need to use an epoxy floor primer?" The answer is absolutely. If you’re aiming for the best possible adhesion and a flawless finish, primer is essential. Here’s why it should always be a key part of your floor preparation process.

Deciding whether to use an epoxy floor primer is a subject that is often overlooked by many businesses that are investing in a premium floor coating. In fact, many people aren’t aware that floor primers exist, believe they aren’t needed, or just see it as an additional cost.

The installation of a new floor requires a lot of carefully considered processes. Floor preparation, including floor primer, can save you time, effort, and money.

Here are the benefits of an epoxy floor primer:

- Epoxy primers are thin, providing a better adhesion as it penetrated into the concrete substrate allowing a better bond.

- Primers provide a better chemical bond when using thicker epoxy base coats. This results in a longer lasting and a more durable concrete floor coating.

- Elimination of air bubbles and pinhole that are formed due to the outgassing of the concrete*

Ability to achieve a higher dry film thickness and coating uniformity as it is not soaking into the concrete.

- Effective in providing a moisture resistance for concrete flooring that has moisture problems.

- Primers form a tenacious waterproof barrier for concrete flooring that is devoid of an effective Damp Proof Membrane (DPM) which usually results in virtually any paint lifting and peeling off the surface.

- Most epoxy primers are moisture tolerant and work well when being applied on concrete that has not fully dried from being cleaned or acid etched.

- Some primers are specifically manufactured as oil blocking primers. These solvent based primers are designed to cover concrete that has been contaminated by oil and can’t be completely cleaned.