The cure schedule
How long until you can use the floor
Examples for three common systems. The data sheet for the system on your estimate sets the real times; ask for it and we send it before you book.
| Time after the last coat | Polyaspartic with flake | Urethane cement | Epoxy with flake |
|---|---|---|---|
| On site | Polyaspartic with flake1 day | Urethane cement2 to 3 days | Epoxy with flake2 days |
| Foot traffic | Polyaspartic with flakeThe same afternoon | Urethane cementNext day | Epoxy with flakeNext day |
| Tools and shop carts | Polyaspartic with flakeNext day | Urethane cement2 days | Epoxy with flake2 days |
| Cars back in | Polyaspartic with flake1 to 2 days | Urethane cement3 days | Epoxy with flake5 to 7 days |
| Forklifts and heavy racks | Polyaspartic with flake3 days | Urethane cement3 to 5 days | Epoxy with flake7 days |
| Wash-down and chemicals | Polyaspartic with flakeAbout 3 days | Urethane cementAbout 7 days | Epoxy with flakeAbout 7 days |
| Floor mats and rubber | Polyaspartic with flakeWait the full cure | Urethane cementWait the full cure | Epoxy with flakeWait the full cure |
| A cold or damp slab | Polyaspartic with flakeAdds a day or more | Urethane cementAdds days | Epoxy with flakeAdds days |
What slows a cure
Four things that add days
A cold slab
Concrete in an unheated garage cures slowly in a Wisconsin winter. We heat the space and the slab, and we move the day if we cannot.
A damp slab
Water in the concrete keeps a coating from curing and bonding. We test first.
A thick build
Two clear coats and a heavy flake broadcast take longer than one thin coat.
Damp air
Humid days slow a cure and can cloud a clear coat. We watch the forecast and the air in the garage.
After the install
Your first two weeks on the floor
A typical flake epoxy floor. Your estimate lists the exact days for your system.
Step 1: Day of the last coat
Stay off it. Keep the door shut and pets and tires out.
Step 2: Next day
Foot traffic in socks or clean soft shoes. No dragging.
Step 3: Day two
Light tools and a rolling cart, if the system allows. Check the estimate.
Step 4: Around day seven
Cars back in. Park straight in and do not turn the wheels while stopped.
Step 5: Two weeks
Mats, rubber and wash-down. Clean with a soft mop and a mild cleaner from the data sheet.
Cure questions
Why do the times differ by system?
Each product cures by its own chemistry. Polyaspartics cure fast, epoxies slower, urethane cement in between. The data sheet gives the times at a stated slab and air condition.
Can you coat in winter?
We coat in winter by heating the space and the slab before and during the install. If we cannot get a slab dry and warm enough for the product on your data sheet, we move the day instead of coating it. Ask for the data sheet; it sets the limits.
What if it rains or the slab gets wet?
We stop. We do not coat a wet slab, and we move the day. A weather move is not an extra charge.
Ask for the data sheet.
Tell us the system you are considering and we send its data sheet before you book.