Uses For Epoxy Table Top Resin

September 19, 2016

Today we will discuss all the uses of Epoxy.com Product #214 Table Top Resin.

So many of you are now scratching your head, trying to figure out how I can devote an entire article to what to use our epoxy table top resin for.

Characteristics

Product #214 Water Clear Epoxy Casting – Tabletop Resin – Bar Top Resin is an all-purpose, low viscosity epoxy resin system for coating wood and concrete counter tops, tabletops, bar tops and similar applications. It has excellent clarity and color retention. Our clear casting resin and tabletop resin / bar top Epoxy has zero (0) VOC making it essentially odorless and can therefore be used in occupied areas. It de-bubbles and flattens a lot easier than similar materials.

Casting Resin

Our epoxy table top resin is frequently used as “casting resin”. It is poured into forms typically made out of silicone. The material is allowed to harden and then forms removed. This can be for very small parts or it can be used for very large parts.

Table Top Resin as Flooring

Product #214 Epoxy Table Top Resin can be used when a super flat floor is required. It is possible to get a floor as flat as water. This is important under certain types of machinery such as MRI machines and equipment used to product high precision parts for use in items like space satellites.

Other Uses

Product #214 Epoxy Table Top Resin can also be used to make tiles. After they cure they can be installed with conventional methods or with Product #225 Epoxy Tile Grout.

The epoxy table top resin that we sell has also been used for dance floors, stages, theme parks and homes to produce a floor to simulate water. Often times this is done with rocks and other objects in the epoxy to give the appearance of steam, a river, a lake, or the ocean. At the same time it allows a super flat finish that allows dancing, and all the things normally associated with a flat floor.

 

Advantages of Clear Table Top Resin #214

  • Low odor for use in occupied areas
  • Low viscosity – good wetting properties
  • Meets USDA standards for use in food handling applications
  • Glossy finish
  • Stain resistant
  • Zero (0) VOC – No VOC means it meets the toughest low VOC standards.

For More information email me a norm@epoxy.com, visit our website at: http://www.epoxy.com and join us on Facebook and Twitter


New Conductive Epoxy Primer

September 15, 2016

Epoxy.com is proud to announce Product #659. This is a  conductive primer that makes our existing conductive epoxy topcoat products even better.  Here is summary of the material:


CONDUCTIVE EPOXY PRIMER

Epoxy.com Product #659


DESCRIPTION

Product #659 Conductive Epoxy Primer is a water-based, two component, carbon filled conductive epoxy primer designed for use with various Epoxy.com Conductive Systems.Product #659  has very low odor making it suitable for use in occupied buildings.

ADVANTAGES

  • For Use with Various Epoxy.com Conductive Systems
  • Maintains Electrical Conductivity Performance over the Wear Life of the System
  • Fast Dry Time
  • Low Odor During Application and Cure
  • VOC Compliant in all 50 US States, Meets USGBC LEED Requirements

CONSIDERATIONS

  • Substrate must be above 50°F and relative humidity below 85% for proper curing.
  • Substrate must be properly prepared following Epoxy.com recommendations and free of dirt, waxes, curing agents and other foreign materials
  • Excessive moisture in the substrate will require a moisture vapor control treatment like Product #830
  • Concrete substrate must be insulated with a non-conductive
    epoxy primer/base coat like Product #12 Chemical Resistant Epoxy Primer or Product #899 Epoxy Primer  prior to application of Product #659 Conductive Epoxy Primer. Consult with Epoxy.com Technical Department for recommendations.
  • Must be top coated with a conductive top coating like Product #1ESD, or Product #630 Conductive.

APPLICATION

SURFACE PREPARATION

Surface Preparation is the most critical portion of any successful resinous flooring system application. All substrates must be properly prepared and tested for moisture as outlined in installation procedures or as recommended by Epoxy.com.

BATCHING, MIXING & INSTALLATION

 

Product #659 Conductive Epoxy Primer:
PART A 1 quart to
PART B 3 quarts to
Clean Water 8 volume ounces (6% by volume of water)
Total 4.125 quarts

Coverage (250 square feet/gal.) 265.6 square feet per batch

Pre-mix Product #659 Conductive Epoxy Primer  part B prior to combining with part A. Mix 1 part A with 3 parts B for 2-3 minutes with a low-speed jiffy mixer, scraping sides and bottom of mix vessel. Continue mixing and add 6% by volume clean potable water and continue mixing for 1 additional minute.

Immediately spread and back roll mixed Product #659 Conductive Epoxy Primer at a rate of 250 ft2 per gallon with a short nap roller over previously applied non-conductive epoxy primer/base coat.Care should be taken to avoid puddles. Allow to cure minimum 12 hours (at 75°F) to maximum 24 hours before coating with specified topcoat.

Important: Test Product #659 Conductive Epoxy Primer with ohm meter prior to top coating to confirm acceptable level of conductivity is achieved. If test readings are higher than 25,000 ohms, contact Epoxy.com Technical Support Department for further instructions before installing specified topcoat.

Top Coat with a conductive top coating like Product #1ESD, or Product #630 Conductive.

CLEAN-UP

Clean skin with soap and water. Tools and equipment should be cleaned with warm soapy water, xylene or lacquer thinner. Consult Material Safety Data for safety and health precautions.

COMPOSITION

Waterborne Epoxy Resin and Conductive Filler. Color: Black.

COVERAGE

Product #659 Conductive Epoxy Primer applied at 250 ft2 per gallon yields 2.7 mils dry film thickness.

TECHNICAL DATA (@ 75°F, 50% RH)

Viscosity 500-1000 CPS
Mixing Ratio 1 Part A to 3 Parts B by Volume
Solids Content, by volume 45%, thinned
Volatile Organic Content (VOC) <10 g/L
Bond Strength to Concrete 300-400+ psi (100% concrete failure)
Shelf Life 6 months when properly stored

CURE/DRY TIME (@ 75°F, 50% RH)

Pot Life 20-30 minutes
Dry to Touch 6-8 hours
Recoat (Refer to testing requirements) 12-24 hours
 Light Traffic 24 hours

For more information, visit us on line at Epoxy.com, email me at norm@epoxy.com or call Epoxy.com Technical Support at 352-533-2167.

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Epoxy Over Epoxy

June 28, 2016

A customer writes: “I installed your Product #1 All Purpose Epoxy Coating on our floor about 20 years ago.  The floor is not warn out or pealing.  It does have scratches where pallets with nails sticking out the bottom has scratched the surface. I want to change the color to our company color anyway, so I want to re-coat the whole floor. How do I proceed from here?”

You will want to sand the existing floor removing all the shine.  It sounds like there was quality installation and surface prep, since you have no lifting or pealing. If you should have any that is loose you need  to completely remove loose coating .  Solvent wipe with Xylene. Lets solvent dry and apply your epoxy normally.

CAUTION:  Epoxy doesn’t like sticking to epoxy unless you do your surface prep meticulously.  I always recommend doing a test patch to test your surface preparation before you proceed with doing the rest of the floor. This can be done by placing a small test patch or patches. Let them harden overnight and then try removing them with a putty knife, screw driver of similar method to insure it is well bonded.

For more information please contact Epoxy.com Technical Support Department by email at: info@epoxy.com or by phone 353-533-2167.


Installing Epoxy Novolac #633

February 22, 2016

Epoxy.com Product #633 Novolac Epoxy Coating is installed basically in 3 Steps.

  1. Properly prepare the substratemixing-Epoxy
  2. Apply 1 coat of Epoxy.com Product #899 Primer at a rate of 250 to 300 SF per gallon per coat.
  3. Apply 2 coats of Epoxy.com Product #633 at a rate of 160 to 200 SF per gallon per coat.

Product #899 Epoxy Primer and Product #633 Coating are mixed and applied the same way. These are the only differences:

  1. The spread rate
  2. The optional anti-skid is typically only added to the #633

For the sake of simplicity the procedure for mixing and installing is mentioned once below because the three coats apply virtually the same way.

Before You Start

Before you start you will want to read the following.

  • Do with Epoxies – The things that you don’t want to forget to do when using epoxy.
  • Don’ts with Epoxies – Don’t do any of these things when using epoxy.
  • Surface Preparation – Surface preparation sets the foundation for your application. If you want your job to work better and last longer be sure to read and follow these steps.
  • For a list of job supplies to install a chip flooring see www.epoxy.com/job-supplies.aspx
  • Be sure to mix both the A and the B sides of your material before starting. Be sure to use a clean stir stick or mixing paddle for both. Do not cross contaminate.

Optional Cove

Cove Base Installation – Epoxy Cove installation used to be very difficult to install. With Epoxy.com Products and this installation guide, this job is made much easier.

Primer

When installing over concrete or wood you will first want to prime with Product #899 Epoxy Primer –www.epoxy.com/899.aspx. The purpose of this primer is to go on thin (250-300 square feet per gallon) and seal the floor so you do not get air or moisture coming up into your epoxy coating which will be going on thick (160-200 square feet per gallon). The 899 epoxy primer is also thinner than the coating and so it flows out better. Over stainless steel, aluminum and galvanized metal use Epoxy.com Product #660 Aluminum Filled for the primer.

 

MIXING INSTRUCTIONS

 

Mixing is by far the most important part of installation. One method to insure accurateEpoxy_Measure_2 mix ratios is to put measurements on sticks with the appropriate mix ratio. In the case of the 899 and 633 this is 2 Parts A to 1 Part B, so you might do 3 inches “A” to 1.5 inch of “B”

It is sometimes helpful to put some duct tape on the A stick. It will help you to see your line when using the pigmented “A” side

Be sure to properly protect the floor where you will be doing your mixing.Epoxy_Measure_1

Stir the Resin “A” and the Hardener “B ”each separately in their original container before measuring and mixing the two together. Be careful to use separate stir sticks so not to cross contaminate.

Temperature of Epoxy.com Product #899 Primer and Epoxy.com Products #1, #2 and #633 must be 50 degrees F or above at time of mixing. Stir each component separately before blending. Mix two parts by volume of Part A with one part by volume of Part B for three minutes with a low speed electric drill motor equipped with a mixing paddle. Be sure the mixing paddle is large enough to mix the material completely.  You will want to use a “propeller” type mixer with blades 5 inches or bigger.

Preparing to Mix Resin and Hardener Together

  • A 5 gallon metal pail or 5 gallon plastic pail makes a great mixing110614_2044_EpoxyChipFl10.png bucket.
  • Always be sure that your mix bucket is clean and is not contaminated with anything before you mix.
  • Some people like to use the two bucket method. That allows your person mixing to be mixing while your install people are installing the last bucket.
  • If you start to show signs of your material hardening in the mix bucket, start using a new one.

Mixing Tools

  • Typically you will want to use a paddle mixer, that goes into a low speed drill.
  • Your drill mixer should be large enough to stir the entire batch at once. A mixer that only moves only the partial contents of the pail, may result in inadequate mixing. Be sure that you use a clean mixing paddle. A dirty mixing paddle can result in poor mixing or contamination of the batch.
  • When mixing try not to whip any unnecessary air into your mix, by using the slowest drill speed and keeping the mixing paddle reasonably level.

Mixing110614_2044_EpoxyChipFl7.png

  • Carefully measure out the “A” resin and the “B” hardener into two other containers.
  • Pour “A” resin into your mixing bucket and then pour the “B” hardener into the mixing bucket. Always pour the “A” first and then the “B”
  • Stir for 3 minutes, being sure to scrape the bottom and sides as you mix.mixing-Epoxy

If Anti-Skid Course or Anti-Skid Fine is to be used add 12-16 volume ounces per mixed gallon, and mix until properly dispersed, typically 1-2 minutes.

Doing the Trim

• Trim around all the areas that are difficult to roll.

• Remember not to get two far ahead, you don’t want the material to set up before it is 110614_2044_EpoxyChipFl14.pngbroadcast.

• Also remember to pull the duct tape while the material is still wet

APPLICATION

Epoxy.com Product #899 can be applied with a brush, roller or squeegee at a rate of 250-300 square feet per gallon.  Remember that if you put it on too thick you can get bubbles in the 899 Epoxy Primer. The important thing is to 110614_2044_EpoxyChipFl17.pngcompletely wet out the concrete without leaving excessive material. Allow the 899 primer to cure until hard.  Typically, 10-12 hours at 75 degrees F.  Do not allow more than 24 hours between this coat and the coat of coating to follow it. Epoxy.com 899 Primer typically requires only 1 coat.

The Epoxy.com Product #633 Novolac Epoxy Coating is typically applied at a rate of 160-200 SF per gallon per coat. Typically, 2 coats of Epoxy.com Product #633 High Chemical Resistance Epoxy are required. These coatings can be applied with the same tools as #899 Epoxy Prime.110614_2044_EpoxyChipFl20.png

When Product #633 is applied over concrete or wood, prime with Product #899 Epoxy Primer and allow the Product #899 Primer to cure to tack free. Over stainless steel, aluminum and galvanized metal use Epoxy.com Product #660 Aluminum Filled for the primer. Be sure to install the 633 within 24 hours of the installation of the primer.

For typical installations as a coating apply 2 coats of Product #633 Novolac Epoxy at a rate of 160-200 square feet per gallon per coat. This yields a wet film thickness of 8-10 mils thick per coat or 16 – 20 mils for the two coats. Since this is a 100% solids Resin and Hardener system, there is no loss during drying, so the wet film thickness and the dry film thickness for 2 coats will be identical (16-20 mils DFT). Be sure to install the second coat after the 1st coat is hard enough to walk on but before 24 hours after the installation of the previous coating.

If Anti-Skid Fine or Anti-Skid Course epoxy anti-skid additive is used add plus or minus 12 volume ounces of Anti-Skid per mixed gallon of Product #633. Never add more than 16 volume ounces per gallon of Resin and Hardener mix.

In summary:

Step 1. Good Surface Preparation

Step 2. Apply 1 coat of Epoxy.com Product #899, at a rate of 250-300 SF per gallon

Step 3. Apply 2 coats of the appropriate Product #633 Highly Chemical Resistant Novolac Epoxy Coating. Add optional anti-skid if required.

For additional help please contact Epoxy.com Technical Support at 352-533-2167 or email norm@epoxy.com.

Additional Resources:

www.epoxy.com/899.aspx

www.epoxy.com/660.aspx

www.epoxy.com/633.aspx