Epoxy’s Color Spectrum Customization At Your Fingertips
Metallic epoxy floors offer a beautiful design solution that transforms any space. But they also require careful maintenance to ensure that the finished floor retains its durability and luster.
When epoxy resin comes into contact with skin, immediately soak the affected area with vinegar or isopropyl alcohol. Repeat as needed to keep the adhesive from damaging the skin.
Fresh Spills
When a careless kid drops his half-full cup of grape juice onto your beige dining room rug or a delicious cheese leaves its unpleasant odor ground into your carpet, it’s important to act quickly. Waiting allows the spill to absorb and set in, which makes it much harder to lift. Always use a good, quality stain remover as soon as possible.
Never pour unused resin down your drain, sewer, sink, toilet or septic system, as this can contaminate water. Instead, dispose of the kits in a hazardous materials collection center along with extra paint and other household chemicals. Unused resin and hardener liquids can also be mixed together, capped and cured so they shut themselves up.
Excess Epoxy
When epoxy is applied to the wrong surface or if too much is mixed, it is important to act quickly. The longer the epoxy remains wet, the more difficult it is to remove. Preparing the surface, applying the epoxy mixture, and allowing it to cure is how it starts. A squeegee or a sponge soaked in isopropyl alcohol may be used to loosen the epoxy from a substrate. Using heat can also work the epoxy to soften it, making it easier to scrape away. Ideally, however, avoiding accidental contact is the best strategy. This can be accomplished by working carefully in a well-planned workspace and by using the proper tools for the job.
When applied correctly, epoxy is extremely strong and abrasion resistant. It also bonds well to a wide variety of substrates, including wood, metal, concrete and plastic. It can be used as a filler or as an adhesive to repair or rebuild almost anything. Epoxy can even be used to seal leaks and cracks in concrete surfaces.
Epoxy is also highly chemical resistant. It creates a dense, non-porous surface that protects underlying concrete from penetration by corrosive chemicals like motor oil, gasoline, paint thinner and cleaning agents. These substances can wreak havoc on bare concrete, but with prompt spill clean up and regular maintenance, epoxy coatings provide a robust defense against staining, discoloration and long-term damage.
While it is essential to prepare a project site properly before applying epoxy, sometimes accidents do happen. Epoxy has a remarkable ability to bond to itself and can become difficult to separate from the substrate. If this occurs, it is important to use a squeegee or knife to scrape away any hardened epoxy. The area should then be sanded down and vacuumed to remove any dust. Alternatively, it is possible to use temperature cycling to work the epoxy and force a delamination. Heating the epoxy to above its Tg can make it softer for prying and cooling it to below its Tg can work the bond line and cause it to fail at one of the interfaces. If the epoxy is still unremovable, it can be soaked in acetone. The acetone will dissolve the resin molecules, allowing the epoxy to be sanded off and discarded.
Uncured Epoxy
While epoxy is incredibly tough, it will eventually wear down and break. If you need to remove an area of cured epoxy, there are several ways to do it. Some of them involve harsh chemicals, and some of them require a lot of scrubbing. Thankfully, there is one cleaner that makes this job much easier. POLYCLEANER is a specially formulated solvent that was designed with the challenge of removing epoxy resin in mind. It’s VOC-free and safe for use on work surfaces like countertops, desks, and floors, as well as tools and spatulas.
Depending on the type of epoxy used and its state of cure, some surfaces may be more difficult to clean than others. For instance, if the epoxy has not fully cured or is too thick to work with, it may be difficult to scrape away. In these cases, it is best to allow the epoxy extra curing time or apply heat to maintain the chemical reaction and speed up the cure. For example, if you are using 205 Fast Cure epoxy, which cures more quickly with heat than other varieties of epoxies, try applying a heating source like a heat gun or an infrared heater to the surface.
If you have to remove uncured epoxy from wood surfaces, you can use a solvent like acetone or isopropyl alcohol. These substances can be wiped or rubbed into the wood surface to dissolve the epoxy. They can also be heated with a heat gun to soften the epoxy so it is easier to scrape off. Be sure to use a good ventilation system while working with these substances because they can be flammable and toxic.
If you have a more stubborn or large amount of epoxy to remove, you can always use a stronger solvent such as methylene chloride or n-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP). These chemicals are very strong and require proper PPE and ventilation. It takes many hours or days for these solvents to fully remove epoxy. However, they are still better options than attempting to scrape the epoxy off without the use of any solvents at all.
Skin Contact
Getting epoxy resin on your hands is a common problem that can happen even if you wear gloves. This resin can cling to surfaces, tools, and even your skin, making it difficult to handle objects with clean hands. In addition, allowing epoxy to dry on your hands can lead to a contact dermatitis reaction that is similar to a rash.
Fortunately, if you get epoxy resin on your skin, there are several safe and effective methods for cleaning it off. First, you should try to prevent this from happening by wearing protective gloves and long sleeves while working with epoxy. You should also use a thick rag or towel to remove the resin, rather than your bare hand. This will help to reduce the amount of resin that is transferred to your hands, making it easier to remove once it has dried.
If you do have epoxy resin on your hands, make sure to wash them immediately with warm water and degreasing soap. Be sure to dry your hands thoroughly and apply a moisturizing lotion afterwards. Avoid using a solvent-based cleaner such as methylene chloride stripper or acetone, as these can be dangerous on your hands and may cause the resin chemicals to be absorbed into your skin instead of removed. If you must use a solvent, such as methanol or isopropyl alcohol, be sure to wear a pair of disposable latex gloves and ventilate the area well.
There are also special creams that can be applied to your hands that create a barrier layer to resist the penetration of other chemicals – including epoxy resin. While this is not a replacement for proper glove use, it can be a useful tool to have on hand in case you do break your gloves or lose them somewhere.
Finally, if you can’t find or afford to buy high-quality gloves, you can protect yourself by wearing an apron when working with epoxy. These can be found at most home improvement stores and work great to keep spills, splashes, and dripping epoxy off of your clothes.
