Maintenance

Previously treated floors

Floors that have been successfully painted/lacquered before can be recoated, provided the previous coatings are compatible, adhering well and in good condition. An adhesion test would be recommended if the adhesion of the previous coatings are in doubt. If this test fails or breakdown of the previous coating is more than 50% then complete removal is recommended. Previous two-pack coatings must be thoroughly abraded before repainting. A trial area is recommended if there is any doubt or concerns.

Heavily contaminated floors

Heavily contaminated absorbent substrates such as concrete or wood should not be painted/lacquered without successfully removing all traces of the contamination. Such substrates are likely to be found in garages or heavy engineering shops where the floor has been in use for some time without any form of protection. Anti-freeze, battery acid, chemicals, oil, grease etc. in the substrate will cause adhesion problems and retard the drying of the floor coating. Emulsifying oil and grease removers will remove surface oil and grease and some chemicals from concrete or steel floors, but if the contamination is deep into the substrate then a specialist floor contractor should be consulted.