Yuku free message boards

Make it a golden rule to always put the A part into the B part when mixing epoxies from now on!!! Most often the product not curing is a result of improper mixing. To add to it any residual Part A sticking to the sides of your mixing pail adds to the grief of the product not curing! Cannot judge how much of an area you have that is tacky or are there spots when drops of the residual part A have resulted in soft or hot spots. If the problem is just tackyness then I guess you are lucky and could get away with application of the Protec-all single component waterbased Urethane. Depending on how bad the situation is screening the floor might not be possible, cause the screens will get gummy and you will have to go through a lot of screens to prep the floor. Most often epoxies have to be topcoated within the manufacturers recommended recoating interval mentioned on the data sheet. In most cases the recoating interval is in the range of 10 to 12 hours. Once you go past this window you have to sand the floor and vacuum before application of the topcoat to get a mechanical bond! If you coat within the recoating interval you get a good chemical bond between the epoxy and the topcoat. I guess you would have to solvent mop the floor to make sure you get a good bond with the epoxy if you are not able to sand or screen the floor due to the tacky spots. That will have to be your call. Application of the urethane topcoat with a short nap roller would be a good way to go making sure you apply your urethane topcoat really tight and thin. Urethanes have to be always applied thin (4 to 5 mils ) or you are going to add to your problems. If you apply at the rate of 500 to 600 Sq.Ft. per gallon or more, I guess you would be fine. Cause that would allow the urethane to cure faster. You could then check the areas where you had tacky spots and if the urethane is cured and dry you could apply a second coat after about 4 hours when it is touch dry.
I guess the experts will chime in on this as well. It is really interesting and encouraging to read and go through the support and interaction on this forum from others who are so willing to share and help each other. Hope my input is of some help. Just trying to be of some help. Hoping to learn something from the feedback or input of the others as well. Going through the past posts has already taught me so much!!

Wow! That's a relief, knowing it is your basement and not a job you are doing for a customer. Anyways, based on your feedback, I guess it is a good idea to put down another coat of the Pt-1. You could easily do it with a gallon. The data sheet says it does around 70 to a 100 sq.ft. per gallon. So I would say it is a good idea to put down another coat. BTW it is not that you will be mixing my way, but like I said and explained, it is good practice to premix both parts, and then mix the part A into the B. Should you have any residual part b that is not mixed because of improper mixing, the likelyhood of a problem or tackyness is substantially reduced because the part B is the reactive agent and mixes and reacts with the resin that is the part A. So any minor concerns would be easily solved by wiping with Xylene should you need to. But wiping off any residual part A which is the resin component that is not mixed well is like asking for miracles! Do you see the difference???? Excuse my details..
So have fun and all has to go well!!

Looks like your silica sand broadcast was not the right grit size. YOu ought to have gone with a finer grit to give them some texture and also made it clear that it would not be easy to clean. There is always a tradeoff when the customer wants an antislip finish. Was it really slippery? Did you use the PT-1 again for this? Was it just perception because the epoxy was glossy, that made them feel the floor was slippery. Most epoxies that are designed to go on floors have a slip factor that is good enough for traction, unless you have leather soled shoes. Anyways coming back to the point and not getting to technical, as far as the solution goes; it might be a good idea to screen the floor first with maybe a 100grit screens and then apply the protec-all in two coats. I guess the stickiness could be a result of inadequate mixing or improper mixing again. Proper mixing is of prime importance when working with epoxies and the person mixing has to have his head on his shoulders. He has to set up his mixing station and have good housekeepinng practice. ( Proper setup of the mixing station, pre-mixing all cans, paper towels, mixing paddles suited for the containers you are mixing in, etc etc) To conclude the protec-all should do the job if you properly screen, vacuum and follow good practice. Make it clear with the customer that his personnel have to have proper soled safety shoes and not soles that are bald and worn out. Any floor is slippery when wet and is a safety hazard if the right safety gear is not worn! It might also help to show a dry sample of the protec-all to let them have a feel for it and approve before you spend more time on the job. Just my thoughts...

First of all protec all should work. Besides being a food facility, you should go with a waterbased urethane. I know of just one company that has a 100% solids urethane. With regard to the aggressive grit for traction, the urethane will not cover and if it does depending on the mesh size of the grit you have used, then the traction is lost and it will be easy to clean. So I guess you will be the best judge or make it clear to the customer.