FAQS

“Epoxy” from a painter or big box store usually only lasts for a short period of time. If you have a 100% epoxy floor, it can last up to a lifetime. It’s important to make sure you have the right flooring system based on the needs of the floor. If you install the wrong type of epoxy outdoors for instance, it will yellow when it’s exposed to sunlight and you will need to replace the floor.

There are so many benefits to epoxy garage floors. Honestly, it’s hard to list them all. Here are a few. 

• Epoxy floors can be antimicrobial so they work for schools, commercial kitchens and food and beverage manufacturing plants.
• There are self leveling epoxy systems that work for imaging centers. If you have an MRI machine that needs a 100% level floor, epoxy can be the only solution. 
• Durability and strength are the two biggest reasons our customers love epoxy floors. When the concrete prep work is done correctly and the right system is installed, it’s just amazing how durable these floors are. They are slip resistant in nature and can stand up to chemicals and high foot traffic and machine traffic.
• Aesthetics – We can install glitter floors, metallic floors or flake floors to make your floor a work of art.
• Epoxy floors are eco-friendly! They require fewer materials than other flooring systems so they produce less waste.
• Maintenance is very low on epoxy floor systems. Use a map with some soap and water if you ever want to clean them.

Epoxy systems are versatile since the chemicals can be applied in so many different ways. Here are some places where epoxy floors are prevalent: 

• Schools
• Libraries
• Cafeterias
• Hotels
• Lobbies
• Showrooms
• Industrial Plants
• Homes
• Kitchens
• Commercial Kitchens
• Manufacturing facilities
• Garages
• Patios
• Homes
• Retail and Shopping Centers
• Gyms
• Nuclear plants

This can be a tricky question to answer because each situation can vary the amount of prep work that’s needed on the existing concrete slab. Installation can be as fast as one day if the slab is in good condition and we use a fast cure epoxy. Sometimes the floor can be a two or three day system. You can walk on the floor and use the floor after 48 hours.

Acid Stain

Acid staining is the oldest form of concrete staining and one of the first ways that concrete was manipulated and made into designs. Hats off to the veteran concrete artisans from last century, this is a great flooring option. Acid stains are made from water, muriatic acid, and metallic salts. Acid stains modify the color of concrete by reacting with the surface of the concrete and chemically bonding to the slab. Acid stains are penetrating, creating a colored surface that’s completely resistant to ultraviolet light. These acid stains work really well in Florida because they can hold up to the hot Florida sun and last a very long time. Because of this, it’s our concrete stain of choice for anything outdoors.  

Water Based Stains

Unlike acid stains, water based concrete stains have a bunch of colors. Water based stains also don’t work with concrete the same way an acid stain does. These stains are a pretty recent development for the concrete staining community and work by impregnating the concrete surface. The great thing is that water based stains give you almost the exact color you are looking for where Acid Stains are more likely to bring out the natural color of the concrete. This is the type of stain that you will recognize when you see an intricate logo or corporation that has different colors designed into their floor. Water based stains are great but they don’t work as well as an acid stain outside in the Sarasota sun. Water-based concrete stains should always be coated with a high quality concrete sealer. The concrete sealer might have to be reapplied every few years if it’s in a very high traffic area.  Water based concrete stains have no odors or VOC’s. They also dry extremely quickly which is a huge benefit if you are looking for an overnight touch up to your business. 

Concrete Dye

Concrete dyes are not reactive to concrete.  They offer the most transparency and natural appearance of any concrete stain, and are mainly used for tinting polished concrete or concrete overlayments. Solvent based concrete dyes are very uniform in their color, but require very skilled installers that have years of experience because the dye is so fast to dry, you only get one shot. Concrete dyes are not UV stable and therefore can’t be used for outdoor installations. Like water based concrete stains, they should always be installed with a high quality concrete sealer to prevent fading in high traffic areas.

Natural concrete, exposed aggregate, colored concrete (broom finish, salt finish, others), acrylic lace coating, acrylic stamp patterns, limestone coatings, and flagstone coatings are just a few of the options we offer. Bottom line: we do pool decking and redecking that looks great and slip and fall accidents.

Surfacing the pool deck requires expertise and experience in handling the materials used. For instance, installing rubber decking for pools is a complex process involving steps like application assessment, measuring and estimating, knowing the mixing ratios and environmental adjustments, and surface preparation.

Even a small mistake could mean irreversible damage to the deck. It demands attention to detail which is only possible when professional rubber decking installers are on the job.

Make sure you involve an expert who’s experienced in pool deck building.

Pool Deck resurfacing costs can vary greatly in cost because of all of the different options. It would be very hard for us to throw out an average cost for our pool deck resurfacing projects because the sky’s the limit. Pricing your pool deck depends on the size and scope of the project and what you want the end result to be. If you schedule a free consultation with us, we’ll be happy to provide you with an estimate after reviewing the job specs. You might be able to find a contractor to do the job for a little less, but we guarantee that they won’t be as reliable as we are.

Usually, the pool and the deck do not wear at the same time. However, if your pool area needs a facelift, you can get in touch with Paradigm’s team of experts who will critically evaluate your pool and suggest the best solution. Talking to an expert surfacing firm can save you consultation, material, and labor costs.

Pool deck surfaces are constantly bombarded with water. Therefore, regardless of the surfacing you go for, it’s wise to account for adequate water drainage, thus preventing water puddles. An expert surfacing contractor understands this and will design for maximum water drainage.

The rubber pool deck surfaces that our team installs allow water to drain through the surface, thus preventing slips and falls.

For most Floridians, social life is synonymous with poolside living. However, when creating an outdoor entertainment space by the pool, you need to install a safe and functional flooring that allows everyone to have a fun time. Use the information shared in this post to choose a suitable pool decking surface that best meets your needs.

Here at Paradigm Concrete Finishes, we take pride in everything that we do; and pool decks are one of those things. We can handle concrete staining, sealing and even coatings for your pool deck in addition to pavers and travertine. We would be happy to schedule a meeting and handle your full pool remodel.