Is Quick Really Better in Resinous Floors?

The industry has seen a growing trend towards quicker-drying products like polyaspartics, polyurea, fast-cure epoxies, and urethane cements. While the push for faster drying times may reduce labor hours and speed up the re-coating process, it often comes at the cost of installation ease. So, is faster always better? Are we losing more than just convenience?

Sacrificing Installation Ease

Polyaspartics, often confused with polyurea, can provide a thicker, UV-resistant coat in a single application, outperforming aliphatic urethanes in that regard. However, without using higher solvent polyaspartics, your crew may struggle to maintain consistency, resulting in a poorer finish.

Urethane cements allow for thicker coats to be applied more quickly. While they can be trickier to apply than epoxy slurries, they are still significantly easier to work with compared to epoxy mortars. More experience is required for successful application, but that investment in skill can pay off when working with floors that need to be 3/16” thick or more.

Fast-cure epoxies typically involve faster-curing hardeners, although the application process remains largely unchanged.

Performance Comparison

Polyaspartics offer slightly less UV resistance compared to aliphatic urethanes and provide a bit less wear resistance. However, the ability to apply them thicker often compensates for this drawback. It's important to note that polyaspartics do not perform well as primers; while they cure quickly, they require meticulous preparation for proper adhesion and can be prone to debonding if used incorrectly.

Urethane cements are generally superior in protecting against thermal shock, heavy moisture, and chemical exposure. Although they boast excellent chemical resistance, they may not meet the requirements for all chemical interactions, which is why hybrid systems are often employed. However, urethane cement topcoats can scuff easily and offer poor UV resistance.

Fast-cure epoxies are usually safe for solid colors, but their accelerated reaction in clear applications can lead to hazing. Additionally, using fast-cure epoxies may slightly diminish some properties, though they generally perform well as part of an integrated system.

Are You Reducing Time or Cutting Corners?

The rationale behind using urethane cements, polyaspartic urethanes, and fast-cure epoxies often lies in saving time and costs. However, the initial material expenses can be significantly higher. Many contractors might advocate for these products but end up using less material overall. Using one coat of polyaspartic will typically yield inferior results compared to a layered approach with epoxy and urethane. Nevertheless, two coats of polyaspartic can still be a cost-effective solution, especially when time constraints are a factor.

Cutting corners frequently involves using polyaspartic as a primer, employing fast-cure in clears, minimizing the floor's thickness, or exceeding a product's manufacturer recommendations.

Is It Worth the Price?

The answer depends on the specific job and the customer’s needs. If time is not a concern, it’s crucial to assess whether using faster products is financially advantageous. Using calculators, like those offered by TaTr Consulting, can simplify the financial calculations. Below is a chart illustrating how project size can impact the pricing of these time-saving products.

At 500 square ft Urethane Cement will be the least expensive to install, despite the highest over all material costs.

Many times smaller jobs benefits from time reducing products.

*Note this is a ficticious quote and scenario for demonstrative purposes.

At 5000 square ft Epoxy Double Broadcast becomes cheaper to install. But if labor savings products can increase you productivity you may see more opportunities for labors savings.

Many times smaller jobs benefits from time reducing products.

*Note this is a ficticious quote and scenario for demonstrative purposes.

Ultimately, whether these quicker-drying options are worth it will vary. Conduct your calculations carefully and evaluate labor costs. These products can serve as tools to meet customer demands while maximizing profits. If you want to explore more about enhancing your resinous flooring business, feel free to schedule a free consultation.