Epoxy coatings can result in high-quality finishes for your surfaces. You might have recently poured blood and sweat into the transformation of your garage floor only for the epoxy coating to turn yellow. You can experience the yellowing in as little as months. As much as it might be frustrating, you’ll want to find out why the epoxy coating turned yellow.
The reason for the epoxy turning yellow is because of exposure to UV rays. The process is known as ambering. Prolonged exposure leads to photochemical reactions. Even though it is a natural process, the performance of your garage floor is not likely to be affected in any way. The front of the garage will be the most affected as it is more exposed to UV light compared to the other areas. There is also a chance that the epoxy coating could as well be affected by indirect sunlight. This is something that you’ll also need to keep in mind when you shop for epoxy resin.
Are The Epoxy Coatings That Don’t Turn Yellow
One thing that is worth noting is that all coatings will amber when exposed to UV light. The question is how long it will take before it happens and this will be determined by a couple of factors. It is impossible to find an epoxy coating that will not amber provided that the conditions are right. If you find a vendor that claims that their solutions will not turn yellow over time, it will be time that you started looking for someone else. The difference will come in with the UV stabilizers that have been added by most manufacturers. The stabilizers will do a decent job in preventing delamination and chalking. The stabilizers can only delay the process but will not stop it entirely.
How To Prevent The Epoxy Coating From Turning Yellow
Now that we’ve established how the yellowing comes about, you’re probably wondering about the steps that can be taken to mitigate the process. If your garage door is always closed and only used when getting in and out, your floors are less likely to be susceptible to yellowing. The basics of the DIY coating kits can do the job if that is the situation.
If you’re the person that keeps the garage door for extended periods of time, it is imperative that you’re looking for a solution to protect the epoxy coating. The first thing you’d want to make sure of is that you’re using commercial-grade equality coating products. The majority of epoxy solids coating will have UV stabilizers. You also want to be careful with the color choice for coating. The beige and tan color will be less noticeable when the surfaces to amber compared to bright colors. For a clear coat, it is not recommended that you also use an epoxy clear coat. This is because the surface will look more yellow than it should when it starts to amber. The best solution would be to apply high-performance clear coats such as polyaspartic, polyurethane, and polyuria as they are UV stable.
Using color flakes can also provide protection as they’ll not easily amber and are also UV stable. If color flakes aren’t your thing, you can as well opt for a polyurethane coat that is color tinted. Full refusal is another option to color flakes and makes it possible to customize how the surface looks. There are no limitations to the mixing of colors.
Budget Considerations
What is possible with the coating will mostly be determined by how much you’d be willing to spend. That is why it is important to research viable options before making any decision. DIY coating kits aren’t necessarily the best as they’re the ones that receive the most criticism for surfaces that turn yellow.
To Conclude
Even the best of epoxy surfaces will be susceptible to ambering. The most important consideration is the mitigation process. You should be working with an expert that is experienced with epoxy flooring solutions. Such a contractor will know how to deal with the yellowing. With proper stabilizers, you can expect the surfaces to take years before the yellow starts to show. Proper maintenance will ensure that it never happens. It all starts by getting the right epoxy products and working with an experienced contractor. There will obviously be a ton of products to choose from. Make sure to do research on the ones that fit your needs and also your budget.
