Currently the most used building material is concrete. Let’s see how to protect it from external effects.
It is not just a load-bearing masonry, it will be used on garage parking floors in exteriors, it is suitable for walls, posts, or fence retaining walls. For protection and aesthetic improvement of grey concrete surfaces, it is necessary to use penetration and final coatings. When purchasing them, we consult the dealer where the concrete is used.
Different materials will be needed on the façade, on the garage floor, or in the garden pond. In general, however, for coating generally applies that the surface to be coated must be dry, well matured (usually 4-6 months), cleaned of coarse dirt and fine dust and insulated against underside moisture. If it is older coating, remove the original coatings before painting. If there are cracks or holes on the surface, we can fix them with a suitable mass.
Penetration\
The first coat is penetration. Concrete is a porous material, therefore it is necessary to dilute the penetration so that a compact film is not formed after drying on the concrete surface. There are special and universal penetration agents.
The more compact the substrate, the more we dilute the penetration according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. When applied to the surface, the solution reduces dustiness, closes and unifies the surface. During the application and drying of the coating may not be windy or high humidity. The temperature must be above 10 °C. To apply the paint we use a brush to better incorporation of the penetration into the surface.
Final coating
After the primer dries, ideally after 24 hours, apply the final coating. Choose a solvent or water-based paint. One-component paints are mostly versatile in interior and exterior applications and are suitable for walls and floors. Two-component paints require precise work, but they are of higher quality, used mainly for floors and in places where there is a greater load.
The first coat is thinner, the second full. A layer of paint should always be uniform. The paint dries against the sticking of dust within 2 hours, to the touch within 8 hours and thoroughly dry is usually within 36 hours. The smooth coating will be long lasting. For floors, when applied correctly, a lifetime of five or more years can be expected.
Vertical surfaces do not prone so much to mechanical wear but rather dirt. You can choose from many products, such as synthetic and epoxy paints, acrylic paints, water-based paints.
