A Floor Coating Application Mistake that Leads to Big Problems
By Kevin Klotz
One of the worst things that can happen to a floor coating contractor is to redo an entire job because of a silly mistake. Here’s one such mistake I’ve seen many times:
Turn a coating bucket over to get the last bit of material and you’ll likely get what I call a “ring of failure.”
The problem occurs when you’re working with a two-component material, mixing the A and B components in a single, five-gallon bucket. During application, when the bucket is nearly empty, workers are tempted to turn the bucket upside-down to drain the last of the material onto the floor so it can be applied.
It’s a practice that’s done with good intentions. The desire, of course, is to minimize costs by getting every last drop out of the bucket. Unfortunately, it can lead to problems.
When that bucket is draining upside down, it has a tendency to pull out un-mixed material that was clinging to the wall of the bucket. In doing so, the coating that winds up on the floor is not mixed in the right proportion.
The result? A ring the size of the five-gallon bucket that will be clearly seen in the final floor. At best, the defect is only cosmetic. But often, the ring won’t cure properly, likely leading to delamination and a possible re-coat of that part of the floor – or worse, the entire project.
For certain, the end result will be an unhappy customer.
So don’t worry about that last bit of material in the bucket! Be sure to instruct your team not to drain buckets by turning them upside-down. It’s a simple thing, but it can save you from major headaches.
