Epoxy Floor Coating and Outdoor Temperatures: What to Expect

Whether you’re planning to invest in a new garage floor or looking to upgrade your outdoor surfaces, an epoxy floor coating is a great option to consider, as it is easy to maintain, durable, and long-lasting.

However, depending on the Canadian temperature outdoors, it can also be difficult to work with, which is why most homeowners wait for the perfect weather conditions before thinking about hiring a professional epoxy installation team.

This guide will go over how cooler and warmer temperatures across Ontario, may impact epoxy flooring applications and the effect of other factors like humidity and precipitation have on the epoxy mixture.

Stick around to the end, as we will provide some recommendations and tips to ensure that your next epoxy flooring project goes smoothly. Let’s get started!

How Does Outdoor Temperatures Affect Epoxy Flooring?

Changes in outdoor temperatures can significantly affect your epoxy floor coating, which is why it’s crucial to assess the location of the installation to determine the best type of epoxy floor coatings in Windsor.

There are three ways outdoor temperatures can affect epoxy resin, and these include the following:

1. Cold Temperatures Can Prolong Curing Times

Most homeowners prefer working with contractors during the summer, as higher temperatures can reduce curing time. The heat can spark a chemical reaction between the epoxy resin and hardener, causing it to settle quickly.

On the other hand, colder temperatures can cause the heat of the chemical reaction to dissipate quickly, leading to longer curing times.

If you’re planning to install an epoxy floor during winter, it’s best to adapt your handling and application techniques to the cold.

Alternatively, you can use heating equipment, such as a space heater, to reduce curing times. However, this method will be of little use in the outdoors.

2. Outdoor Temperatures Affect the Viscosity of Epoxy Coating

The ideal scenario when pouring epoxy floor coating is for it to flow smoothly across the surface. This is best achieved at lower temperatures, as the epoxy mixture’s viscosity is reduced in the cold.

During cooler temperatures, epoxy installation can take time. The cold makes the mixture more viscous, prolonging the spreading-out process.

Besides affecting workability, colder weather can make it challenging for the epoxy resin and hardener to mix, leading to poor adhesion, uneven appearance, and even coating failure.

3. Outdoor Temperatures Can Increase Working Time

Since curing can take time and thicker viscosity can be difficult to work with, it can be frustrating to install epoxy flooring during colder temperatures.

If your property experiences a lot of foot traffic, curing and spreading out the resin and hardener could cause a lot of inconvenience. Whether you’re planning to pour the mixture onto your concrete floor or other outdoor surfaces, it’s best to wait for temperatures to rise.

Humidity Can Adversely Impact the Curing Phase of an Epoxy Floor Coating

As temperatures fluctuate throughout the year, so does humidity, which refers to the concentration of water vapours in the air. This is another factor that can prolong the curing time and make it challenging to work with outdoor epoxy flooring.

During the curing process, the mixture can turn waxy and oily if the humidity levels are at an all-time high. As moisture finds its way under the substrate, it can cause blisters, discoloration, mildew, and softening, negatively affecting the material’s durability.

Humidity is not just an outdoor problem. Interior spaces like indoor swimming pool areas or basements can also be humid. This can be a serious problem when installing epoxy flooring, regardless of the weather conditions.

Here are the key steps that contractors follow when working on an epoxy project in a humid indoor environment:

• Consider the type of floor coating before shopping for the materials.
• Prepare the mixture by mixing epoxy resin with hardener in a dry space.
• Assess the humidity levels in the area where the floor installation will take place.
• Remove any excess dew or condensation by using a dehumidifier.
• Install the epoxy floors while adhering to the best industry practices.

Precipitation Is Another Problem That Contractors Must Look Out For

Just like humidity, precipitation can have a negative impact on epoxy installation. Too much moisture adversely affects the speed of the epoxy chemical reaction, curing, and adhesion process. It’s best to wait another day before installing the epoxy flooring if it’s raining or snowing.

Epoxy is an incredibly durable and long-lasting material. While precipitation can affect this type of floor during installation, it doesn’t impact the flooring once properly installed. This is why it’s an excellent choice for outdoor surfaces.

Too Much Sunlight Can Be Harmful to Epoxy Floors

While a concrete surface can handle sunlight, that is not the case with epoxy flooring. This material is susceptible to UV damage and can turn yellow upon direct exposure.

While discoloration can be a major problem for property owners, sunlight can make epoxy floors more brittle, causing them to crack and peel over time. This can significantly reduce the aesthetic quality of epoxy flooring.

If your property receives too much sunlight, add a UV inhibitor to the epoxy mixture to make it more resistant to UV rays.

Applying a UV top coat to the cured epoxy floor can prevent discoloration. Make sure to discuss your options with an experienced contractor.

What Is the Best Time of Year to Install Epoxy Outdoors?

The best time to install an epoxy floor outdoors is during spring or fall when temperatures are mild and rainfall is minimal.

Top Tips to Apply and Set the Epoxy on Outdoor Surfaces

The weather in Essex County, Ontario, fluctuates all year round. It’s incredibly cold during winters, while summers can be warm and humid. The ideal temperature range for working with epoxy resin is between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Here are a couple of tips that you can follow to ensure proper bonding and curing during higher temperatures:

1. Mixing an epoxy resin with hardener can take time if you’re making a huge batch. Reduce the volume for easy processing.
2. Set the epoxy flooring layer immediately after mixing the materials together.
3. Always work in the shade, as direct sunlight can negatively affect the epoxy coating.
4. For slower curing, reduce the dosage of hardener when working with polyester resin.
5. Reach out to an experienced contractor to explore other types of epoxy flooring.

Since winter is just around the corner, here are a couple of tips to help with the installation of epoxy flooring for residential and commercial properties:

1. Warm up the resin, hardener, and the area to ensure the mixture can be easily applied in cooler temperatures.
2. Make sure to maintain the correct ratio of the different chemicals (5:1).
3. Use a smaller pot when mixing, as the exothermic chemical reaction will create internal heat, which is excellent for bonding.
4. Use lights or portable heaters to generate heat to warm up the surfaces before installation.

Let Canadian Concrete Surfaces Handle All Your Flooring Needs in Wheatley, Ontario!

Whether it is cold or hot, at Canadian Concrete Surfaces, we have the expertise, knowledge, and skills to properly install epoxy flooring at your residential or commercial property in Windsor, Ontario.

Don’t let the unpredictable Canadian weather ruin your home improvement plans. Call us at 519.564.0902 to book a consultation with an experienced contractor today!