The Process

At Native Concrete Design we use only the highest quality professional products and do not use any subcontractors. Most installs can be completed in under a day, yet a lot of work and specific steps are required to transform your concrete space into something you can be proud to display.

Surfaces vary and each type of system install has its different steps yet, for purposes here, we are going to walk through the basic process of our most popular system, the Flake System, and using Polyaspartic for both the basecoat and topcoat. Polyaspartic is hands-down the best product for most floors, and we cover why this is the case within the Truth About Products section.

Step 1: Surface Preparation

It cannot be said enough, proper preparation is the most important part of the process to ensure a strong structural bond needed for a long-lasting coating. As in most things in life, preparation determines outcome. We at Native take pride in spending the largest amount of time during the install process on performing proper preparation.

• Dust-Free Diamond Grid: First, we diamond-grind the surface to “open” the pours so a product can penetrate into the concrete slab and properly bond. We make it as dust-free of a process as possible because we connect our grinders to an industrial level HEPA dust extractor.

• Crack & Hole Patching: Next, we use a two-part polymer fast setting system to fill all cracks, holes and other imperfections. Once it has set and fully cured, we re-grind over the repair areas to remove any excess polymer filler and to give it a smooth and even surface ready for the next step in the process.

• Other Potential Steps: If there is an existing coating that first needs to be removed, this is typically done using what is called a PCD Diamond Removal. There are also times when concrete needs more than a “patch” and needs to be repaired, leveled, etc.These are all items to discuss with a Native team member during the estimation process to determine the best approach to take.

Step 2: Basecoat and Flake Broadcast

• Basecoat Application: A high-grade profession Polyaspartic is self-priming, thus it is often referred to as either the basecoat and/or prime coat. With polyaspartic, the basecoat is tinted to match the flake color being used and is applied at a thickness of around 8-10mils so that a suitable foundation exists for flake to adhere to. If a basecoat is too thin it results in there not being enough product for flake to adhere to and it will result in a less than desired coverage and potential bare spots.

• Flake Broadcast: Flake is broadcasted onto the basecoat immediately. Professional coating products have a short pot life (cure time) and once a basecoat is put down the clock is ticking to quickly apply flake thoroughly and evenly while it is still soft and tacky.Standard flake is applied at around 1lb per 5sqft. Thus, a garage around 600qsft will have 120lbs of flake broadcasted onto it.

• Sometimes Repeating These Steps: With smaller size flakes (usually if below 1/8”) and with Quartz System installs, the coat application and flake broadcast is repeated.

• Other Potential Steps: Many other products are not self-priming and therefore a primer coat is often recommended prior to a basecoat. Also, if moisture issues are present, a professional Moisture Barrier Guard application as a primer is highly recommended, if not necessary.

Step 3: Flake Profiling and Topcoat

• Flake Profiling: Once the basecoat has cured and hardened and the flakes are securely adhered to it, the flake profiling process begins. This involves using an industrial vacuum to carefully remove flakes that have not adhered to the basecoat surface. Many flakes have adhered into the basecoat vertically and would be very jagged and sharp if a topcoat was applied as is. To give a nice textured flake surface, we use industrial blades and carefully scrape over the flake in multiple directions until we achieve the profile and texture desired. We then re-vacuum up any loose flake pieces to create a clean surface ready for a clear topcoat.

• Topcoat: The topcoat should always be with the clear form of any product used. The topcoat is what locks in the flake color and protects anything underneath it. A thinner topcoat will provide good texture to a fully flaked surface while a thicker topcoat will create a smoother surface without much texture. With polyaspartic we recommend a topcoat of around 5-6mil.Anything over 10mil applied at one time can result in polyaspartic “fogging”.With polyaspartic, a little goes a long way and thicker is not better when it comes to protection – it is just a matter of how much texture from the flake is desired.

Results

In most cases you will be able to walk on the new surface within 4 to 6 hours, place heavy items on it within 24 hours, and within 36-48 hours if can be driven on and fully enjoyed. Other products like epoxy can take upwards of 3 to 4 times longer to cure and be used by you.