Application Tools

Epoxy application tools by step

A coating floor goes down in the same order every time, and each step has its own tool. Cheap tools show up in the finish: a blade that flexes leaves a thin stripe, a cover that sheds leaves fibers cured into the gloss. This is what we put in a crew's hands.

Mixing gear is on any hardware counter. Everything else in the table is on this page.

Epoxy squeegee and epoxy floor roller

The squeegee: spread first

The Latux Flat Squeegee is a flat, non-marking red rubber blade riveted to a steel backing plate, so the edge stays straight through a full pour instead of bowing out like a hardware-store blade. The socket is threaded for a standard extension pole (pole not included), so you spread the slab standing up. It handles 100% solids epoxy, polyaspartic, urethane and self-leveling coatings.

• 12 in. Closets, bathrooms, stair landings, cutting in along walls, patch pours.
• 18 in. The all-rounder for a single-car garage or one room.
• 24 in. Two and three-car garages, warehouse bays, showrooms. Twice the ground per pull of the 12 in.

Most crews carry a wide blade for the open floor and a 12 in for detail. Pour a ribbon, pull it at a low angle, keep a wet edge, then back-roll that section. Scrape the blade clean before the material sets. Once epoxy cures on the rubber it will not pull a clean line again.

The roller: back-roll and topcoat

The Pro Roller Pro Performance cover is 18 in wide with a 3/8 in nap of woven Dralon on a solvent-resistant phenolic core, with end caps. Woven fiber stays in the cover, and the core does not swell in solvent-based polyaspartic, which is where cardboard-core covers fall apart mid-floor.

• 1/4 in nap. Thin seal coats on very smooth or polished concrete.
• 3/8 in nap. Back-rolling 100% solids epoxy and rolling polyaspartic or urethane topcoats on a ground slab. The EF-100 application spec calls for a 10 mm nap, which is this cover.
• 1/2 in and up. Broom-finished or open, porous concrete.

It seats on the Wooster Big Ben 18 in frame, which carries full-build material without flexing, changes covers by hand with no tools and threads onto a standard extension pole. Treat covers as one pour each. There is no solvent to wash 100% solids epoxy out of the nap, so plan a fresh cover per coat and carry spares.

Epoxy squeegee vs roller

You need both. The squeegee moves material and sets the film fast. The roller evens it out and releases trapped air. Spread a section, back-roll that section, move on.

Spike shoes for epoxy

Spike shoes strap over your own footwear. The spiked sole spreads your weight across fine points that close up in the curing film, so you can walk a wet epoxy or polyaspartic floor to back-roll, check the film or broadcast flake without leaving footprints. On a flake floor they are what gets you into the corners for a full broadcast. The flake flooring guide covers the full system, and the colors are in epoxy flake colors.

Doing a metallic floor? Start with metallic epoxy colors and the step-by-step metallic install guide.

Buying application tools from Latux

We carry Latux, Wooster and Pro Roller tools, and we are an authorized dealer for every brand we carry. Gloves are in safety and PPE, and the wider tool bench, from angle grinders to gloves, is in accessories. Starting a crew? The equipment list in how to start an epoxy flooring business covers the prep side too.

• Shipping. Free UPS Ground on orders over $150. Add the tools to your coating order and the whole box ships together.
• Pickup. 2201 N Andrews Ave, Suite 108, Pompano Beach.
• Contractor pricing. Contractor, Distributor and VIP tiers apply at checkout with no code. Apply for a trade account.
• Talk to someone. Call (800) 413-1427, Monday to Friday 8 to 5. English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Common questions

What tools do I need to apply epoxy?

A drill and mixing paddle, a squeegee, an 18 in roller frame and a solvent-resistant cover, an extension pole, spike shoes and nitrile gloves. Add a fresh roller cover for every coat.

What nap roller for epoxy floors?

3/8 in on a ground, smooth slab. Go 1/4 in for thin seal coats on polished concrete, 1/2 in and up on rough or porous concrete.

Can I reuse an epoxy roller cover?

No. 100% solids epoxy keeps curing in the nap and there is no solvent to wash it out. One cover per coat.

Do I need spike shoes for epoxy?

If you back-roll or broadcast flake after the coat is down, yes. Flat soles leave footprints in the wet film.

Is an extension pole included?

No. The squeegee socket and the Big Ben frame both thread onto a standard extension pole.