Polyaspartic & Polyurethane Topcoats

Why an epoxy floor needs a top coat

Epoxy is the base. It bonds to the ground slab and builds the film that carries the color, the flake or the metallic. It has two weak spots: it ambers in sunlight, and it wears faster than the coat that should sit on it. On our data, the EF-100 base loses 0.1 g on the Taber abrasion test and the Everflow polyaspartics lose 0.03 g. That is why the clear coat goes on top and gets refreshed later, and the color underneath stays put.

Most garages, showrooms and shops get both layers. The full side-by-side, including when epoxy alone is fine and when polyaspartic can go straight to concrete, is in epoxy vs polyaspartic.

Polyaspartic topcoat or polyurethane: the numbers

Every number below is printed on the product page and its data sheet, at 68 degrees F. Real coverage moves with the slab and the build underneath.

All four Everflow topcoats are aliphatic, so they do not yellow or chalk in sunlight, and all reach full cure in about 7 days.

Which one to buy

• EF-275 is the budget clear coat for flake and solid-color floors.
• EF-280 gives the most floor per kit. One kit covers a typical 400 to 500 sq ft 2-car garage over a solid coat. Over flake, plan on 2.
• EF-290 is the thickest clear film in the fewest coats, the fastest to walk on, and the lowest VOC of the polyaspartics.
• EF-301 is the aliphatic polyurethane topcoat for ramps, entries and kitchens. Satin hides scuffs that high gloss shows, and the aluminum oxide adds grip. It can be tinted with our epoxy pigments.
• PPC Krete Topcoat only goes over a Krete urethane cement floor. For hot washdown rooms, start with the urethane cement guide.

Looking for EF-285? It is a clear aliphatic polyurea that bonds to ground concrete, so we sell it as a UV-stable primer and base coat, under 50 g/L VOC. It sits with the primers.

Applying a polyaspartic floor coating, and recoating one

These are topcoats. EF-275, EF-280, EF-290 and EF-301 go over a cured base coat or flake system, never on bare concrete. On a damp slab, a moisture vapor barrier goes down before anything else.

• Short pot life. Working time is 20 to 25 minutes for EF-275 and EF-280 and 15 to 20 for EF-290, at 70 degrees F. Mix only what you can spread and never leave mixed product in the bucket.
• Temperature. Apply the polyaspartics between 41 and 86 degrees F, EF-301 between 50 and 86.
• Flake floors. Scrape and vacuum the loose chip, then roll the clear coat. On a full broadcast it usually goes on in two coats. The flake flooring guide covers the whole build, and epoxy flake colors shows how a gloss clear coat deepens each blend.
• Metallic floors. Finish every metallic with a UV-stable polyaspartic. Epoxy ambers in sun and a metallic shows it. See metallic epoxy colors.

The top coat is the layer you clean and the layer that wears. When a floor stays dull after a proper wash, the wear coat is worn, not dirty. Abrade the whole floor to a uniform dull finish and roll a fresh clear coat to bring the shine back. The epoxy floor cleaning guide walks through the test patch that tells residue from wear.

Buying topcoats from Latux

• Authorized dealer for every brand we carry. Everflow, PPC and the rest of the lineup on epoxy flooring supplies.
• Shipping. Free UPS Ground on orders over $150, and a single EF-275, EF-280, EF-290 or EF-301 kit gets you there. Pallets go by freight, quoted per job. Quote-only items like Krete Topcoat are priced by your rep.
• 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.
• Help. Call (800) 413-1427, Monday to Friday 8 to 5. Data sheets are on technical data sheets.

Common questions

Do I need a top coat over epoxy?

Anywhere with sunlight or traffic, yes. Epoxy ambers under UV and wears faster than a polyaspartic or polyurethane clear coat. A windowless storage room is the exception.

What is the best clear coat for an epoxy garage floor?

For most garages, a polyaspartic like EF-280 or EF-290: it does not yellow, loses 0.03 g on the Taber test, and takes cars in about a day.

Is a polyaspartic floor slippery?

The Everflow polyaspartics test at about 0.75 DCOF wet, but a gloss coat over a smooth base feels slicker than flake. For wet ramps and entries, EF-301 tests at about 0.80 with aluminum oxide. More in why is my epoxy floor slippery.

Can I tint a polyaspartic topcoat?

No. EF-275, EF-280 and EF-290 ship clear only. Build color into the base coat or the flake. EF-301 is the one topcoat here you can tint, using our epoxy pigments.

Why are there tire marks on my topcoat?

Hot tires can push plasticizer into the surface and leave yellow-brown patches. Use mats where cars park. See why is my epoxy floor turning yellow.