Surface preparation is where most shortcuts get taken — and where most failures start. We use diamond grinding on every slab to mechanically open the concrete pores and create a real chemical bond between the substrate and the coating. Acid etching, the faster alternative many contractors use, produces a weaker, less consistent profile. It’s not adequate for a high-moisture commercial environment, and we don’t use it.
Once the slab is properly prepared, we install a seamless epoxy cove base that runs four to six inches up the wall at every floor-wall junction. That gap — where the floor meets the wall — is where water infiltrates, migrates under the coating, and quietly grows mold that’s invisible until it’s a serious problem. A continuous cove base eliminates that vulnerability entirely.
The topcoat gets aluminum oxide or quartz aggregate broadcast into it while it’s still wet, creating a textured, slip-resistant finish that meets ADA requirements for barefoot wet environments. Every layer gets full cure time before the next one goes down. No rushing.
