Can You Remove Floor Coatings?

Are you sick of the way your floor coating looks and wishing you could change it? You may be wondering if you can remove floor coatings and what the process of that would look like. If you change the style of your home or you move in somewhere with floor coatings you don’t like the look of, you don’t want to be stuck with floors that don’t match your desired aesthetic. Alternatively, perhaps you tried to DIY your floor coatings and they didn’t turn out the way you wanted them to, so you want to rectify your mistake.

Whatever the reason, you’ll be relieved to learn that yes, you can indeed remove floor coatings. Here is what you need to know about considerations for when you remove floor coatings and whether it is something that you could do on your own or whether you need professional help to do so. Let’s dive in!

How Hard Is It To Remove Floor Coatings?

Depending on the type of floor coating that you have, how hard it would be to remove floor coatings varies. For instance, garage floor paint is just that – paint. It would be fairly easy to remove. However, a floor coating like epoxy or polyaspartic, especially if it was professionally applied, would be a lot harder to remove. If you had a floor coating professionally installed, you’ll likely need to hire a professional contractor in order to remove it. 

This is because professional floor coatings are made to last. This is excellent for when you want them, but that very durability and wear- and damage-resistance makes them very difficult to remove if you don’t. It’s important that you remove floor coatings properly because if done wrong, you could very easily damage your floors beyond repair. 

How Can You Remove Floor Coatings?

There are several ways to remove floor coatings. In general, it’s best to leave this project in professional hands. The last thing you want is to damage your floors while trying to remove a floor coating, let alone damage them so badly that they need to be replaced. When you remove floor coatings, it’s crucial that you exercise a lot of care and follow all the safety precautions. You should prepare yourself for a lot of work. 

Follow The Proper Safety Precautions

Prior to removing your floor coating, you’ll need to follow the proper safety precautions. These can vary depending on the method you use and the type of floor coating you have. In general, you will want personal protective equipment (PPE), such as acid-resistant gloves and boots, a respirator, goggles, and a hair cap. You should also ensure that the area is properly ventilated.

Methods To Remove Floor Coatings

There are three main methods people use to remove floor coatings: an acid wash, a solvent, and a grinder. Some people also use sandpaper, shot-blasting, an electric heat gun, or simply hire a professional to remove their floor coating for them, to ensure that it’s done properly. 

Acid Wash

Prior to using your acid wash, you’ll want to ensure your floor coating is thoroughly soaked with water. Then, you will mix your acid wash, usually at a rate of 12oz of acid to 1 gallon of water. You apply the wash to the coating, let it soak, and sprinkle some baking powder over it, so as to nullify the effects of the acid. Then, you can use a pressure washer to remove the wash. You may need to repeat this process several times over in order to remove your floor coating.

Solvent

Solvents such as acetone can be used to remove floor coatings too. You will work in smaller pieces with this and will need a scraper to scrape off the coating. Once done, you’ll want to hose the floor down to clean it.

Grinder

This is an easier way to remove floor coatings. You want to ensure that you’re familiar with how to use a grinder prior to using it on your floor coating. You can clean up after yourself with a vacuum. 

Leave It To A Professional

In order to avoid potentially ruining your floors, it’s best to leave floor coating removal to an expert. A professional can both get the job done faster and ensure that it’s done right.

Do You Need A New Floor Coating?

Have you removed your floor coating because you’re trying to make it look better? Solid Custom Floor Coatings provides high-quality floor coatings that you can customize to look however your desire. We can put down a gorgeous floor coating that suits your personal aesthetic and that is engineered to last for years to come. Contact us today to learn more about our 1-day floor coating services.