Epoxy flooring in a warehouse or service bay is not a paint job. It is a layered system: concrete slab, primer, body coat, aggregate, and topcoat, each chosen to handle the chemical and traffic loads you actually face. Gatineau Concrete specifies and installs the full system, not just the topcoat. Free written estimate, firm timeline.
Why Epoxy Coatings Peel: Slab Prep Matters More Than the Epoxy
Most commercial epoxy failures trace back to one cause: the concrete underneath was not prepared to the system's specification. A slab that is contaminated, uneven, or holding moisture will reject the epoxy coating within months, no matter how premium the product is. The concrete is the foundation; the epoxy is the wear layer.
Our process starts with the slab. We diamond-grind to the manufacturer's profile, removing old coatings, contaminants, and surface laitance. We test for moisture vapor and apply a mitigation primer where needed. We fill cracks and joints with a compatible filler. Only then do we apply the primer, body coat, and topcoat in sequence, with proper cure time between each layer. Slip-resistant aggregate is broadcast where the use case demands it.
We evaluate the space, the chemical exposure, traffic volume, wash-down frequency, and slip requirements, then specify the epoxy system, primer, body coat, aggregate, and topcoat that match all of it.
Grind and prep the slab
Diamond grinding removes old coatings, contaminants, and laitance to the system's prep profile. Moisture testing determines if a vapor-mitigation primer is needed. Cracks and joints are filled with compatible material.
Apply primer and body coat
The primer bonds to the prepped concrete. The body coat is applied at the specified thickness. Slip-resistant aggregate is broadcast into the wet body coat where the use case calls for it.
Topcoat and return to service
The topcoat seals the system and provides the wear surface. The floor cures on the manufacturer's schedule. We hand back the space ready for traffic at the timeline we quoted.
System selection is the work
Choosing the Right Epoxy Specification Prevents Failure
Epoxy systems vary widely in chemical resistance, abrasion rating, temperature tolerance, and slip classification. A system rated for light foot traffic will fail in a service bay with hot tires and automotive fluids. A system rated for dry environments will blister in a wash-down kitchen. We specify based on the actual use, not the lowest cost that fits the budget.
When the epoxy install is part of a larger renovation, we coordinate with adjacent polished concrete in office zones and loading dock concrete outside so the floor systems transition cleanly and the slab prep is consistent across the whole space.
Slab prep, chemical resistance, slip ratings and what makes epoxy worth the investment.
A properly specified and installed system lasts the better part of a decade or longer in most commercial environments. Wear comes from traffic and chemicals; the system spec determines how it handles each. We size the spec to your use.
Diamond grinding to the manufacturer's prep profile is our standard, removing contaminants, old coatings and surface laitance. Where moisture testing flags a high-vapor slab, a moisture-mitigation primer goes on first. Skipping prep is why coatings fail.
Yes, with the right system spec. Wash-down floors get a system with chemical resistance and slip aggregate; food processing gets a system rated to that environment; service garages get a system rated for hot tires and automotive fluids. The system matches the use.
Foot traffic typically a day after the topcoat; full vehicle or chemical service later in the cure schedule. We give you a clear return-to-service timeline before the install so you can plan production around it.
Sometimes, but usually we remove the failed system back to clean concrete first. Installing over a failing layer just inherits its failure mode. The honest scope often includes removal as a line item; the quote tells you up front.
Client reviews
What Gatineau Operations Say About Their Epoxy Floors
Three contractors quoted slab prep as a paint roller and a primer. Gatineau Concrete quoted diamond grinding and explained why. Two years in, floor is still tight to the slab, no peeling.
Z. R.
Warehouse Manager, Gatineau
★★★★★
Service-bay system rated for hot tires and automotive fluids. Wash-down works, no spalling at the floor drains, and the slip aggregate is doing its job in winter.
Q. U.
Service Garage Owner, Ottawa
★★★★★
They specced the system to the actual chemical exposure in our plant, not the cheapest option that fits the budget. Worth every dollar; the previous floor had failed in 14 months.
X. U.
Manufacturing Plant Manager, Barrhaven
★★★★★
Coordinated install around our shift schedule. Floor was returned to service at the timelines they quoted, no surprises, no slipped delivery dates. Real professionals.
W. U.
Operations Director, Nepean
From the blog
Concrete Guides & Articles
Practical reading on planning, finishes and caring for concrete in Gatineau.
Tell us the floor area, the use case, the chemical and traffic exposure, and we will specify the right system and quote in writing after an on-site assessment.
