posted
31/07/10
You wanted an epoxy coating for your garage floor because the ad showed that your floor could have the feel of a showroom floor after you have applied the epoxy coat. You bought the product and applied it on your bare floor. Frustratingly, the results are not good and you blame the ad for misleading you. In fact, you should have prepped well before applying the coat ingso that it would turn out right. It is important that you set a good plan for this project with a schedule and materials.
Before anything else, you should consider the timing of when to do the application of epoxy coating. Choose the days when the weather is not rainy or cold so that the concrete is not damp. That’s why epoxy coating is often considered a summer project. Once you have scheduled the days, you can start cleaning and prepping your garage floor.
A garage floor should be cleaned very well and the concrete surface should be a little rough so the epoxy can strongly bond to the surface of the floor. Use a broom to sweep off from the floor all the dirt and dust. An old paintbrush can be used to sweep out the corners. If your garage floor has paint on it already, remove its gloss by using a light sanding pad. Then, sweep off the dirt. If you want to know if your floor is totally clean, you can use a strip of duct tape. Stick the strip and peel it away. If dust or particles are stuck on it, the floor needs another round of cleaning.
An oil or petroleum stain will have bad effects on the result of epoxy adhesion. To check if your garage floor has an oil stain, test for water beads by applying a very light coating of water. If beads are present, you may need the help of a degreaser. There are various kinds of degreaser on the market so be smart in choosing a good quality one. Put some degreaser on the surface where water beads appear and then scrub off the mixture using detergent and water. Test again for water beading and repeat the process if the beads are still present.
If your garage floor is bare or new or if you already had it covered with clear coat, etching the floor is the next step. Use a weak muriatic acid for this task. You should mix the muriatic acid and water by carefully following the instructions on how to use the product. It is also a good practice to use gloves, safety glasses and rubber boots. Once you are done putting on the mixture, rinse off the whole garage floor with water and wait for four hours to let the floor dry.
After cleaning the floor, you can move your attention to the epoxy solution. Prepare the top coat by mixing the hardener and resin. Make sure that the mixture blends well by continuously stirring it for the next three minutes. Then, put back the lid but let it be a little loose on the can where you have the mixture. Let it settle for 30 minutes and do not expose it to the sun. Before applying the epoxy, stir the mixture again for one minute and if you have anti-skid granules, add them now.
The next two hours is crucial because it’s the only allowed time for you to start applying the top coat. You can start applying the coat to the seams and corners by using a clean paintbrush. Then, use a nap roller when you apply the coat to the surface. With the roller, apply the coat in one direction first then in a perpendicular way on each new section because this way you can move forward while covering the entire floor. At first, the coating appears to be milky white but, once it dries, the color becomes clear.
It is important that you work quickly and that your garage is well ventilated while you apply the coating because the smell of the chemicals can irritate you. Applying an epoxy coat is like painting a floor, that’s why a nap roller can be used. For the seams and corners of the floor, it is recommended to use a paintbrush that has three-inch bristles. In either case, you want to apply two coatings, the first coat must be left to dry for 24 hours.
In case you want to add color flakes, you can achieve good results if you spread out the flakes after you paint each section and the coat is still wet. Lightly sprinkle the flakes until you get the grip on how to spread it out so that the color flakes are evenly distributed. The way you sprinkle grass seeds to the ground is how you should spread out the color flakes.
You need patience after you are done applying the epoxy coat. You have to wait for 24 hours for the coat to cure and you can walk on the surface. The floor also needs 72 hours before a car can drive on it to make sure that it is totally cured. The entire wait is worth it because you have the nice and clean epoxy coated garage floor. As promised by the epoxy coat manufacturer, you have a garage floor that looks and feels like a showroom floor and its all because of your hard work.
For more information on A Garage Floor Coating visit our website for all the up to date information
posted
31/07/10
Your auto insurance premiums are calculated by a number of different factors relating to your insurance risk. Each one of these factors can individually or collectively determine the premium that you are charged. If you are aware of these factors, you can sometimes do something about changing things so you can benefit from lower premiums.
1. Verifiable Driver Insurance History
One of the first things that an insurance company will look at is your insurance history. How long you have had insurance for? What has your claims record been? Is the car insured under your name? Sometimes, people say that they have been an insured driver for years but the insurance has been under their parents’ or spouse’s name. This does not provide a verifiable insurance history so insurance companies may be weary about providing you with insurance coverage. If you have had several claims in a short space of time, you will be paying a higher premium than someone who has a claim-free record.
2. Age of the Driver
Many insurance companies will not insure drivers under the age of 21 years because they are a much higher risk group. Having just learned to drive, younger drivers generally driver faster, are less aware of other vehicles on the road, and often do not judge distances very well. They may also be very nervous drivers that cause accidents because they drive too slowly or hesitate when pulling out into traffic. The optimal age for getting the best insurance premiums is 35 years of age.
3. Gender of Driver
While there are many jokes about bad female drivers, the road statistics say otherwise. Men are far higher-risk drivers and involved in accidents far more frequently than women. Often, they are also involved in far more serious accidents because they usually are travelling at high speeds. Female drivers can benefit from discounted premiums, and men will only receive lower premiums if they have a good driving track record.
4. Overnight Storage of Vehicle
This factor relates mostly to the theft-risk factor. It varies between different countries and residential areas. In general, more urban areas have a higher risk than rural areas. Insurance companies prefer that a vehicle is parked off the street, behind a locked gate or in a locked garage. Coastal areas also carry higher insurance premiums because of the humidity and salt in the air that causes corrosion to the working parts of a car. A vehicle that is stored in a garage as opposed to being parked outside will require less maintenance and therefore benefit from lower insurance premiums.
5. Mileage and Use of Vehicle If you are a housewife or work from home, you are unlikely to use much mileage and will therefore benefit from lower insurance premiums. If you commute to work every day, your mileage and road usage increases your risk profile. Your premiums will therefore be moderately higher. If you are a sales rep or use your car for work, it is classified as commercial use and will be the most expensive premium because you are a frequent road user.
6. Make and Model of Car
Next to driver history, this is possibly the biggest factor that will affect your insurance premium. There are two aspects of risk that are affected by the make and model. First, the theft risk. If it is a BMW that is thought of as a highly desirable vehicle, it will therefore be considered a high theft risk. The second risk is accident risk. Is it a vehicle capable of high speeds which would put it at a high risk level?
7. Power to Weight Ratio
Some vehicles have powerful engines yet are not viewed as very high risk. This is because they have a low power-to-weight ratio. A sports car or Mini Cooper is an example of a high power-to-weight ratio vehicle that has fast acceleration. This is therefore viewed as a much higher risk.
8. Cost of Replacement Parts
Some cars are very expensive to maintain, especially if they are not manufactured in your home country. The cost of replacement parts is a big factor in determining your insurance premiums. If parts have to be imported in the event of a claim, this will increase your insurance premiums.
9. Actual Value of Vehicle and Age of Vehicle
A luxury vehicle will naturally carry a more expensive premium than a standard vehicle. However, a vintage or classic vehicle may have a high value but because it is used less frequently, it will have a much lower insurance premium.
10. Vehicle Security Systems
Most modern vehicles have factory-fitted security systems. Some use immobilizers and alarms systems as standard features. If it is a desirable and high-theft risk vehicle then insurance companies may insist on having additional security systems such as vehicle tracking installed in the vehicle.
11. Credit History of Insured Person
This is not always an important factor but it can affect your insurance premiums. If you have a long and detailed poor credit history, you are generally considered to be more of a risk and will have to pay higher premiums.
Real Insurance is a part of the Hollard Group of companies. The Hollard Group has offices in the United States, the UK, South Africa, Australia and throughout South East Asia and provides a wide range of insurance products and services to more than 6 million policyholders worldwide. For more information about Real Insurance, visit us online today!
posted
31/07/10
Back in the day when individuals got around by horse, insurance coverage was the last matter anyone thought about. Those days are remembered in books about the old west. Of course now everybody needs to have insurance cover for the automobile they drive and car insurance plan rates climb each and every year. Whenever you buy a new vehicle, your vehicle insurance will also rise.
Regardless of the situation that most people face, if it has got to do with a vehicle, the insurance coverage will rise. What’s the cause for this and what’s the catalyst for costs which are constantly on the rise? We’ve all heard some excuses for increasing insurance plan prices but there are lots of factors at play so the explanations aren’t normally very simple.
The price of cars continues to rise which is why insurance prices follow. Formerly, when somebody paid for vehicle insurance at a price of ten thousand, insurance rates were set at a corresponding level.
Now vehicles cost well over twenty thousand dollars and so the auto insurance rates go up. Rates would actually lower if folks would drive less pricey cars. And if individuals would sustain great driving records, obviously. It’s imperative to sustain a superb driving history. If drivers are married and aren’t more than twenty 5 yrs old, they’ll pay out much more, no matter what they’re driving record is.
Vehicle insurance coverage costs climb for other factors too
One thing else to think about is the truth that there are a great deal of individuals who make a living filing accident claims. People who can barely pay out their car insurance coverage rates are certainly not given sympathy in any way by these individuals.
The general public pays the cost for this type of crime as they have to pay for it by means of increased auto interest rates. Each situation of suspected fraud will induce the cost of investigators.
The flying or driving costs in addition to per diem and hotel stays all contribute to the expense of insurance policies. This has to be carried out simply because if the insurance firms allowed this fraud to carry on, the cost for safe accountable drivers would sky rocket.
An additional reason for costly vehicle insurance rates is that usually insurance providers additionally have other kinds of insurance such as the sort for people who own homes. The insurance coverage companies do have to profit after all. Revenue is one of their goals, just like any enterprise. With all of the natural disasters over the last few years, insurance coverage companies have had to pay out out a huge amount of cash.
The businesses need to profit or they could not take on new insurance policies. It all comes down to these 3 things. The reality is that vehicle insurance rates will not go down. By calling all-around and discovering the best rate, you can plan ahead and see exactly where the deals are best.
Visit us and even look at the Safe Auto Insurance Quote website page for the best offer! And also if you find yourself curious visit my Piscinas Prefabricadas retail outlet here in Espanya.
