Paint Type
Epoxy Paint
Epoxy paint is a durable resin-based coating; two-part formulas combine resin and hardener before use, while one-part types use epoxy-modified binders.
Epoxy paint surface compatibility
Epoxy paint works especially well on concrete and metal. Tile and porcelain surfaces require a refinishing system made specifically for them.
| Surface | Compatibility | Preparation | Primer | Finish | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete | Excellent with a concrete-specific system | Check for moisture and existing coatings; clean, repair, and profile the concrete as directed. | System-specific; some floor coatings do not use a separate primer. | Allow the stated cure before foot or vehicle traffic. | Garage floor guide |
| Tile | Excellent with an approved tile refinishing kit | Repair chips, remove caulk where directed, clean and abrade the tile, then remove all dust. | Use the complete refinishing system; do not substitute components. | Observe mixing, recoat, ventilation, water-exposure, and full-cure instructions. | — |
| Porcelain | Excellent with an approved porcelain refinishing kit | Clean thoroughly, abrade as directed, repair defects, and remove all residue before coating. | Use the complete refinishing system and follow its mixing and application requirements. | Observe the full cure before water exposure; service limits remain product-specific. | — |
| Stainless Steel | Excellent in an approved protective system | Remove contamination and create the surface profile required by the coating specification. | Use the specified stainless-steel-compatible epoxy or bonding primer. | Observe the system's recoat, service, and full-cure requirements. | — |
| Galvanized Steel | Excellent in an approved protective system | Remove contamination and prepare the zinc surface to the coating specification. | Use the specified galvanized-steel-compatible epoxy or bonding primer. | Observe the system's recoat, service, and full-cure requirements. | — |
| Metal | Good with a metal-specific epoxy product | Remove rust and loose coating; clean, degrease, dry, and dull glossy surfaces. | Follow the product system for bare or previously coated metal. | Respect the stated recoat and full-cure times. | — |
Sources: Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield Garage Floor Coating, Rust-Oleum garage-floor coating guide, Rust-Oleum Appliance Epoxy, Behr 1-Part Epoxy Concrete & Garage Floor Paint, Sherwin-Williams Macropoxy EG-1 VHS N, and Rust-Oleum Tub & Tile Refinishing Kit.
Painters who used epoxy paint
Tom Holland applied epoxy paint to shaped aluminum, while Frank Stella combined it with fluorescent alkyd on canvas in hard-edged compositions.
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Tom Holland
Whitney records Luna (1977) as epoxy paint on aluminum. Holland used the industrial coating on a shaped metal sculpture, so the paint follows the folded panels and helps the object read as a constructed form rather than a conventional canvas painting.
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Frank Stella
MFA Houston records Moultonville I (1966) as fluorescent alkyd and epoxy paint on canvas. Stella combined both industrial coatings on one large support, using crisp color divisions to build the work’s hard-edged forms across the surface.
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Brooke Cambridge
BLC Painting documents Cambridge’s epoxy floor systems for garages, basements, and new construction. Her process includes concrete profiling, crack repair, primer, and layered coats, showing how epoxy is prepared for a hard-wearing architectural floor on concrete.
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Chris Berry
Berry demonstrates an epoxy coating system for concrete garage floors, explaining surface profiling and preparation before application. His project presents epoxy as a protective floor finish for a specific substrate, distinct from the wall paints in his house-painting guides.
Sources: Whitney: Luna; MFAH: Moultonville I; BLC Painting: Floor Coatings; Chris Berry: Epoxy Garage Floor.
