Floor Etcher - 5L

Floor Etcher - 5L

In Stock

The top choice for quickly and easily removing grit and dust from concrete and screed floors before sealing, coating or painting - with the lowest price guaranteed!

An essential floor preparation solution for concrete and screed floors - floorsaver Floor Etcher etches, cleans and opens up the pores of the concrete, which helps effective adhesion.

 

Watch our how to apply video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSnwgtSowHE

 

The lowest price - guaranteed!

Perfect for powerfloated or smooth concrete floors

Contains detergent for cleaning action

Removes lime dust on new concrete

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floorsaver floor paints are designed to last years, so the last thing you want is a problem with adhesion. There are 4 good reasons to use floorsaver Floor Etcher.

  • Concrete often has a gritty dusty surface. If you apply paint to it, the paint will stick to the grit, but the whole lot will break away from the concrete beneath. floorsaver Floor Etcher removes this.
  • Concrete should be slightly porous to allow the paint to penetrate. floorsaver Floor Etcher keys the surface to make this happen.
  • Single pack alkyd based paints, such as floorsaver Floor Paint, do not like high levels of alkalinity. New concrete (less than 6 months) is alkaline and floorsaver Floor Etcher neutralises the surface alkalinity.
  • floorsaver Floor Etcher is a diluted hydrochloric acid based liquid, which is great for removing ingrained dirt and dust. If used on dirty, bare concrete the concrete will end up looking much 'whiter'and it will look like a surface which is now ready to be painted.

Application:

Only use on bare concrete, it is ineffective on painted or sealed surfaces.

  • Tip into a plastic watering can fitted with a plastic rose and apply evenly to an area of 15-20m² maximum. The etcher will froth as it hits the concrete, this is the acid base reacting with the alkaline concrete and biting into the surface, removing impurities and keying it. Please note: The quoted coverage of this product is a guide only and it will depend on the texture, finish and porosity of the surface.
  • Scrub using a stiff broom or hire a scrubbing machine for large areas.
  • When the frothing stops, wash the floor etcher with water. Don't worry about disposing of an acid solution, what's lying on the floor has been neutralised by the reaction.
  • When the surface is dry you can apply floorsaver Floor Paint. If you're using floorsaver Epoxy Floor Paint it doesn't matter if the concrete is still a bit damp as a result of cleaning.

What to do if the etcher does not froth or react with concrete

  • This means the surface is sealed and should instead be lightly abraded to provide a key. It could also mean that the concrete is so smooth, dense and hard that the etcher cannot penetrate. This means the floor paint won't either and it's best not to go ahead.

 

Tip - If you don't use a watering can and rose it will be difficult to get the application even. If you pour it onto the floor, straight from the can, you may be left with 'acid scarring' where the concrete has been unevenly etched, and this may show through the paint.

    Content Diluted hydrochloric acid based etchant and cleaner
    Interior/exterior usage Suitable for interior and exterior use
    Surfaces Suitable for bare concrete, bricks and masonry
    Coverage 5L covers approx. 15-20m²
    Shelf Life 12 months, if unopened and should not be allowed to freeze

    We don't recommend:

    • Application to sand and cement screeds, or self-levelling compounds. This product is for bare concrete only.

    Product Information Sheet

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    Safety Sheet

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    QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

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    • A: This should not be diluted. Please apply it directly to the surface, as supplied.

    • A: Hi,

      On a new concrete surface the dust is often surface laitance, This is when fine particlaes that have risen to the top of the surface during the drying process have simply resettled. Often they create a constantly dusty finish to a concrete floor. In fact, this can easily be removed using our Floor Etcher. This is used to remove the very top layer of the surface which is loose and dusty and expose the harder surface just below.

      Once complete you can then either paint the harder floor you are left with, for a dust free and clean finish, or simply user a clear penetrative sealer. Our Concrete Dustproofer would soak in and stop the floor from conitnuing to dust up without siginificantly changing the appearance.

      Kind Regards,
      Michael

    • A: You could use it for this purpose, but it isn't necessary. The Concrete Sealer will bind the dust together and prevent the floor dusting up again.

    • A: If the concrete is new use our Floor Etcher first, as this will remove surface laitance (a dusty layer) and it will slighly open up the surface of the concrete so the epoxy paint can bond to it.  Epoxy Floor Paint is really hard wearing and it's between a semi - high gloss finish (depends on the porosity of the concrete) and comes in both light and mid grey.  See our data sheet for colour swatches and step by step preparation, application, etc.