What is the best way to remove old epoxy from a concrete floor?

Professional contractors deploy mechanical diamond grinding and shot blasting to remove old epoxy. These methods strip the failing material and simultaneously prepare the correct concrete surface profile for the new coating. Mechanical extraction avoids the toxic hazards associated with chemical strippers.

Are new coatings applied directly over old epoxy?

No. Applying new resin over failing old epoxy guarantees delamination. You must strip the floor down to bare concrete to ensure a permanent mechanical bond. The new system requires raw open pores to penetrate and lock into the substrate.

How long does the commercial removal process take?

A standard residential two-car garage requires one day for complete mechanical extraction. Large commercial facilities or thick elastomeric industrial coatings require phased removal over multiple days. Timelines depend heavily on the thickness of the original material.

Do I need to remove all the old epoxy before recoating?

Yes. You must remove every trace of the old coating along with subsurface contaminants like oil and laitance. Leaving patches of old epoxy creates weak points where the new system will eventually fail. The entire slab requires a uniform surface profile.

What happens if you apply epoxy over old epoxy without removing it?

The new coating cures and shrinks. This shrinking action pulls the old weak epoxy directly off the concrete slab. This results in massive bubbling, peeling, and catastrophic floor failure within months.