What is epoxy based paint?

Answer 1

There are two kinds, single-component epoxies and two-component epoxies. Both are available at home centers, with a caveat I'll explain later. Single-component epoxy is oil-based paint that contains epoxy ester. Now understand: it's really good oil-based paint. It's just not epoxy. Two-component epoxy paint...you know what epoxy glue is, right? It comes in two containers. You mix component A with component B in a precise ratio, stir them together and work like a dog to do the job before the epoxy hardens in the mixing container. If you were to thin it out some and add colorant to it, you'd have two-component epoxy paint. This is used on industrial floors because it's very hard and sticks to the floor really well. It's also used as automotive primer, and it's excellent. Here's the caveat I spoke of earlier: if you go to a home center you can get two-component epoxy garage floor paint from Rustoleum. They buy it in huge quantities from whoever's got the best price right now, package each component in a quart can, then sell it to you for about $100. This is completely out of line. Go to an industrial paint store--Sherwin-Williams has a nationwide chain of them--and get it there; you'll save a few bucks.