The Epoxyfather on Growing Up in Philadelphia, a Weekend Class and Patience

The Epoxyfather grew up in Philadelphia, and he says his upbringing “was very different.”

He wanted something that would change his life for the better. “I choose to do something positive and epoxy seemed to be the right thing,” he says. “It’s changed my life for the better and it’s really had a big impact on my life.”

A weekend class

He wanted to do something artistic and hands on, and something few people in his market were doing. A friend told him about a cheap weekend class. Over two days, he learned metallic and flake floors.

He did not walk out of the class hooked. What changed things was what came after. He applied what he had learned, searched the internet, and found influential installers whose work inspired him.

“I took matters in my own hands and started pursuing my career,” he says.

The name

The name came from a movie. “It represents a lot of honor, respect, and dignity,” he says. He also liked that it made for an eye catching logo, and felt it was the perfect fit for him and his company.

The first week: wait before moving back in

The biggest mistake he sees homeowners make happens right after the job is done. They are in a rush to move their things back in.

Epoxy cure times depend on the weather and climate, he explains. A floor can look fully cured on top while the bottom is still curing.

“One big mistake clients make is moving heavy furniture onto the floors too early,” he says.

Flake or metallic?

When a homeowner cannot decide between systems, he starts with their budget. Many people want the luxury of a metallic floor, but there is a big price difference compared to flake.

Then he looks at the space. For homeowners who want designs inside their homes, he highly recommends metallic. For those who just want a clean surface in the garage, flake does the job.

“All depends on their budget and really more so their choice of elegance,” he says.

New concrete needs time

If you are building a new home, do not rush the coating. He waits two to three months before working on fresh concrete.

“We do grind and profile the concrete and machines are very aggressive,” he says. “So I would give the foundation about three months to fully cure before using any grinders and heavy equipment on a concrete.”

What causes bubbles

Small bubbles or pinholes in a new floor can come from the material, from a dirty work area, or from very porous concrete releasing air as the coating cures, which installers call outgassing.

His fix is a grout coat, a thin first coat that fills the pores of the concrete. He starts his systems with a moisture vapor barrier grout coat.

“It ensures me and gives me the safety and my client to understand and know that no bubbles and no things of that nature will show up in our finish,” he says.

Patience, faith and the five P’s

The Epoxyfather says he is still getting comfortable in front of a camera, and credits his friend from Lone Wolf Coatings for inspiring him to do better.

Asked for the best advice he has received, he gave several answers. The first was patience. “It’s not something that you just magically jump off the porch and think you’ll nail it all in one shot,” he says.

The second was short. “Never give up and walk by faith.”

The one he lives by is a saying someone shared with him that has stuck ever since.

“Perfect planning prevents poor performance,” he says. “Something I live by, something that motivates me, and it’s something that gives me direction.”

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“Perfect planning prevents poor performance.”

What’s next

He expects the industry to grow a lot, with more installers and more teachers, because many people still do not know about epoxy.

“I’m glad I’m a part of it now,” he says. He hopes to become a pioneer in the trade, and to help others the way he needed help when he was starting out.