Blog Post

Reflective Floor System

  • By 7016640727
  • 13 Jun, 2018

The Floors of The Future

Concrete Technology of Hawaii's Reflective Floor System is a relatively new product in our line of floor coatings.  Ideal for home, commercial and industrial interiors, this super fast curing epoxy coating is highly durable and absolutely stunning.   

Utilizing our Rapid Armor (soon to be EZ Armor) epoxy, the Reflective Floor System achieves a smooth, high gloss finish with a beautiful 3 dimensional effect within.  The pictures don't really do it justice, but I'll do my best to explain the product, some benefits, a little about the application process and show you a few examples along the way.  Be sure to check out the video at the end of this post.
Kona Brew Pub Bar Floor - Cappuccino, Merlot, Arizona Gold
The Reflective Floor System is a combination of multiple reflective minerals, available in a number of different colors, suspended in a high build, high solid, clear epoxy sealer called EZ Armor.  This two part Cyclo-Aliphatic amine epoxy sealer is a new product in our line which improves upon and replaces our Rapid Armor sealer which you see in the pictures.  There are multiple techniques to installing a Reflective Floor which produce different aesthetic effects.  
Kona Brew Pub Bar Floor  
Preparation is much the same as in any of our applications.  Concrete Technology of Hawaii grinds all interior concrete floors to profile, remove contaminants and generally open up the pores of the concrete surface.  Clean, bare concrete is always the goal to maximize the bond of any product we install.  This includes grinding edges and corners and everything in between.  We use vacuum systems with all our grinders and we do collect most dust, though there is always some residual, especially when grinding edges or vertical surfaces. 

Cracks are repaired in a number of ways depending on the severity of the fracture.  You can find more information regarding concrete repair in some of my previous blogs, though I plan to go more in depth in a future post.
Kona Brew Pub Covered Outdoor Dining Area
Typically for a Reflective Floor install we start with a coat of CTi's Enviro Prime clear epoxy floor primer.  Enviro Prime is a two-component, 100% solids epoxy designed as a high performance self leveling industrial floor primer for concrete.  Enviro Prime has a low viscosity that seals the concrete and provides a primer for the top coat.  Its excellent as a clear, industrial grade, high gloss top coat itself, but we use it as a primer for the Reflective Floor System as well.  We mix it, roll it or trowel it, then allow it to dry. 

Enviro Prime cannot be applied to on-grade concrete slabs that do not have an under-slab vapor barrier or slabs that exhibit water vapor transmission or hydro-static pressure.  Efflourescence is a sure sign of moisture permeating through the slab.  I plan to go more in depth on this topic in a future post as well.  
Laverne's Sports Bar - Caribbean Blue, Teal, Surfs Up
We usually let the Enviro Prime dry over night.  Tack free is around 4 to 6 hours and clean foot traffic is after 8 hours.  Full cure is 5 to 7 days for heavy traffic when using it as a top coat and it has an amber tint to it.  For our purposes, it needs to be dry enough to sand the surface and over night is plenty for that.  Enviro Prime dries hard and glossy, so by sanding, we rough up the surface for the following coat of Rapid Armor or EZ Armor  to adhere properly.  
Laverne's Sports Bar Kailua Kona
First and foremost, Rapid Armor is super fast setting and even more so here in Hawaii where ambient temperature is on the higher side.  I've spoken with dealers on the mainland, in cooler climates that heat up the product before mixing and applying.  Here in Hawaii, we sometimes cool the product to increase work time.  The new EZ Armor improves work time over the Rapid Armor.  Both products however, are two liquid components mixed with the mineral color of choice.  We offer 22 standard colors, ranging from multiple blues, silvers and greys to reds, golds and browns.  I'll provide some links to color charts and other examples at the end of this post.
Laverne's Sports Bar Close Up
We mix a primary color and 1 or 2 highlight colors before application.  This is where the artistry and customization come into play.  Like I said before, there are a number of different techniques to mixing the colors once they're on the floor and I don't want to give away too many of our secrets, but in essence we're blending the colors in interesting ways.  We do this with rollers, chemicals, veining and blowing air to create different effects.  With the high build, the product self levels to a high gloss shine, which can be dulled if desired.  The minerals are suspended and mixed in the EZ Armor to give the translucient 3D effect.  
Living Room by CTi of Wisconsin
Dry time for light foot traffic on the EZ Armor is 14 to 18 hours and full cure for heavy traffic is 2 to 7 days depending on required use.  This is a considerably longer cure time than the old Rapid Armor, which is full cure in 24 hours, but we get a lot more work time to blend colors and achieve a deeper, more customizable look with the EZ Armor.  Both products provide excellent long term wear capabilities, chemical resistance, as well as resistance to abrasion, stain and hot tires, but EZ armor improves upon all these. 
Reflective Floor by CTi of Wisconsin  Quicksilver and Sterling
That's it. We peel the masking and go on our way. Wax can be used, which we also provide, for heavy traffic areas, but the main appeal thus far has been the quick turn around times. The Kona Brew Pub, in the pictures above, closes for only one day a year. We were able to do the preparation in the nights leading up to their one close day without interrupting their daytime business.  The floor went down the night prior to closing.  It cured for a day and had bar stools and full business traffic the next day.  
Bathroom by CTi of Wisconsin Steel and Quicksilver
Reflective Floors as well as the Enviro Prime systems are excellent coatings for industrial, commercial and residential applications.  Beautiful and tough as nails.  I've got a few links here for our corporate website http://www.designcti.com/PhotoGallery.aspx with some different applications from all over the world.  Below you can find a video from the Laverne's floor installation as well as a color chart for the Reflective Floor system.  

This one is a link to CTi of Wisconsin, whom were kind enough to not only share a few photos of their work on this page, but also came out here to the Big Island to help us install the floor at the Kona Brew Pub.  So check out some more of their fantastic work here  http://www.ctiofwisconsin.com/  They can be found on Facebook as well.
Thanks for checking out our new stuff.  I'm excited about the possibilities and the added dimension we can bring to concrete here in Hawaii.  As always, feel free to leave any questions down in the comments or contact Concrete Technology of Hawaii directly and schedule a Free Estimate.  We look forward to hearing from you.  Mahalo.
Laverne's Bar Floor Video by CTiHawaii
Color Chart from CTi Brochure
By 7016640727 March 1, 2019
No warp, no rot and no splinters.  That's right, this is all created using Concrete Technology of Hawaii's modified concrete systems.  Its all custom textured and colored by hand.  The wood look is available indoors and out.  It can be applied with a rough texture or a smooth high gloss finish.  With all the durability of our custom concrete systems and available in countless color combinations, the wood look is an exciting new addition to our line of applications.  
By 7016640727 March 7, 2018
This week we have Concrete Technology of Hawaii's Stone Classics System.  This one is similar to the Acrylistain system in its application with some differences in the coloring techniques.  We utilize the same materials as the previous 2 systems; Hallmark and Acrylistain, so once again you get all the benefits of our polymerized acrylic concrete coatings without the cost and headaches of actual stone.  All of CTi's colors are available as well as custom colors so we can compliment some of the colors in and around the home or business or we can come up with something totally unique and custom.  Twice the strength of standard concrete and resistant to UV, fade, chemicals and staining.  This alternative to stone stands the test of time.
By 7016640727 February 17, 2018
Next up is the Acrylistain system.  This is Concrete Technology of Hawaii's take on stained concrete, but taken to a higher level.  Unlike lithochrome or acid staining, we're not staining the original grey concrete, nor does the slab need to be new or fresh to accept the color.  We actually use our polymerized acrylic concrete as a canvas for staining.  All of CTi's colors are available, as well as custom ordered colors.
By 7016640727 February 8, 2018
The Concrete Technology Hallmark System.  This is probably our most popular application due to its beauty of course, durability and versatility.  It can be applied to any existing concrete, new or old.  It's great for outdoor use because we can achieve a few different texture options.  We can leave it rough for steep driveways or sidewalks where extra traction is required or we can use a knockdown technique for a smoother surface, ideal for pool decks or other concrete surfaces in and around the home.  It can also be applied to stairs and walls.  I'll show some examples of both down below.  

Like all of our systems, The Hallmark System is available in dozens of standard colors, but again we can also have colors custom ordered for a minimal additional cost.  Patterns are available as well.  From simple tile patterns or borders to custom hand-laid flagstone patterns.  Logos and stencils can be incorporated as well.  The design opportunities are limited only by the imagination.  
By 7016640727 February 8, 2018
Over the coming weeks, I plan to outline our different products here in this blog.  Seeing as we've started this year with a number of garages, I thought I'd begin this series with a few of them and our Durafleck 5000 product line.   

We can apply any one of our different products to a garage floor, but I usually recommend the Durafleck 5000 system for its ease of cleaning, resistance to chemicals and obviously visually pleasing, granite-like appearance.  Like many of our other products, it is great in other parts of the home and commercial areas as well.  Kitchens, basements, hospitals and workshops can all benefit from this durable coating.  Its available in about 30 different standard color combinations, but custom colors are available upon request as well.

By Alika January 20, 2018
Welcome to the newly designed Concrete Technology of Hawaii Inc. website.  We're excited about the new look and hopefully a more streamlined experience navigating our site.  I'm still in the process of migrating over some of our best content from the old site as well as updating some of our more recent work. 

 I plan to use this space to share information regarding our specific overlay systems, new products and current jobs.  Feel free to comment with any questions and I'll do my best to answer in a timely manner.  A lot of questions can be answered in our FAQ's section, so be sure to check that out.   

Finally, we will once again be attending The Kona-Kohala Building and Design expo at the Sheraton Hotel in Keauhou.  However, said expo has been renamed as The Hawai'i Island Living + Design Show.  It takes place on February 17 & 18.  I hope to have a few new sample boards for the show and its a great chance to get hands on with our amazing products.  So stop by, talk story and see how Concrete Technology of Hawaii Inc. can transform your dull, grey concrete into a work of art.
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