Various epoxy projects like tables, countertops, and floors have become trending in recent years. Epoxy resin is less expensive than tiles and marvels. Besides, it is exceptionally durable. But can epoxy resin be used outdoors?
In this piece, I will go through the intricacies of utilizing epoxy resin outside. There are particular care and management techniques that you should know before adding epoxy resin to your outdoor furniture or objects. Good for you that I will cover all of that here. So, keep on reading.
Epoxy Resin for Outdoor Use
Epoxy resin has become famous for both indoor and outdoor home projects. It chemically reacts with the surface it is applied on and permanently bonds with it. When it heals or dries, it becomes super hard. Thus, it becomes durable and long-lasting.
Epoxy resin is well-known not just for its durability. It is also gaining popularity due to its adaptability, as you can opt from various colours and designs. Epoxy flooring is affordable compared to many regular flooring options, such as tiles, marvel, and concrete. Moreover, the lustre of epoxy resin remains the same for years with proper care.
However, you must take some necessary steps to protect your outdoor epoxy resin projects. Without proper protection measurement, outdoor epoxy will yellow over time and fade because of UV rays and other harsh elements. So, the best outdoor epoxy resin is UV-resistant epoxy.
So, here is how you can use epoxy resin outdoors to make it last for many years to come:
Use Outdoor UV Resistant Epoxy
A regular epoxy coating will gradually become yellow because of sunlight or light. Use UV-resistant epoxy if you want your outdoor epoxy flooring, countertop, or any project to not get yellow.
There are many UV-resistant epoxy coatings available in the market. Such epoxy resins are often applied on outdoor flooring, wooden decks, stairs, pool decks, etc. Outdoor UV-resistant epoxy does not yellow even after years of exposure to UV rays.
Additives for Outdoor Epoxy
Another way to protect your epoxy floor is using epoxy additives. The additives mixed in the epoxy can protect outdoor protection from UV rays for years. It slowdowns the yellowing and adds more to the appearance of the epoxy resin.
Besides, high-grade additives strengthen the epoxy resin, making it even more durable. Some common epoxy additives are liquid dye, metallic powders, spray paints, and glider adhesives.
Use Polyurethane Coating
The next option for making outdoor epoxy UV resistant is applying a layer of the epoxy project. The protective coat reduces the effects of UV rays. Thus, the epoxy does not get yellowing too fast.
The sunlight can penetrate the protective polyurethane coating. Thus, the possibility of epoxies becoming yellow remains, but it will take significantly longer. For the optimum results, apply multiple applications of polyurethane.
Choose Epoxy with Darker Shade
Epoxy resins eventually become yellowish after years. If you want to avoid the yellowing from being noticed easily, you should choose darker colours for epoxy resin. Or you can go with yellow-based colours like orange and green. These colours will not seem too discoloured even if they slightly change because of UV rays.
Where is Epoxy Most Commonly Used Outdoor?
So, where can you use epoxy resin outdoors? The most common answer is outdoor flooring such as patios or decks. However, epoxy has many uses outdoors.
Here are the most common uses of epoxy resin outside:
- Patio and Deck: Epoxy resin is durable. Thus, it is excellent for outdoor floorings, like patio or deck. Unlike regular wood or tiles, epoxy resin flooring does not require repairs and is replaced every year. Also, an epoxy patio will not become yellowish after a long time of exposure to sunlight.
- Front Yard and Driveway: Epoxy front yard and driveways look attractive and welcoming to the visitors. Besides, epoxy resin is safe to walk on without slipping. It is easy to clean and keeps the shine for a long time.
- Poolside: Epoxy coating works as an effective slip treatment. So, you can use it on your poolside to make the area non-slippery. This way, you can minimize poolside accidents. Plus, epoxy on the pool’s side flooring looks cool.
- Outdoor epoxy countertops: In recent years, outdoor kitchens are becoming popular, and for that, many people prefer epoxy countertops. Epoxy has many features that make it perfect for an outdoor countertop.
Epoxy countertops are durable, heat-resistant, and non-toxic. Thus, you can put hot food on epoxy counters without the fear of melting them. The non-toxicity of the epoxy makes it food safe.
- Epoxy Table and Bar Tops: Like epoxy countertop, epoxy table and bar tops can also be used outside. But they need protective coatings to avoid damages from UV rays and other outdoor elements. You will find epoxy tables and bar tops with beautiful colours, patterns, and designs for outdoor use.
How to Take Care of Outdoor Epoxy Projects?
For years, do you want to retain the lustre for your epoxy floor or other projects? Then apart from making epoxy UV resistant, you have to take good care of epoxy projects.
To keep it clean and dirt-free, you can dust mop your outdoor epoxy floor, countertop, and table every day. Regarding extensive areas that need to be cleaned quickly, you may use a water hose or pressure washer to wash the epoxy flooring. Every few months, you may find your epoxy a bit dirty. So, you will require scrubbing it to remove any marks from the surface.
Use simple cleaning solutions with ammonia to clean epoxy projects. Avoid using abrasive chemicals since they can diminish the epoxy colour. Furthermore, resist washing the epoxy too hard and too quickly so not to damage the shine.
After years of use, the epoxy may fade and lose its glossy look. In that case, you can try polishing and buffering the epoxy projects to make them shine again.
Can You Use Outdoor Epoxy Resin For A Stone?
Many people apply epoxy resin coats on decorative stones outdoors. The coating makes the stone look glossy. If you want to experiment with epoxy resin and stone floors, you can easily do it for your outdoor project. You can add colour and shine to your stone projects with epoxy coating.
However, natural stone requires breathing freely. So, a layer of epoxy coating will not allow stones to breathe, and thus, the stone gets damaged. Besides, the epoxy resin may not work for years on a stone surface. When they come off, the stone looks drastic. Therefore, you may have to apply multiple layers of coating on stones.
Evolution of Epoxy Resin
Epoxy resin was first invented by Russian chemist Prileschajev during the 1890s. He found out the adhesive qualities of epoxy resin and how it can work as a protective layer. However, epoxy resin became popular during the 1930s. In the 1950s, epoxy was supplied commercially for everyday uses.
Epoxy resin was only suitable for indoor purposes for a long time as it could be easily damaged by the sunlight. Conversely, throughout the last several decades, numerous companies of epoxy resin have developed UV-resistant epoxy resin and coats. Thus, people can easily use epoxy resin for outdoor projects.
Final Thoughts about Epoxy Resin Outdoors
Without trepidation, you can go for it if you plan to have epoxy resin flooring, countertop, table, or any epoxy home décor outside. But always remember to use UV-resistant epoxy resin or coating for outdoor projects. Visitors will surely admire the glossy epoxy outside and inside your house.
Sources of Information
Sajjadi, P. (2021, September 4). Epoxy Flooring for Outdoor Uses. Epoxy Flooring Technologies | Epoxy Floor Coatings Contractors Sydney. Retrieved March 20, 2022, from https://epoxyflooringtech.com/epoxy-flooring-outdoor-uses/
Epoxy Network. (2019, September 30). Can Epoxy Be Used Outside? Retrieved March 20, 2022, from https://www.epoxynetwork.com/blog/can-epoxy-be-used-outside
Shah, P. (2021, December 6). Outdoor Kitchens: Can Epoxy Countertops Be Used Outdoors. My Decorative. Retrieved March 20, 2022, from https://mydecorative.com/outdoor-kitchens
Can I use an Epoxy Sealer on Stone? (2015, July 19). CTaSC.Com. Retrieved March 20, 2022, from https://ctasc.com/expert-answers/can-i-use-an-epoxy-sealer-on-stone
Epoxy. (2021, July 22). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epoxy
Can you use an epoxy coating on an asphalt driveway?
Thanks, Chris, for your feedback Certainly possible; depending on the epoxy, there might be a lot of preparation, but it should be fine.