For step one of this project, we removed the tile visible in the first photograph. In step two, we used various tools, including the equipment visible in the second photograph, to clean and grind the exposed concrete floor. This process removed stains, adhesive and blemishes from the concrete.
For step three, we laid down a vapor barrier over the concrete. The final metallic epoxy flooring layer would be impermeable. Moisture can rise up through the concrete layer. This is normal, but the moisture can then become trapped between the concrete layer and the metallic epoxy flooring layers, and the trapped moisture can pop off the metallic epoxy.
To avoid this sort of damage, we applied the vapor barrier, which is made of a type of epoxy. While the barrier doesn’t stop water, it does seal vapor and moisture below the surface. The third photograph shows the original concrete layer with the transparent vapor barrier on top of it. The barrier is insurance and is not always necessary; however, the material is inexpensive, and it can be a good idea to include it.