What Is A Flake Coating?

We’re glad you asked. Flake coatings are different than your typical patio coatings in that your floor coating professionals will broadcast colored flakes over the coating for unique color and style. They then apply a topcoat to seal the flakes in so that you can enjoy your patio flake coating for as long as possible.

Basically, these flakes are polymer paint aggregates made of acrylic and vinyl resins. They have various pigments and sizes, but typically fall between the 4-5 mil thickness. Flakes aren’t standardized in size or shape, which means that every flake coating is unique.

You can choose from existing color blends or ask your floor coating specialist to customize a blend for you to ensure that your patio matches your exterior decor.

How Are Flake Coatings Applied?

When you have a patio flake coating installed, the application process is quite similar to your typical floor coating application. The difference is that after the concrete has been prepped and the primer and basecoat applied, your floor coating specialists will then broadcast the flakes of your choice over the coating.

What broadcasting means is that they essentially scatter the flakes over the coating. Specialists have the experience needed in order to ensure that your patio flake coating looks nice and even, rather than clustered in some areas and hardly present in others. Because every blend is slightly different and every broadcast will be different, this means that each flake coating comes out a bit different.

Depending on the type of coverage you want, some of the basecoat may shine through or the basecoat may be completely covered by flakes. If you do want partial coverage, you want to ensure that you select a color for the basecoat that looks good with your flakes.

After the flakes have been applied, the experts will go over your coating to take care of any that are sticking up at odd angles. Then, they’ll apply a topcoat so that your patio flake coating will be nice and smooth, with the flakes sealed in.

How Do You Choose The Right Patio Flake Coating?

You’ll want to decide whether you want your patio flake coating to be more subtle or more of a statement. With how many different colors flakes come in, you can opt for a patio flake coating that smoothly blends together the inside and outside of your home. Or, if you want to set your outdoor space apart from the rest of your home, you could opt for more statement colors for more contrast.

You generally want to take into account the existing colors in your space. For instance, if you have red bricks around your home, red flakes could look lovely with that. If you have sandstone rocks around your pond, sandstone flakes tie in with them wonderfully. If you have a tan home but you want your patio flake coating to be a bit different, a darker brown or a subtle blue could look good, too.

If ever you have any questions about what colors you should choose for your patio flake coating, the experts here at Solid Garage Floor Coatings of Utah would be more than happy to provide you with their professional input. Contact us today to learn more about our patio flake coating services or to receive your free quote!