Basement Floor Epoxy in Des Plaines, IL

Basement floor epoxy gives a concrete basement a sealed, bright surface that is easy to mop and does not hold odors the way carpet can. In Des Plaines, it is also a practical choice. The city sits on the Des Plaines River, many homes stand on clay-rich soil, and summer storms can overload sewers. Basement floors here get wet more often than homeowners would like. A resin floor will not keep water out, but it is far easier to clean and dry than carpet, tile grout or bare concrete.

Know the water history first

A February 2022 letter from the city's Public Works and Engineering Department lists the Des Plaines River, Weller Creek, Farmers Creek, Prairie Creek, Higgins Creek, Willow Creek and Feehanville Ditch as local flood sources. It calls April 2013 the worst flood in city history, when the river reached 20.92 feet, and it names fifteen repetitive loss areas. The same letter warns that overloaded sewers can back up into basements and encourages residents to consider overhead sewers or flood control systems. If your basement has flooded or backed up before, tell us. We will plan around it, and in some cases we will suggest dealing with the water before coating.

Moisture coming up through the slab

Flooding is only one source of water. Vapor also rises through the concrete from the soil below. The USDA describes the Morley soil series, found across eastern Illinois, as clay loam and silty clay loam glacial till with very slow permeability in the substratum. Slow-draining clay can keep the ground under a basement damp long after rain stops. When that vapor pushes against a coating that is not built for it, the coating blisters and peels. That is why we read moisture on every basement before recommending a system.

Humidity and condensation

The EPA recommends keeping indoor relative humidity below 60 percent, ideally between 30 and 50 percent. It also notes that condensation can form when warm, humid air meets a cold surface. In a Des Plaines summer, a cool basement slab under muggy air can sweat. A dehumidifier helps the coating cure and helps the finished floor stay dry.

Options for different basements

• Utility and laundry areas: a solid color or light flake system with a chemical-resistant topcoat, easy to mop after a washer leak.
• Finished living space: a smooth, low-sheen floor or a flake blend that looks finished without rugs everywhere.
• Workshops and storage: a thicker epoxy build that handles rolling tool carts and dropped tools.
• Damp slabs: a moisture-tolerant primer under the main coat where readings call for it.

Prep on mid-century basements

Many Des Plaines basements date from the 1950s and 1960s. We often find old floor paint, carpet glue, tile adhesive, cracks near floor drains and patches from past plumbing work. Adhesives and paint have to be ground off. Cracks get filled, and floor drains stay open and working, with the coating feathered to the drain body. We do not cover sump pits or cleanouts.

Radon and finishing a basement

The American Lung Association, citing the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, reports that about 45 percent of Illinois homes tested were at or above the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L. Sealing a floor with a coating is not a radon mitigation system. If you are finishing a basement, testing first is a good idea, and any mitigation work that cuts into the slab should be done before we coat.

After a flood

If water does get in, a coated floor can usually be squeegeed, washed and disinfected without tearing anything out. That is a big difference from carpet and pad. Let the floor and room dry fully, and call us if you see the coating lifting anywhere afterward.