Metallic Epoxy Meets Mid-Century Modern Architecture

Elements of a Mid-Century Modern Home

With so many customers, we rarely get to visit their homes to see our epoxy floor coatings when they are in everyday use. This past weekend, Steve and Mike had the pleasure of visiting a home in Lancaster County that really captured the benefits of a metallic epoxy floor and effectively coupled it with the architectural period of the home.

This homeowner was gracious enough to show us around so we could take in all the elements that make mid-century modern homes so unique. The home, sometimes called a “California Ranch”, features many mid-century modern (MCM) architectural elements including expansive windows, a nine foot cedar tongue, groove ceilings throughout, exposed structural laminated beams, a Tennessee sandstone fireplace, exterior accents, and indoor/outdoor living options.

Berks County architect Arthur E. Baer, of the notable Reading firm Gilbert Associates, designed the home in 1960 for the parents of a prominent Lancaster County businessman. The home remained in the same family until 2012, when the current owner recognized the MCM gem and immediately fell in love with the property. To us, their appreciation and fondness of the home showed with every turn of our tour.

Everywhere in the home, you are drawn to the eye-catching wood beams. The stone fireplace in the living room complements the expansive view of the outdoors – it makes you want to sit by a crackling fire and watch the snow fall outside.

The original kitchen cabinets, complete with starburst cabinet handles, really show off the simplicity and natural feel that often typifies the MCM architecture.

State-of-the-Art Epoxy Coatings with Mid-Century Modern Architecture?

So why add metallic epoxy, one of the newest look in epoxy floors, to this 1960’s home?

• First, the homeowner wanted to make the most of the radiant heat located in the concrete floor – placing wood or carpet over it would hamper the effectiveness and ambient feel.
• Second, using our Bamboo metallic pigment, we could create natural swirling and streaking typical of an acid stained floor and the deep green color created the desired "retro" look.
• Third, using a floor coatings system, instead of a polished concrete (see: Concrete Floor Coatings vs. Polished Concrete) or a dye/sealer system allows our crews to properly repair the damage to the slab from carpet tack strips.

To quote the current owner, “Metallic epoxy flooring fits the style and materials of MCM homes perfectly!”

Coating System Installation

We installed the metallic epoxy coatings in the living room, hallway, and front entry – roughly 500 square feet. Surface preparation included our normal mechanical diamond grinding and repairs using an epoxy paste.

To ensure gas-out bubbles in the color layers, our crews began with a water based epoxy primer that soaks in deep and closes up the concrete’s porosity. Next, they applied a thick, solid color layer of 100% epoxy. Then, a thick, metallic pigmented layer of 100% solids epoxy was applied and textured using various techniques. Finally, an aliphatic polyaspartic polyurea was applied for high gloss, UV stability (non-yellowing), and chemical resistant protection.

The total dry thickness of the epoxy coatings was 44 MILS. The entire system was VOC (volatile organic compounds) compliant in all states.

Epoxy Coatings Use and Maintenance

The high gloss nature and darker color of the metallic epoxy system we installed requires more frequent clean-up of dust. The homeowner has found using her floor steam cleaner to be the easiest way to keep the floor sheen up and leave no cleaner residue.

In addition, we recommend ensuring all sliding furniture have felt bottoms. As you can see from the accompanying pictures, this was handled properly on all furniture – including on the rocking chair (see photo above).

In the near future, we hope to be back to this unique home to apply more metallic epoxy coatings in the large sunroom. Who knows – we may even get to help out in the garage too! Request a free quote today to get started with your floor coatings project with us.