Duraguard Protective Coating Solutions
Commercial & Industrial Concrete Floor Systems & polishing
Durapoxy Flexguard — 100% Solids Flexible Epoxy Base Coat
Crack-Bridging Epoxy for Surfaces Where Flexibility Is Required
Not every floor is rigid concrete. Wood substrates, metal decking, surfaces subject to vibration, and concrete floors with existing cracks or movement all share a common challenge — a rigid coating system will crack, delaminate, and fail as the substrate moves beneath it. Durapoxy Flexguard is Duraguard’s 100% solids flexible epoxy base coat, engineered specifically for surfaces where substrate movement, thermal cycling, vibration, or existing cracks make a rigid epoxy system impractical. Flexguard’s flexible resin chemistry moves with the substrate rather than against it — bridging cracks, accommodating movement, and staying bonded where a standard epoxy would fracture and fail. Installed by Duraguard Protective Coating Solutions throughout Wisconsin and Illinois since 1993, Durapoxy Flexguard is the base coat solution when flexibility is as important as durability.
What Is a Flexible Epoxy?
Standard epoxy coatings cure to a hard, rigid film. In most industrial and commercial floor applications, that rigidity is an asset — it contributes to hardness, abrasion resistance, and load-bearing performance. But rigidity has a limit. When the substrate beneath a rigid coating moves — through thermal expansion and contraction, structural vibration, settlement, or crack propagation — the coating cannot flex with it. The result is cracking, debonding, and coating failure at exactly the points where movement occurs.
A flexible epoxy resin system is formulated with chemistry that allows the cured film to elongate and flex rather than fracture under substrate movement. Durapoxy Flexguard’s flexible resin delivers the bonding strength and chemical resistance of a high-performance epoxy while maintaining enough flexibility to accommodate the movement and crack dynamics that rigid systems cannot handle.
Why Durapoxy Flexguard?
Flexible Resin — Moves With the Substrate
Durapoxy Flexguard’s 100% solids flexible epoxy resin is formulated to flex rather than fracture when the substrate moves beneath it. Whether the movement comes from thermal cycling, structural vibration, or normal building settlement, Flexguard accommodates the movement without cracking or delaminating — staying bonded and intact where a rigid epoxy would fail.
Crack Bridging — Spans Existing Cracks
Durapoxy Flexguard bridges existing cracks in concrete and other substrates, creating a continuous film across the crack surface that moves with the crack rather than fracturing over it. For floors with existing non-structural cracks, Flexguard provides a base coat that spans and seals the crack without transmitting it through to the finish coat above.
100% Solids — Full Film Integrity
Durapoxy Flexguard is 100% solids — no solvents, no shrinkage during cure. The full material applied becomes the full cured film, maintaining the flexibility and thickness needed for crack bridging and movement accommodation across the entire coated surface.
Compatible With Wood, Metal, and Concrete Substrates
Durapoxy Flexguard bonds to a range of substrates beyond standard concrete — including wood substrates and metal decking where coating flexibility is required to accommodate the natural movement characteristics of these materials. This versatility makes it the right base coat for mixed-substrate installations and renovation projects where not every surface is rigid concrete.
Base Coat for Complete System
Durapoxy Flexguard is a base coat — the flexible foundation layer that the finish system is built on. Standard Duraguard topcoats including Durapoxy TC and other finish systems are applied over cured Flexguard, delivering the complete performance of a multi-coat system on surfaces that require a flexible foundation.
8 to 12 Hour Cure
Durapoxy Flexguard cures in 8 to 12 hours under normal conditions, keeping multi-coat installation schedules on track.
Where Durapoxy Flexguard Is Used
Surfaces With Existing Cracks
Concrete floors with existing non-structural cracks are candidates for Durapoxy Flexguard as the base coat. Rather than filling cracks with rigid filler that will re-crack as the concrete moves, Flexguard bridges the crack with a flexible film that accommodates ongoing movement without transmitting the crack through to the finish coat.
Wood and Plywood Substrates
Wood substrates — including plywood decking, gymnasium floors, and wood-framed commercial floors — require a flexible coating system because wood moves with changes in temperature and humidity. A rigid epoxy applied directly to wood will crack at panel joints and high-movement areas. Durapoxy Flexguard provides the flexible base coat that accommodates wood movement while delivering the bonding foundation for a complete coating system.
Metal Decking and Steel Substrates
Metal substrates expand and contract with temperature changes at rates different from concrete and epoxy. Durapoxy Flexguard’s flexible chemistry accommodates the thermal movement of metal decking and steel substrates, maintaining adhesion through temperature cycling that would debond a rigid epoxy system.
Surfaces Subject to Vibration
Manufacturing floors, equipment pads, and surfaces near heavy machinery are subject to continuous vibration that fatigues rigid coating systems over time. Durapoxy Flexguard’s flexible resin absorbs vibration energy rather than transmitting it as stress through the coating film, extending service life in high-vibration environments.
Expansion Joint Areas
Floor areas near expansion joints experience the greatest movement in a concrete slab. Applying Durapoxy Flexguard in these zones provides a flexible base coat that accommodates joint movement without the cracking and delamination that rigid systems develop at expansion joint locations.
Renovation Projects Over Existing Coatings
In renovation projects where an existing coating cannot be fully removed and the remaining coating film may have minor flexibility or adhesion variations, Durapoxy Flexguard provides a flexible tie coat that accommodates the irregularities of the existing surface while creating a sound base for the new finish system.
Durapoxy Flexguard vs. Standard Epoxy Base Coat — When Flexibility Matters
Standard epoxy base coats are the right choice for the majority of concrete floor coating installations — rigid concrete substrates in good condition, no significant cracking, no unusual movement or vibration. For these conditions, rigidity is a performance asset.
Durapoxy Flexguard is specified when the substrate conditions require flexibility. The decision is driven by the substrate type, the presence of existing cracks, the degree of movement or vibration present, and the history of previous coating performance at the site. Duraguard evaluates these conditions during every pre-installation site assessment and specifies Flexguard when the substrate demands it.
Applying a rigid base coat to a substrate that requires flexibility is a reliable path to premature coating failure. Specifying Flexguard where it is warranted is the difference between a coating system that lasts and one that cracks and delaminates within the first year.
The Duraguard Installation Process
Surface preparation for Durapoxy Flexguard follows the same standards as all Duraguard coating systems — diamond grinding or shot blasting to open the surface profile and ensure proper adhesion. Existing cracks are evaluated before installation to determine whether crack repair, crack chasing, or direct Flexguard bridging is the correct approach for each crack condition present.
Duraguard’s installation crews understand the application requirements and cure windows for Durapoxy Flexguard and the finish systems applied over it. We work around your production schedule, including nights and weekends, to minimize downtime during installation.
Service Area
Duraguard installs Durapoxy Flexguard flexible epoxy base coat systems throughout southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois including Racine, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Waukesha, Waukegan, Gurnee, Libertyville, and surrounding areas.
Get a Free Floor Assessment
If your facility has cracked concrete, wood or metal substrates, high-vibration areas, or a history of coating failure at cracks and joints — contact Duraguard today for a free on-site assessment. We will evaluate your substrate conditions and specify the right system for surfaces that require flexibility.
Call us at (833) 387-2482 or use our contact form to request your free evaluation.
Duraguard Protective Coating Solutions is proud to align with leading industry organizations that set the standard for flooring excellence and business integrity. We follow the guidelines and technical standards established by the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI), ensuring every project meets rigorous industry benchmarks. As an accredited member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB), we are committed to transparency, trust, and customer satisfaction. Duraguard is also recognized through Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), reflecting our dedication to Wisconsin’s manufacturing and business community.