Does your church have an indoor gym that is used for sports and other purposes? Is it looking worn with paint that is fading and concrete that simply looks like it has been “through it?”
If your indoor sports court looks like it needs an overhaul, then there is a good chance that it does. Perhaps the paint is faded or the coating is peeling off. When these things happen, they simply look terrible and something needs to be done so that the floor is restored back to its former glory.
The Multi-Purpose Floor
Don’t be surprised if a church gym floor has to be painted every few years. The truth is that many of these floors are concrete and they are used for multiple purposes. If your church is like most with a gymnasium, the gym is used for church basketball, indoor floor hockey, indoor soccer, and for daycare kids to play if there is a daycare. There is a lot of foot traffic that is had.
Sports court painting takes the surface and revitalizes it. It makes it look like new, although it has most likely gone through a great deal of wear and tear.
Product Selection
If your court is concrete like many church courts and it has been painted at least five years earlier and the coating has worn away, there are some products that need to be selected. Your basketball court painting service will be able to help you with the product choice so that the best products are used for the type and amount of foot traffic that the floor experiences.
In some cases, tennis court paint or other towel-on types of epoxies work well for these types of floors. Epoxies are common in garage floor and pool-side applications. They are priced well and are available in a one-part configuration. They can work well for concrete gym floors that are used often.
As for prepping the floor, it may be fair to rule out stripping the existing paint from the floor. In that case, it can be spot scraped so that loose patches can be eliminated and then broom sweeping and dust broom sweeping. In some cases, it may be best to strip the floor, but the amount of time the floor can be worked on is something to consider. The lines can be repainted on rather than the old lines followed. If the old lines are to be followed, then they can be taped over so that they are not painted over when the base coat is applied.
The taping process is labor intensive in this case versus going ahead and stripping the floor and starting with a clean surface. When stripped, a template is used to paint the lines back on the court. That ensures that the lines are applied accurately.
Paint or Stain?
Some concrete gym floors have been stained in the past and others have been painted. In all actuality, a concrete coating can be used regardless of the type of painting that occurred in the past. A basketball court painting service is going to use a coating that adheres well to the surface so that the floor lasts as long as possible. It is very important to achieve the best possible coverage. Even the types of rollers that are used to apply the coating have an impact on how well it goes on. The types of rollers are going to be determined based on the flooring texture and any irregularities that exist within the flooring.
Painting The Lines
After the coating is applied, the tape is removed so that the lines can be painted with precision. That is if a template is not being used for the floor. It is very important that the lines are painted on accurately and that they are not just boring old lines. Sports court painting can be rather creative with lines that make the floor pop.
If the lines are painted on without a template, it is important to use a tape that will adhere to freshly painted surfaces, but won’t pull the fresh paint away when it is removed. The basketball court painting service will need to wait the appropriate time to place the tape on the surface. This is another reason why timing is everything.
When the lines are done and tacky, the paint can be removed very carefully to avoid dipping into the freshly painted lines and any tear away into the new lines.
Overall, there are different methods that can be used to paint a floor. Your sports court painting specialists will be able to determine the best method based on time and budget so that you can have the sports court that your church needs.
If your church or other facility needs a freshly painted sports court indoors or out, Brite Line Paint Co. can help you. Call us at 508-678-6775 or fill out our contact form.