Novolac Epoxy Flooring for Chemical-Resistant Floors
Novolac epoxy flooring is the chemical-resistant floor you specify when a standard epoxy will not hold: secondary containment pads, acid trenches and sumps, pump pads, and chemical feed rooms where concentrated acids sit on the floor instead of being wiped up. Maverick’s novolac is MavCoat NV, a 100% solids, zero-VOC modified novolac epoxy whose data sheet lists resistance to concentrated acids including 98% sulfuric acid and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN). It goes down over MavPrime EP, over a MavClad EM epoxy mortar body, or as the chemical-resistant topcoat on MavCrete UM. The resin, the mortar under it, and the crew that places it come from one source — manufactured and installed by one company — for plants across Michigan, Ohio and the Midwest.
Novolac Epoxy Flooring: What the Resin Does That a Standard Epoxy Cannot
A novolac epoxy is still an epoxy: two components, 2 parts resin to 1 part hardener by volume, applied by roller or by squeegee and back-roll like the other MavCoat epoxies. What changes is the resin. The MavCoat NV data sheet describes a 100% solids modified novolac epoxy that combines an epoxy novolac resin with broadcast aggregate for maximum durability and superior concrete compatibility. On the floor, that is the difference between a coating that survives a concentrated acid release and one that softens, lifts in sheets, or is swollen from underneath through its own pinholes.
The sheet names what it is built for: resistance to concentrated acids including 98% sulfuric acid and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) and other aggressive chemicals, superior thermal compatibility with concrete, improved thermal shock resistance, and superior toughness compared to conventional novolac coatings, in a zero-VOC formulation that needs no baking to reach its properties. None of our general-purpose epoxies carries the concentrated-acid line. MavCoat CRE is rated for superior chemical resistance over standard epoxies and MavCoat HPE for a durable, chemical-resistant finish; both sheets exclude constant immersion. MavCoat NV is the one rated for it, which is why novolac epoxy flooring is specified from the chemistry list and stays off floors where CRE will do.
What the MavCoat NV Sheet Lists
- Concentrated acids. 98% sulfuric acid, urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) and other aggressive chemicals.
- Concrete compatibility. Superior thermal compatibility with concrete; improved thermal shock resistance.
- 100% solids, zero VOC. No baking required to achieve properties.
- Toughness. Superior toughness compared to conventional novolac coatings.
- Immersion. Suitable for immersion service – immersion samples available upon request.
- Limits. Not designed for exterior use; may stain in certain chemicals, which is not a coating failure.
The MavCoat NV Build, Coat by Coat
The typical system is a primer plus two coats of MavCoat NV. On cured concrete the primer is MavPrime EP at 200–533 sq. ft./gal. (3–8 mils); on green concrete it is MavPrime MVT. Each coat of NV is applied at 14 wet mils, covering 110 sq. ft. per gallon per coat. Each 3-gallon kit (2 gal Part A : 1 gal Part B) takes one MavTints color pack; the sheet recommends Tile Red for high chemical-resistance applications.
For a non-skid floor, clean, dry silica sand or aluminum oxide is broadcast into the wet first coat; a full broadcast to refusal produces the most durable system. Excess aggregate is removed before the second coat, which goes on once the first is tack free (approximately 10 hours at 70°F) and within the 24-hour recoat window; miss it and the coat is sanded first. Pot life is 25 minutes at 77°F and shortens as temperatures rise.
Where the floor also takes impact and wheel traffic, the same two coats go over a MavClad EM 1/4″ trowel-applied epoxy mortar body; where hot washdown and thermal shock govern, NV is the chemical-resistant topcoat over MavCrete UM. The novolac is the surface the chemistry sees; the body is chosen for the abuse, as laid out on our chemical-resistant linings and secondary containment page.
Cure Schedule at 77°F, as Printed
- Tack free. 10 hours (tack-free and minimum recoat times based on 70°F).
- Light foot traffic. 16 hours.
- Minimum recoat. When tack free, approximately 10 hours.
- Maximum recoat. 24 hours; sand before recoating if missed.
- Full service. 5–7 days.
| Property | Test Method | MavCoat NV |
|---|---|---|
| Generic type | — | Modified novolac epoxy |
| Solids by volume | — | 100% |
| VOC | — | Zero VOC |
| Mix ratio (by volume) | — | 2 Part A : 1 Part B |
| Pot life | — | 25 minutes @ 77°F |
| Coverage | — | 14 wet mils per coat; 110 sq. ft./gal. per coat |
| Compressive strength | ASTM C579 | 19,000 psi |
| Tensile strength | ASTM D638 | 4,000 psi |
| Flexural strength | ASTM C580 | 4,300 psi |
| Hardness, Shore D | ASTM D2240 | 85 – 90 |
| Bond strength | ASTM D4541 | 425 psi |
| Abrasion resistance | ASTM D4060 | 70 mg |
Containment, Trenches, Pump Pads and Chemical Feed Rooms
The MavCoat NV sheet lists its recommended uses plainly: process area floors, chemical processing plants, battery charging areas, truck loading and unloading areas, secondary containment, pump pads, pedestals and curbs, and the chemical-resistant topcoat over Maverick systems including MavCrete UM. These are the structures where a release sits rather than gets wiped up.
Secondary containment is the headline use: a dike or curbed pad around bulk acid storage has to hold a release at full concentration until it is pumped out, so pad, integral cove and curb face are lined as one unit. Trenches, sumps and pits hold the same chemistry longer and fail at corners and terminations first. Pump pads and pedestals are rebuilt to slope with MavGrout USP before lining. Chemical feed rooms at water and wastewater plants — acid, caustic, hypochlorite and polymer dosing — are small rooms with aggressive chemistry and a drain that has to work.
The same scope runs through chemical processing and petrochemical plants, pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturing, power plants and utilities with acid and caustic water-treatment skids, and battery and energy-storage charging areas. For the structure itself — section loss, slope, cove — see chemical-resistant linings and secondary containment.
Structures We Line with MavCoat NV
- Containment dikes and curbs. Pad, cove and curb face as one seamless lining at chemical facilities.
- Trenches, sumps and pits. Corners and terminations detailed first.
- Pump pads, pedestals and curbs. Named on the NV sheet; sloped with MavGrout USP, then lined.
- Chemical feed and dosing rooms. Acid, caustic, hypochlorite and polymer rooms.
- Battery charging areas. Named on the NV sheet.
- Truck loading and unloading. Hose-disconnect spills at tanker and tote transfer points.
NV, CRE, HPE, MavClad EM or MavCrete UM: Reading the Exposure
Five Maverick products carry a chemical-resistance line on their sheets, and they are not interchangeable. The selection is read from what the sheets actually address — chemical class and concentration, temperature, and mechanical abuse — and every sheet says to confirm performance in the specific chemical environment before use.
MavCoat NV is the only one whose sheet names concentrated acids, 98% sulfuric acid and UAN, and the only one rated for immersion. MavCoat CRE claims superior chemical resistance over standard epoxies for dilute acids, caustics, salts and incidental exposure; MavCoat HPE is the multi-purpose epoxy that primes and topcoats itself. Both sheets exclude constant immersion.
Temperature and impact move the decision to the body. MavClad EM, our 1/4″ trowel-applied epoxy mortar, is built for chemical exposure plus mechanical abuse: 13,250 psi compressive, Shore D 75–90. MavCrete UM polyurethane concrete withstands thermal shock, impact and chemical exposure, resists 250°F and is steam cleanable. Its sheet lists excellent chemical resistance, but only the NV sheet lists concentrated acids, which is why NV is the named topcoat over MavCrete UM: hot washdown plus acid is a UM body with an NV surface; impact plus acid is an EM body with an NV surface.
Starting Points by Exposure
- Concentrated acids, immersion or long dwell. MavCoat NV over MavPrime EP, or over a MavClad EM body under traffic.
- Dilute acids, caustics, salts, spills cleaned up in-shift. MavCoat CRE.
- General plant floor, incidental chemistry. MavCoat HPE; see epoxy flooring, industrial flooring and epoxy systems.
- Forklifts and dropped totes plus chemistry. MavClad EM body (MavClad line); NV or CRE surface per chemistry.
- Hot washdown to 250°F, thermal shock. MavCrete UM body (urethane cement flooring); NV on top where concentrated acids are present. See urethane cement vs. epoxy.
- Curb faces and cove. MavCoat OPE thixotropic epoxy as vertical primer and wall coating.
Surface Preparation and Application Limits for MavCoat NV
A novolac survives the chemistry only if it stays bonded, and the NV sheet is exact about the concrete under it: clean, dry and sound, free of coatings, sealers, curing compounds and oils; cured 28 days, or primed with MavPrime MVT if green; contaminated concrete neutralized or removed, never coated over; laitance and weak layers taken off; a minimum 300 psi surface tensile strength per ASTM D4541; and a CSP 3–CSP 5 profile per ICRI Guideline 310.2R (see our CSP surface prep guide). Cracks, joints and lost slope are fixed first, which on an acid-etched pad means concrete repair before any lining.
Moisture is the second gate. MavCoat NV is not applied to slabs on grade without a heavy, unruptured vapor barrier, and the slab must test at 3 lbs. or less per 1,000 sq. ft. in 24 hours (ASTM F1869) with in-situ RH below 75% (ASTM F2170); otherwise the build starts with moisture mitigation. Because porous concrete outgasses, primer and coating go on while the substrate temperature is dropping, and double priming greatly reduces outgassing.
The application window is 50°–95°F air with the surface at least 5°F above the dew point; materials are stored at 65°–80°F and never frozen. MavCoat NV is not designed for exterior use and may stain in certain chemicals, which the sheet says is not a coating failure. Finished floors are sloped to drain, spills removed within 24 hours, and full service is 5–7 days at 77°F, which is scheduled into the shutdown.
The Gates Before Any Novolac Goes Down
- Profile. CSP 3–CSP 5 per ICRI 310.2R (60-grit or coarser).
- Tensile strength. 300 psi minimum, ASTM D4541.
- Moisture. 3 lbs./1,000 sq. ft./24 hr (ASTM F1869); RH below 75% (ASTM F2170); vapor barrier under slabs on grade.
- Temperature. Air 50°–95°F; surface 5°F above dew point.
- Recoat. Tack free (approx. 10 hours at 70°F) to 24 hours.
- Return to service. Foot traffic 16 hours; full service 5–7 days.
Novolac Epoxy Flooring Installed Across Michigan, Ohio and the Midwest
Maverick is headquartered in Taylor, Michigan, which puts the chemical plants, utilities and water plants of Metro Detroit and Southeast Michigan inside a short mobilization. Our crews line containment and process floors across Michigan — Ann Arbor, Flint and Saginaw, Grand Rapids, Lansing — and into Ohio through Toledo, Cleveland and Columbus, and travel across the Midwest for plant-wide containment programs. The full list is on the service areas page.
Because we formulate MavCoat NV, MavClad EM and MavCrete UM in our own plants and install them with our own crews, the chemistry recommendation, the material and the installation carry one name and a single-source warranty covering materials and labor, term set per project. Send the chemistry list — what is stored or processed, at what concentration and temperature, and how long it sits on the floor — along with photos of the structure and the square footage, and a Maverick engineer will come back with the lining it calls for. The data sheets for every product named on this page are in the Architect Center PDS library, and the broader epoxy platform is on the epoxy systems page.
Straight Answers Before You Call
What is novolac epoxy flooring, and when do I need it instead of a standard epoxy?
Novolac epoxy flooring is a two-component epoxy coating built on a modified novolac resin instead of a standard epoxy resin. Maverick’s novolac is MavCoat NV, a 100% solids, zero-VOC coating whose data sheet lists resistance to concentrated acids including 98% sulfuric acid and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN), superior thermal compatibility with concrete and improved thermal shock resistance. You need it where concentrated acids or other aggressive chemicals sit on the floor — secondary containment, trenches and sumps, pump pads, chemical feed rooms, battery charging and truck unloading areas. Where exposure is dilute or incidental and cleaned up within the shift, MavCoat CRE chemical-resistant epoxy is the usual floor, and the novolac stays where the chemistry list calls for it.
Is MavCoat NV suitable for immersion service?
Yes. The MavCoat NV data sheet states it directly: Suitable for immersion service – immersion samples available upon request. That sets it apart from MavCoat CRE, MavCoat HPE and MavClad EM, whose sheets exclude constant immersion. For a tank, basin, trench or sump that holds chemistry continuously rather than catching a release, we read the specific chemical, concentration and temperature against the sheet, and where the exposure is not already covered we supply immersion samples so the lining can be confirmed in your actual chemistry before it is specified. The sheet also notes that MavCoat NV is not designed for exterior use and may stain in certain chemicals; staining is not an indication of coating failure.
Does novolac epoxy flooring resist 98% sulfuric acid?
MavCoat NV’s data sheet lists resistance to concentrated acids including 98% sulfuric acid and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN), and other aggressive chemicals. It is the only coating in the Maverick catalog whose sheet names concentrated acids, which is why it is the surface on sulfuric acid containment, pickling and acid feed room floors. Two cautions come straight from the sheet: confirm product performance in the specific chemical environment prior to use, because concentration, temperature and dwell time all matter; and remove spilled chemicals within 24 hours and slope the floor to drain. Where the floor also takes forklift traffic, the two NV coats go over a MavClad EM epoxy mortar body; where it sees hot washdown, over MavCrete UM.
What is the difference between MavCoat NV and MavCoat CRE?
Both are two-component, 100% solids, zero-VOC epoxies mixed 2 parts A to 1 part B, primed with MavPrime EP, applied in two coats with a 24-hour recoat window. The difference is the resin and what the sheets rate it for. MavCoat NV is a modified novolac epoxy rated for concentrated acids including 98% sulfuric acid and UAN, suitable for immersion service, at 14 wet mils per coat and 110 sq. ft./gal., testing 19,000 psi compressive (ASTM C579) and 4,000 psi tensile (ASTM D638). MavCoat CRE is a chemical-resistant epoxy with superior chemical resistance over standard epoxies for dilute acids, caustics and incidental exposure, at 16 wet mils and 100 sq. ft./gal., testing 9,200 psi compressive and 1,650 psi tensile, and its sheet excludes constant immersion.
Can novolac epoxy be used as a secondary containment coating?
Secondary containment is one of the recommended uses printed on the MavCoat NV sheet, alongside pump pads, pedestals and curbs. In a containment build the novolac is the surface the stored chemistry sees. Under it, failed and acid-etched concrete is removed to sound material, section loss at curbs and pad edges is rebuilt, slope to the sump is re-established with MavGrout USP, joints are filled, and MavCoat OPE primes the curb face so the lining turns up the vertical and through the integral cove as one monolithic system. Where the pad also takes traffic and dropped totes, the body is MavClad EM epoxy mortar. The full sequence, from reading the failure to the last cove termination, is on our chemical-resistant linings and secondary containment page.
How long before a MavCoat NV floor can go back into service?
The sheet’s schedule at 77°F is tack free in 10 hours, light foot traffic at 16 hours and full service in 5–7 days, with the tack-free and minimum recoat times based on 70°F. The second coat is applied once the first is tack free and within 24 hours, or the first coat has to be sanded. Pot life is 25 minutes at 77°F and shortens as temperatures rise. Those numbers mean a two-coat novolac system is a multi-day scope: primer, first coat, broadcast, second coat, then the cure before chemistry is reintroduced. We schedule it against the plant’s actual slab temperature and shutdown window rather than compressing the sheet’s cure, because a novolac returned to acid service early is a novolac that fails early.
Can novolac epoxy go over urethane cement where there is hot washdown and acid?
Yes, and the MavCoat NV sheet lists exactly that use: a chemical-resistant topcoat over Maverick flooring systems, including MavCrete UM. MavCrete UM polyurethane concrete, installed at 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch, is the body where thermal shock governs; its sheet lists high-temperature resistance to 250°F, steam cleanability, impact strength above 160 in-lb and excellent corrosion and chemical resistance. What the UM sheet does not list is concentrated acids, and the NV sheet does. So a floor that sees both hot washdown and sulfuric acid is a MavCrete UM body with two coats of MavCoat NV on top, each read against its own data sheet. Where thermal shock is not a factor and the floor takes impact, the body is MavClad EM epoxy mortar instead.
Send Us the Chemistry List.
Tell us what is stored or processed, at what concentration and temperature, and how long it sits on the floor. We will scope the prep, the body and the novolac surface it calls for, and a Maverick engineer will respond within 48 hours.