Cove Base Trowel

If you are an epoxy flooring installer, cove base may be part of your every-day scope of work. After cove base is applied, it is usually smoothed out using a cove base trowel. However, a cove base trowel often leaves the corners of the cove base “square-looking,” which may be difficult to keep clean. After hearing from several certified Plexi-Chemie contractors and spending over 30 years in the field ourselves, we’ve found a trick that will solve this problem.

We recommend using a soup spoon on corners of the cove base after it is applied. After applying epoxy quartz material to the cove, bend a soup spoon to a 75° degree angle. Use the back, rounded part of the spoon to smooth out the inside corners of the cove base. We recommend a soup spoon rather than a regular spoon because the soup spoon has a larger bowl than a regular spoon. Smoothing the inside corners of the cove gives the cove base a rounded look as opposed to a square look, which we have found to be more aesthetically pleasing.  Also, smoothing out the cove base to a rounded look makes the cove easier to clean once the material has cured. After a quick swipe with your soup spoon, your cove base will be instantly transformed.

Here is a step-by-step breakdown of Plexi-Chemie’s cove base trick:

Step 1: Prime the surface with PlexiGlaze #4 Primer

Step 2: Apply the epoxy to the cove until desired thickness is reached

Next, whip out your soup spoon, like the one shown here

Notice how this soup spoon has a larger bowl than a regular spoon. This will help smooth the cove base corner.

Step 4: place the soup spoon at a 75° degree angle onto the top corner of the cove base

Apply pressure to the spoon. Move the spoon downward until the spoon reaches the bottom of the cove base corner

The soup spoon should end at the bottom of the cove base corner, towards the floor

The smoothed cove base corner is aesthetically pleasing and it will be easier to clean for your client

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For more information about PlexiGlaze #4 or any of our products, please contact a Plexi-Chemie sales representative, or feel free to call us at 904-693-8800 or email us at office@plexi-chemie.com.