Short answer
Often, yes — but only after the slab is tested and, if needed, treated with a moisture-mitigation primer. Coating over an untested moisture problem is one of the surest ways to make a floor fail, because vapor pushes the coating off from below.
How slab moisture causes failure
Concrete on grade can wick moisture up from the soil beneath it. That moisture becomes vapor that tries to escape through the surface. If a coating is in the way and no mitigation is in place, the vapor pressure can delaminate the coating — sometimes months after a floor looked perfect.
This is especially relevant in a humid, low-lying coastal area like Wilmington.
Testing first
Before coating, we run moisture testing (calcium-chloride and/or relative-humidity methods) to measure how much vapor the slab is moving. That tells us whether the slab can be coated directly or needs mitigation first.
Mitigation when needed
When a slab tests high, we apply a moisture-mitigation primer that seals against vapor before the coating goes down. It adds cost, but it's the only honest way to coat a wet slab and have it last. A company that never mentions moisture testing is a company setting your floor up to fail.