You might be wondering if epoxying the garage floor is worth the extra cost compared to other home projects.
Epoxy garage floor coatings may be the right choice if you’re looking to improve the appearance and functionality of your garage as well as protect concrete from damage.
The cost of these projects varies depending on where they are located and the type of floor being installed. The majority of homeowners fall somewhere in the middle. It is determined by how concrete needs to be prepared, the quality and quantity required for the floor, as well the size of your garage.
A full-broadcast garage floor coating is the most durable and functional garage floor coating in most areas of the United States. This garage floor coating can be used to add color and make it easy for cleaning, but it won’t slip if properly installed.
You don’t want your garage floor slippery or hazardous when you bring in rainwater or snow. Textured broadcast floors reduce dust, dirt, and leaves from garage floors. They don’t look nearly as solid as a floor with a single color.
What is Garage Floor Epoxy?
Let’s start by clearing up some confusion surrounding epoxy. Epoxy garage floor coatings are not painted. Garage floor paint is made from latex acrylic.
Paints may contain a small amount of epoxy to increase their durability. However, it can still be painted. These paints are also known as 1-part epoxy paints.
Epoxy, a thermosetting resin, is used as a coating. You mix one-part epoxy resin with one portion of polyamine hardener to create epoxy. It acts as a catalyst, and epoxy’s strength is due to its hardener.
Epoxy cures faster than paint, which must dry. The chemical reaction between the two components creates an exothermic curing process.
The curing process creates epoxy structures that are tightly cross-linked. This gives epoxy its superior strength as well as durability. This coating is thicker than paint, bonds well to properly prepared surfaces, and is more durable than paint.
The Benefits of Garage Floor Epoxy Coating
What makes epoxy coating one of the best garage floor finishes? The epoxy coating creates a beautiful decorative surface that is durable and easy to clean.
It is resistant to scratches, chips, chemicals, stains, and surface abrasion. If you spill oil or a bike falls on the surface, there is no need to worry about staining or damaging it.
Additionally, thicker coatings can cover up minor imperfections like small spider cracks or flaws in concrete.
Attractive Appearance
Garage floor epoxy’s appearance is determined primarily by the color and style of the broadcast flake. There are many options.
You can choose from sizes ranging from 1/32″ up to 1″. The final product will be affected by the size you choose. Larger flakes look better when mixed with multiple colors. However, smaller flakes look more modern and elegant in a mix of several colors. Large flakes look best in a single-color arrangement.
In the past epoxy flooring systems used 3/8 inch flakes in a variety of colors, including white, gray, or black. These floors are meant to look like terrazzo, and they are often described as commercial.
Modern residential epoxy flooring uses a smaller flake and a more neutral color palette, such as three similar gray tones or tans.
These aesthetics are more compatible with modern interior designs and less commercial. To get a complementary color match, we also consider the materials that will be used to transition to such as wood flooring.
It’s Easy to Clean
Epoxy floor coatings are extremely easy to clean because they completely seal the concrete underneath. This installation was intended for commercial applications such as manufacturing and brewing.
Epoxy floor coatings can be repurposed from commercial construction, just like other concrete floor finishes.
Fire station bays are still one of the most popular places to install epoxy floors. Fire stations are simply hosed off when needed.
An epoxy floor coating can be cleaned in the same way as a residential installation. It is possible to clean the epoxy floor coating without damaging adjacent trim or drywall. A warm mop and a degreaser like Simple Green can quickly clean the floor.
Slip-Resistant
The primary purpose of the broadcast flake in epoxy flooring installations is to increase slip resistance. The downside is that big-box epoxy paints can be dangerously slippery when wet.
A flake is broadcasted and then applied to rejection. This creates an orange peel texture. This texture improves epoxy flooring slip resistance, particularly when wet.
Slip resistance will be affected by the size of the flake. A medium-sized flake will be ideal if you require a floor that has high slip resistance. Flakes that are either too big or too small both fail in this aspect.
You can Choose from Satin or Gloss Finishes
We recommend polyurethane topcoats for most installations. A lot of ‘one-day epoxy garage floor’ companies use a polyaspartic topcoat due to its fast cure time. However, it is more viscous which will decrease the slip resistance of flake epoxy flooring systems.
The polyurethane topcoats have a thin layer of natural polyurethane, which makes it possible to seal the broadcast flakes properly without losing slip resistance. Polyurethane topcoats can be applied in high-gloss or matte finishes. This allows us to better control the final look. Gray epoxy flooring with a matte finish is the best option.
Installation Time: Fast
Two days is the average time it takes to install garage floor epoxy. There are many companies offering one-day floors. However, they don’t perform as well as the ones we have already mentioned.
Garage floor epoxy installations may fail prematurely if the concrete floor underneath isn’t properly prepared. It’s important to have them professionally installed. Garage flooring installation is not possible with DIY concrete surface preparation.
What are the cons of epoxy floors?
Lifespan
Epoxy flooring is temporary. This is one of its major drawbacks. Although epoxy floors are durable and resilient, they will need to be replaced eventually. Epoxy floors are more durable than other flooring options, but they also take a beating from everyday wear and tear. You will need to apply a new coat of epoxy every few years to keep the floors looking great. This is a necessity, especially if you drop heavy items on the floor.
Chipping can lead to cracks. Chips can be a minor nuisance at first. They can eventually cause a large area to peel off the floor. When they roll over the affected area, wheeled carts or toolbox wheels can also become stuck. This should be addressed immediately.
Slippery
Epoxy floors are very skid-resistant. This is not a universal property. This con is only applicable to oil-covered epoxy, which can be very slippery. They can also be very slippery when wet which can lead to dangerous situations. They are not recommended for areas where there is a possibility of water or spillage. Another drawback is the fact that they can be difficult to clean. This risk can be mitigated if your floor is texturized.
Tedious preparation
It is not an easy task to prepare the floors for epoxy. It takes a lot of work. Before epoxy coating can be applied, concrete floors must be free from grease, oil, and solvents. Cracks must be filled. Cleaning concrete floors requires multiple attempts. This is the downside to concrete floor cleaning.
It’s good to know that homeowners can apply their products quickly and easily with hand tools thanks to the advances in manufacturing and application.
Time-Consuming Application Process
The epoxy coating application is time-consuming and requires a lot of preparation. It can take several days for the epoxy to dry properly. The epoxy must be completely dry before you add the next coat.
Smell
Wet epoxy can produce strong fumes. The hardeners in darker shades of epoxy are more powerful than those in lighter shades. After application, they tend to emit an ammonia odor.
To ensure proper adhesion, you need to follow a specific process
To avoid adhesion issues, concrete floors must be properly prepared and dried. Epoxy will not stick well to concrete in moist environments like basements. Epoxy paint will peel off floors when applied to a damp floor.
Moisture
Because the material is sealed, it can trap moisture below the surface. This could cause problems as the moisture evaporates. In some cases, it may cause bubbling or buckling of the flooring material.
Additional costs
To ensure epoxy sticks to the floor, homeowners must purchase special cleaning chemicals and other chemicals. When using these chemicals, it is important to use protective clothing, eyewear, and breathing apparatus. This can not only increase time and effort, but it can also lead to higher costs.
Removal
It can be labor-intensive and expensive to change the colors or designs after the epoxy has been applied. Removing the epoxy coating can be quite difficult in situations where the floor must be repaired.
How Garage Floor Epoxy is Applied
Concrete Prep
Preparing the concrete properly is crucial for a successful epoxy floor installation. Use a grinding machine to roughen the concrete surface. This will clean and profile the concrete. The equipment attaches directly to a vacuum, which collects the dust as it is created.
Contractors may prefer acid etching, high-pressure cleaning with water, or high-pressure cleaning. Preparing epoxy with these methods won’t stop it from developing flaws, peeling, chipping, or flaking.
The epoxy can seep into concrete slabs by grinding the floor. This reduces moisture and speeds up installation. This ensures epoxy and concrete form the chemical and structural bonds necessary to guarantee a long-lasting floor.
The contractor will repair cracks and imperfections using epoxy patching material. Very few cracks and holes are too large to repair.
Primer Application
A primer is essential for successful epoxy flooring applications, especially in high-traffic areas. The floor should be ground to create the right finish for primer adhesion. You must ensure that the surface is spotless and free of oil, dirt, and dust. Any residues that might prevent the primer’s adhesion will be removed by a bare concrete cleaner.
You can apply a primer in thin coats using either a roller or spray. Over-coating can lead to puddling.
The primer coat penetrates concrete and forms a foundation for the subsequent epoxy layers. The epoxy is low viscosity and industrial-grade. It bonds concrete slabs with maximum penetration.
The primer must dry for a minimum of two hours before it can be used in the next step. High humidity will also increase drying time.
Epoxy Application
After the primer has dried, the contractor will inspect the surface and clean up any dirt or debris. Next, he will mix the epoxy paint with high solids and high build epoxy paint. Then, he will apply multiple coats. To avoid lumpy finishes, apply each coat evenly and thinly. This coat is thicker than the primer.
The epoxy paint and primer create the perfect floor color. Design preference will be affected by the number of coats used, but most floors require two to three coats.
Decorative Flakes
Add decorative chips and flakes by hand to replicate the granite-flecked look. These decorative flakes and chips add beauty to the floor while also providing traction. These flakes add style and color to your garage floor and help with durability.
While adding the flecks, the contractor must wear the correct shoes. Allow the flecks to dry for 6-10 hours after they are added. Once dry, sweep away or vacuum any remaining flecks.
Protective Sealant
Apply a clear sealant to finish the job. The sealer gives the floor a long-lasting finish and extends its life. Mix the sealer well. Allow the sealer to dry on the floor for between 24 and 36 hours. You should avoid all foot- and vehicular traffic.
Epoxy is a versatile material that can be used in both residential and commercial settings. Epoxy is cost-effective, durable, hygienic, and long-lasting. Epoxy floor coatings can be customized to suit any design.
Epoxy can be tricky and dangerous to use so it is important to follow the right steps to get the best results.
Epoxy is also susceptible to yellowing and chipping due to UV rays, despite its durability.