Five Reasons Why Epoxy Flooring is Superior to Concrete - Pittsburgh Garage (2023)

FAQs

What are the benefits of epoxy flooring in garage? ›

The main reason the epoxy flooring material is so popular in garage installations is this highly sought-after benefit – its extreme durability. Unlike other materials, like hardwood flooring, for example, epoxy flooring offers chemical, resistance to motor oil, gear oil, gasoline, bleach, acids, and even many solvents.

Epoxy is More Durable

That's because it's made of heavy-duty, resin-based polymers that are impact resistant, as well as heat and fire resistant. In fact, epoxy flooring can typically last for up to 20 years. Also, epoxy is much easier to clean than concrete, making it extremely low maintenance.

If you're looking for an affordable solution that can keep your garage floor protected from minor damage and stains, garage floor paint is a good choice. If you want a durable, heavy-duty garage floor that's impact-resistant and lasts for years, epoxy may be a better option.

The strengths of epoxy flooring are relative affordability, high customizability, and great durability. On the other hand, the weaknesses of this material include long curing time, difficult installation process, and its possible slipperiness when wet or oily.

Polished concrete flooring is the best option for garages. Concrete flooring is generally hard and resilient. They can perform under high pressure without any wear and tear. Concrete floors are less priced and are easily available for customers with low budgets.

For residential spaces that use epoxy flooring—like patios or garages—homeowners can expect to keep their epoxy flooring looking great for even longer. Typically, residential epoxy flooring can last up to 10 years with proper care!

Typical Epoxy Flooring Costs

Having a professional install an epoxy floor over the existing slab in your garage typically costs between $3 and $12 per square foot. A one-car garage is usually about 250 square feet and can cost between $750 to $3,000, depending on the type of coating.

If cost is the primary driving factor in making your decision, you'll probably choose polished concrete, because this can represent as little as half of the investment when compared to applying an epoxy coating.

Does epoxy flooring last? Yes. When applied to good quality concrete, epoxy flooring can last more than ten years. Its incredible durability makes this flooring type extremely cost-effective.

The process takes a couple days even in perfect conditions. So, if you're interested in the fastest installation and drying time, you'll probably want to schedule it for spring, summer, or fall. To be more precise: The ideal temperature for installing a garage floor is around 75º F.

Why do people like epoxy floors? ›

The smooth surface of the epoxy makes it easy to clean. It repels chemicals, laundry products, automotive products, home improvement fluids, and more. Because it doesn't have cracks, crevices or grout, there is no place for dirt to hide on an epoxy floor.

Garage floor epoxy projects can cost anywhere between $1,500 to $3,000 on average, which may seem like a dealbreaker to some consumers. However, epoxy floors are a long-term investment that will last for years, making them well worth the time and investment.

While epoxy coatings themselves do not crack in extreme heat or cold, concrete does. Epoxy coatings cannot withstand the stresses associated with concrete cracks due to settling, dry shrinkage or other factors.

Unfortunately for homeowners across the country, the most well-known floor coating, epoxy, simply doesn't hold up its end of the bargain. After just a short amount of time, epoxy begins to flake, peel and chip, making your garage floor look aged and unattractive.

Updating the garage floor with a fresh epoxy coating can increase the property's value and make the space more aesthetically pleasing. Furthermore, epoxy floors are durable, cost-effective, and require less maintenance than other flooring types.

Epoxy is one of the most durable garage coatings. You can lay it on your concrete subfloor to liven up your garage. It provides unique colorful hues, metallic and natural stone finishes. Once dry, the epoxy forms a hardened and thick coating.

If we're talking about your garage floor protection options, we may as well start with the best – a polyaspartic floor coating. This high-performance coating is comprised of professional-grade materials that are applied by trained pros using special equipment to deliver long-lasting flooring protection.

Garage floors aren't the only things that are vulnerable to a wet floor! Snow and ice melt, and can create puddles. Epoxy floor coatings are slip resistant and are easy to clean and dry. Plus, they require little maintenance.

Does an epoxy floor need maintenance? ›

In terms of daily maintenance, epoxy floors are pretty low-key. They don't need much, but a daily sweep and mop should be part of the cleaning routine. By removing the presence of any small particles, you'll keep the floor free of scratches and reduce wear and tear.

With a garage epoxy floor, you will want to add at least two coats. Allow at least 12 hours to dry between coats and no more than 48 hours. Although the floor will be touch dry after a few hours, it takes a few days to cure properly.

Epoxy floors do not need soap, warm water, and a good mop or deck-scrubbing brush should be just fine. If you need extra scrubbing power use something like soft soap to aid you with the tougher spills.

How long does garage floor epoxy last? Depending on the additives present in a coating and the levels of foot traffic, drop impact, wear from vehicles in a space and other factors, an epoxy garage floor coating can last between two and ten years with proper maintenance.

A larger 400- to 500-square-foot garage can cost between $1,200 and $6,000. The larger the surface, the more expensive the epoxy coating cost will be. Solvent and water-based epoxy are the cheaper options.

The longevity of an epoxy floor system will vary based on thickness, use and maintenance. Typically, epoxy floors last between 10 and 20 years; much longer than a painted concrete floor, which will chip and wear quickly in high-traffic areas.

SHOULD I USE PAINT OR A COATING? An epoxy coating is the best choice for high-performance flooring. Coatings provide long-lasting durability in garages, where they have to stand up to hot tires, oil spills and more. They are also good for industrial floors, warehouses, locker rooms and other high-traffic spaces.

Polyurea has a higher resistance to chemicals than epoxy and is U.V. stable. It's better for garage floors and exterior spaces, and for protecting your floor against stains, damage, chemicals and wear. They are light reflective, easy to clean, and long-lasting.

Can epoxy floors break? ›

Epoxy flooring contains several layers of hardeners or resins that must equal a depth of two millimeters to be considered an official epoxy floor. Anything less is just a coating. That alone makes it a hardy material that resists materials that will scratch, mar, break, or crack its foundation.

White epoxy coatings are the most prone to yellowing, followed by light grey. If yellowing is a concern, opt for colours with a black base such as dark greys and charcoals. Earthy tones are the least likely to discolour, as brown shades are essentially pre-yellowed.

One of the main issues facing epoxy flooring and other coatings for the garage is how slippery it becomes when wet. With manufacturers recommending a wide array of anti-slip additives from aluminum oxide, sand, or polymer-based grit such as shark grip, it can be overwhelming.

Epoxy Floor Coatings Have Strong Fumes

The smell is similar to that of ammonia. The pungent smell of epoxy does more than just make the application job uncomfortable. It can have side effects that affect your health. For instance, you may notice inflammation in your eyes, throat, and eyes.

Salt water decreases the solubility of water in the epoxy and decreases the concentration of water near the buried interface, but the concentration of salt that enters the epoxy is below the detection limit.

The most common reasons for a failure in your epoxy floor coating are, the floor was not properly prepared, the epoxy floor coating used was water based or other low grade type of epoxy, the epoxy was not rated for the type of traffic on it and or the floor has an issue such as moisture, oil stains, corrosion or ...

Standard concrete is typically 4,000-5,000 psi. Whereas, epoxy systems from Simon Surfaces typically reach at or above 10,000 psi. It can be two-to-three times stronger than concrete. Hardness is a measure of a material's resistance to indentation.

With Everlast Epoxy Flooring, all the problems inherent in inferior flooring disappear. Your superior floors will provide you with the important waterproof protection you must have, but Everlast Epoxy Flooring will stay that way for years to come.

For heavy duty situations, standard epoxy floor coatings and resinous systems can be installed at thicknesses of 0.375 inches (375 mils or 3/8^”) or greater. These typically incorporate various strengthening aggregates or powders, followed by application of select grout coats and topcoats.

Does rain affect epoxy resin? ›

Unfavorable conditions include high humidity, extremely high or low temperatures, rain, snow and wind. We often complete epoxy coating applications in bad weather like this. But, the right product types and right techniques must be used to ensure a successful application.

Acid etching a garage floor is a great solution for those who are installing the floor themselves and do not have access to industrial grinders. However, for larger commercial jobs, older concrete, or worn floors we always recommend grinding before epoxy installation.

If the garage epoxy floor becomes extremely dirty you can mix up some dish washing liquid or some Simple Green and wash the floor down with that and a garden hose. Pressure washing is now no longer necessary but OK to do if you want to. Just don't zero point the nozzle.

Rubber flooring is the perfect alternative to epoxy when it comes to your garage floor. Not only is rubber flooring incredibly durable, but it also provides excellent traction and slip-resistance. In addition to being easy to install, it comes in a variety of colors and styles.

For residential spaces that use epoxy flooring—like patios or garages—homeowners can expect to keep their epoxy flooring looking great for even longer. Typically, residential epoxy flooring can last up to 10 years with proper care!

Updating the garage floor with a fresh epoxy coating can increase the property's value and make the space more aesthetically pleasing. Furthermore, epoxy floors are durable, cost-effective, and require less maintenance than other flooring types.

Resinous garage floor coatings like epoxy, polyuria, and polyurethane are non-porous, which is why the surface tends to be extremely smooth. Although this type of surface works fine when dry, it becomes slippery, which can pose a threat with a mere introduction of water, oils, or mud.

The longevity of an epoxy floor system will vary based on thickness, use and maintenance. Typically, epoxy floors last between 10 and 20 years; much longer than a painted concrete floor, which will chip and wear quickly in high-traffic areas.

An epoxy garage floor can increase a home's value by up to $8 per square foot. That's a lot of money considering that an epoxy floor is a relatively fast and inexpensive upgrade.

How much does it cost to epoxy a 3 car garage floor? ›

National Average: $2,227

According to HomeAdvisor, epoxy garage floor costs range from $1,447 to $3,006, with the national average at $2,227. An epoxy floor is tough and resistant to oil, grease, and chemicals while protecting against scuffs and scrapes.

Using epoxy floor coatings in your garage can help it stay dry and clean while providing added insulation to help reduce energy costs by keeping the temperature of the garage more even throughout the year.

In terms of daily maintenance, epoxy floors are pretty low-key. They don't need much, but a daily sweep and mop should be part of the cleaning routine. By removing the presence of any small particles, you'll keep the floor free of scratches and reduce wear and tear.