The garage requires high-quality flooring that is attractive and can withstand oil stains, chipping, impacts, and abrasions. Gone are days where you have to worry so much about dropping tools on your garage. Epoxy garage flooring is resistant to unsightly scratches, chipping, and scrapes. But, what are the pros and cons of garage epoxy?
Applying garage epoxy coating is one of the best steps you can take to create the most durable and toughest floors. Once applied, epoxy undergoes chemical reactions to form a thick coating, tightly bounded on the prepares surface. The garage floor becomes resistant to moisture, chemicals, salt, and prevents unpleasant dirt and dust. The epoxy coating acts as a sealer making your garage safe, cleaner and easy to maintain and clean
Best Garage Epoxy Flooring?
The true epoxy floor coating is available in a two-part product used by mixing a resin and hardener (activator). The coating however uses the same basis of evaporation to cure and not “dry” like paints dry. It’s available in water and oil-based solvent. The epoxies cure and hardens through a chemical reaction of the two products.
Two parts Oil base Epoxy
The two-part epoxies generally known as “100 percent solids” provide one of the best but expensive garage epoxy flooring. It the best to be applied on the concrete surface to form a hard, thick, and attractive finish. the epoxy kits are used with chips, sprinkled over the surface while hardening to make the floor texture and attractive finish.
Once applied it will take about 24 hours to fully harden after application. It cures fairly quickly after application but more expensive compared with water-based epoxy.
Features of oil based two part epoxy include;
- Hard and extremely durable.
- More expensive-cost about 200$ or more per garage floor epoxy kit.
- Takes up to a max of 24 hours to fully cure and harden after application.
- Often applied with vinyl chips.
Two parts Water Based Epoxy
This is a true epoxy hybrid product that comes with resin and hardener/activator components just like genuine epoxy. Rust-Oleum (EpoxyShield) and Quikrete are the popular and DIY friendly epoxies for home improvement. You can identify it since it can be cleaned with soap and water when wet. Good ventilation is critical for these hybrids since they are advertised as “low VOC or low odor“, which is different from oil-based epoxies.
Features of water based two part epoxies.
- Takes longer to cure and completely harden 2 – 3 days or more for solvent must evaporate fully.
- Cost friendly- it costs between $50 to $100 per gallon.
- It can be cleaned up with soap and water when wet.
- It needs reapplication after a few years.
One parts Epoxy
True epoxy is sold in two parts to b mixed, however, this is sold premixed in a single container that makes it a paint rather than a true epoxy. They should be viewed as a form of paints with better formulation for efficient performance than normal standard paint.
Features of one part epoxy
- It sold in a single container.
- Premixed and ready for use.
- Dries very fast within 1-2 hours.
- Very cheap, about $40 per gallon.
- an be cleaned with water and soap.
Benefits of epoxy flooring
Garage epoxy floor has the ability to resist dirt, grease, grime, and scratches. The epoxy coating makes the garage floor exceptionally resilient and durable to withstand day to day wear and tear. Applying epoxy coating makes the garage floor extremely robust and durable and very tough against tools drop impacts, oils stains, prevent concrete cracks, chemicals, and surface abrasions.
Easy to keep clean and maintain
Epoxy floors are easy to clean and maintain especially the garages and workshops. It makes the floor quick and effortless to sweep, mop, and get rid of debris, oil, and other automotive spills.
Epoxy floor is Safe
Epoxy floors offer safe covering for your hard floors. It’s water, shock, scratch, and heat resistant up to 200 degrees. It is a pretty appropriate choice for industrial flooring when it comes to fire, oil, chemical, and other spills that can destroy the floor.
The epoxy floor is associated with fumes and chemicals that are non-VOC and absolutely non-hazardous to humans. Consul the seller or epoxy floor installers to ensure you zero VOCs epoxy coating. It doesn’t have an odor during installation.
Epoxy Flooring is Colorful
Customized epoxy can range from rugged, handsome to metallic and lustrous look that can be customized into different colors and designs.
Extremely Durable
The epoxy floor has another benefit of longevity. When properly installed and maintained, it can last for several decades without cracks, peels or even need for replacement.
Affordability and Economical
Epoxy flooring costs less per square foot compared with other floorings. It can also be installed on top of other floorings like concrete. You can save expenses while you opt for durable flooring like epoxy.
The epoxy flooring system can be installed directly on the existing concrete without the need to install a separate floor system. the initial cost may be higher than polished concrete. However, subsequent costs on wear and tear are lower.
Damage and Shock Resistant
Epoxy flooring comes in handy for you in case of flooding and fire catastrophes either by accidents or natural causes. Epoxy is scratch resistant you don’t have to worry damaging your floor with heavy machines.
Epoxy can also withstand high traffic without or with little damage. When working with machines and power tools, epoxy is shock resistant. you cannot get shocked when things get awry in your workshop or industry.
Be guaranteed epoxy floor can last longer than you may expect. For longitivity, you may consider hiring an expert to install your floor. In addition, consider using an epoxy coat to lengthen the durability of your concrete floor.
It also offers protection to your concrete floor. An extra layer of epoxy will surprise you by the result. it ensures protection from stains, moisture, and cracks that may come due to heat and machines.
Epoxy floor can be Customized
Epoxy is great to decorate your floor. it is available in different colors, designs, and unique patterns. Epoxy could be a wonderful way to economically customize or personalize your living or working area
Free of Toxic
Many floorings are considered toxic since they release VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) in weeks or months after installation. Epoxy is made from green compounds (VOC free epoxy formulas) that are safe for homes, garages, basements, schools, and hospital floors.
However, it still good to consider and weigh the advantages and disadvantages of epoxy flooring before installing it in your garage and other spaces.
Does epoxy floor Installation require a lot of preparation?
Installation of epoxy requires subfloor preparation which is a time-consuming affair. You must ensure the concrete is free of oil grease and other impurities or chemicals. On another hand, you have to ensure the floor is free from cracks and have a smooth finish.
Correctly installed epoxy flooring requires thoroughly cleaned surface. This may need unique cleaning products to be really sure the surface is well prepared, which may be expensive at times.
Is it Difficult to remove Epoxy Flooring?
You may want to do flooring upgrade at times. Epoxy flooring can be difficult to remove and replace it. The process requires removing special coating the floor has which makes it expensive, labor-intensive and time-consuming affair.
Is it Difficult for Epoxy Coating to adhere to Moist Environment?
Epoxy is a seamless flooring, economical solution to basement floors. It’s easy to clean, attractive and resists moisture. Yet the slab must be properly dried and prepared. In case the floor is moist or has chronic moisture issues the flooring may lift off forming a point of weakness.
Having looked at different pros and cons of using epoxy as your cover coating, you should be able to make an informed decision. It’s worth mentioning that all flooring have their advantages and disadvantages. Consult an expert to do your flooring and advice you on the best quality appropriate for your needs. Remember epoxy exist in different types for different needs.
Is it worth it to epoxy garage floor?
Garage epoxy floor is a worth investment for your garage. It provides an exceptionally resilient and durable able to withstand day to day garage wear and tear. You don’t have to worry about scratches since the floor is resistant to impacts, oils stains, prevent concrete cracks, chemicals, and surface abrasions.
How do I choose epoxy?
Epoxy is available in two parts oil and water-based epoxy and the hybrid paint in one. Oild based is most durable and expensive (about 200$ plus per gallon) with one part hybrid epoxy being the cheapest at about 40$ per gallon.
How much does it cost to epoxy a garage floor?
One car garage can cost 200$ to 300$ for 100 percent solids epoxy and less for water based epoxy.Its even slightly less where hybrid or one part epoxy has been used.
Can you epoxy your garage floor yourself?
Epoxy flooring installation is tedious and requires a lot of expertise. If you are DIY kind of a person, you may consider leaving it to professionals for durability. A lot of preparation needs to be carried out to improve with expertise. However, for one part epoxy paints, they are DIY friendly.
How hard is it to epoxy a garage floor?
Installation is complex in nature and needs time. A lot of preparations need to be carried out on the sub-floor to ensure epoxy is well installed. The sub-floor should be well dried, remove cracks and ensure it smooth. All these require time to addresses each factor for best epoxy flooring.
Does epoxy scratch easily?
Epoxy flooring is very durable, when the right epoxy products are well selective, its scratch-resistant. However, where the hybrids are selected, scratching may occur. In addition, allow it to completely cure and harden before using the floor. Otherwise the surface chips, and cracks easily, meaning you’ll incur extra costs and labor repairing and fixing the damaged areas.
Are epoxy garage floors slippery?
Epoxy is considered slippery resistant when dry and well cured. But, you must be careful if your floor becomes wet and covered with oil it can be extremely slippery. You may opt to add anti-slip materials to make it safer and still keep it elegant. Select your epoxy and its cure carefully, to achieve maximum effectiveness for the prescribed room temperature
Absolutely! Garage Epoxy Flooring protects against stains, dampness, and cracks caused by heat and equipment. https://www.washingtondcepoxyflooring.com