How Does Epoxy Garage Flooring Improve Durability?

Garage floors endure more wear and tear than most other surfaces in your home. Between daily vehicle traffic, temperature changes and fluid spills, they can crack, stain or become uneven over time.

One effective solution is applying an epoxy coating. But is epoxy good for your garage floor? Can it handle daily use? And does it improve how your garage looks and works? We’ll answer these questions and more, but first, let’s talk about what an epoxy coating is.

What Is Epoxy Floor Coating?

Epoxy flooring is a surface coating that is vastly different from normal paint. It comes in two parts —  an epoxy resin and a polyamine hardener. The combination of resin and hardener forms a tough, protective plastic-like layer over the surface it’s applied to. Epoxy is thicker than normal paint, creating a stronger bond with the surface, so it doesn’t peel or chip easily.

How Durable Is Epoxy Flooring?

Here are a few qualities that make epoxy flooring so strong:

• Impact resistance: Epoxy is tough and can handle heavy hits without damage. That makes it a great choice for garages where heavy tools or gear might get dropped.
• Chemical and stain resistance: Epoxy coatings create a barrier that prevents chemicals commonly found in garages — such as gasoline, antifreeze and motor oils —  from permeating the porous concrete. This means you can wipe away a spill without leaving stains. Also, cleaning agents won’t affect the finish, maintaining the floor’s pristine appearance.
• Water resistance: Epoxy can make your garage floor more waterproof by keeping water out of the concrete. That means no cracking, discoloration, efflorescence, musty odors and other moisture-related damage.
• Abrasion resistance: Epoxy can withstand friction from car tires turning and braking or dirt and grit caused by heavy foot traffic. It can also handle the weight of toolboxes or lawn equipment, allowing you to move these heavy items without damaging your floor. Daily use can gradually wear down and roughen an untreated concrete surface, but epoxy maintains its smooth finish for years under the same conditions.

Its damage resistance means that epoxy floor coating can cope with the heavy equipment, traffic and temperature fluctuations that garage floors endure. However, the durability is determined by:

• The quality of the epoxy used.
• The condition of the surface and surface preparation methods before application.
• The number of layers applied.
• Care and maintenance practices after application.

Applying epoxy on a garage floor requires specific skills that only a professional, like Shoreline Painting, possesses. Our experts have successfully completed these types of projects for many homeowners in Fairfield County, CT, Westchester County, NY, and surrounding areas.

To ensure a flawless finish that enhances your home’s style, we only use top-quality materials and follow a dedicated application process. No matter the size of your garage, we can tailor our services to suit your needs.

How Do Professionals Apply Epoxy Garage Floor Coating?

Professional preparation and application by Shoreline Painting ensures your epoxy garage floor coating’s durability because we consider three essential aspects:

Selecting the Right Epoxy Floor Coating

Before beginning the project, we’ll discuss which type of epoxy will fit your needs. Our team considers everything from how you want the finished floor to look to how much you use your garage and the quality of the product.

You’ll get to choose from three different types of coatings:

• Water-based epoxy: Eco-friendly, but less durable than the solvent-based variety.
• Solvent-based epoxy: Requires expert handling and is less eco-friendly. However, it offers better protection.
• Solid-only epoxy: This product is perfect when you require a finish with maximum durability, but you must hire specialized contractors to apply it.

We can also customize your epoxy floor coating so that it is more suited to how you use your garage or matches your style. For instance, we can add UV stabilizers if your garage gets a lot of sunlight. This additive protects the color of the finish from sun damage. We can also add slip-resistant additives for floors that get wet often and mold protection for garages in humid areas.

We can also apply epoxy that is premixed with a shimmer or speckled color for flair or a graveled epoxy if you want a decorative option.

Thorough Surface Preparation

Even the best epoxy will fail if the surface isn’t prepared the right way. Here’s how our professionals get your garage floor ready:

• Cleaning: First, we sweep away dirt, dust and debris. If there are greasy spots, we clean those too. A clean floor helps the epoxy stick better.
• Repairs: We look for cracks, chips or holes and fill them. Then we smooth out rough areas so the epoxy goes on evenly and looks great.
• Moisture check: We test the floor to ensure it’s completely dry. If it’s wet, the epoxy won’t bond properly to it.

Careful Application

No matter how perfectly you prepare the surface, mixing the correct proportions of resin and hardener is the key to ensuring a professional look with epoxy floor coating.

If you use too much hardener and too little resin or vice versa, you’re likely to end up with surface defects like bubbling or a brittle coating. You may also notice that the finish has an uneven color or starts to peel after a short time. Shoreline Painting follows the manufacturer’s instructions and product data sheets for the correct mixing ratios.

Once the epoxy is ready, we’ll apply it to the surface using professional painting equipment. Our painters check each layer between applications and fix flaws to achieve a perfect finish. With thorough cleanup and meticulous application techniques, we ensure you have a revitalized space to enjoy as soon as possible.

The number of layers we put down will depend on the thickness needed to withstand how much you use your garage. A standard two-layer coating may be enough for garage floors that don’t get much use. If you constantly move cars or heavy equipment, we’ll apply more layers to make your flooring more impact-resistant.

Transform Your Garage with Professional Epoxy Flooring from Shoreline Painting

Selecting Shoreline Painting for epoxy garage floor coating services offers premier results that boost your property’s beauty and value. Our Fine Paints of Europe Master Certified Painters use high-quality techniques and materials to achieve flawless finishes that improve your home’s unique style.

For more than 35 years, property owners across Fairfield County, CT, Westchester County, NY, and surrounding areas have been turning to us whenever they need premier epoxy garage floor coating services.

We’re fully bonded, licensed and insured painters who always put the needs of our customers first. We believe our clients deserve the best materials available. Thanks to our ongoing partnership with Fine Paints of Europe, we have made it easier for our customers to access the best products on the market.

Request a consultation with one of our experts today. Our dedicated team is ready to transform your garage floor.