Epoxy Garage Floors: Why It’s Important to Hire a Professional

Homeowners are discovering the benefits of epoxy garage floor coatings, which commercial and industrial property owners have been using to seal concrete floors in their buildings. Places as diverse as restaurant kitchens, car showrooms and warehouses are typical venues for epoxy-coated floors. Impenetrable epoxy-coated floors are resistant to stains, comfortable to walk on and easy to maintain.

Epoxy coatings can refresh residential garage floors and be formulated to match a homeowner’s personal aesthetic preferences. There are two basic epoxy application options available on the market: solid color options and colored chip mixtures. You can decide whether you prefer a solid color or a mixture of hues or even make a custom color or blend of color flakes to suit your taste. The result can be a professional looking garage floor to make anyone proud of their garage.

Do Not Confuse Epoxy Coating with Paint

A coating is created by mixing epoxide resin with a polyamine hardener. It is not paint, although some paints may contain epoxy. This tough and durable finish won’t flake or peel off like paint and will protect the underlying concrete from discoloration and damage.

An epoxy application cures into a coating that is substantially thicker than paint. If the floor surface has been properly prepared, the coating will bond with the surface and will last for years. However, if you do not get the right kind of epoxy and do not prepare the floor well, it will peel off. Of course, the qualified professionals at Brownlow & Sons will help you by doing the job right the first time.

The Risks of Do-It-Yourself Epoxy Application

Such a finish is a cost-effective solution, as there will be no need to repaint the floor and cleanup will be a simple exercise. However, if it is not cured properly, you will not be able to enjoy its potential advantages. The garage floor coating kits available in retail stores may not deliver the results you expected for several reasons. There are many reasons why a coating may not bond well after you have applied it yourself.

A Professionally Installed Epoxy Coating is a Good Investment

An epoxy coating is customizable by texture and color to create a unique look for any garage; but, if you want customization, you will need professional help. Professional help from Brownlow & Sons will ensure the most durable result, which requires proper preparation, a good quality product and multiple coatings. There is tremendous variety in commercially offered products.

There are also water-based, solvent-based alternatives, and more expensive, 100% solids epoxy products on the market. Water-based products can end up producing a thinner coating as water evaporates during curing, but the solvent-based products may produce toxic volatile compounds. States laws restrict the level of volatile compounds in solvent-based epoxy resins. A 100% solids epoxy may be harder to work with, but it produces the best results. Most commercially offered kits are typically less than 100% solids.

If there is any moisture in the concrete, the coating will not bond well. A professional installer can do a moisture test to see if this is an issue. If there is an indication of such a problem, a professional installer will conduct a moisture test. In cold climates or warm regions where it may snow, professional installers add a skid-resistance additive.

Overall, it is better to rely on a qualified professional from Brownlow & Sons to help with an epoxy coating on your garage floor. Contact us today to get started!