Installing epoxy flooring can add a touch of class to your garage and even boost your home value.
Compared with other flooring systems, it is a more affordable and durable flooring option giving countless years of joy with minimal maintenance. Plus, the variety of decorative flakes and color options makes it advantageous for homeowners who want a floor that resembles their lifestyle and personality.
If you are considering epoxy garage floors, you may have tons of questions in your mind right now. To ensure you have thoroughly thought about all the facets of installing epoxy garage floors and to help you remove doubts, we at Advanced Surface Solutions hope to answer your top most commonly asked questions about epoxy flooring.
Table of Contents: Top 12 Epoxy Questions and Answers
Are epoxy garage floors worth my investment?
Yes. Epoxy flooring is a durable option for your garage, and with proper care, epoxy floors are one of the best floor applications given their long life. Not only does epoxy beautify an existing floor substrate and protect it from stains and damage, but overall, as a flooring option, epoxy does have a relatively low price point making it an affordable option for many homeowners.
Are epoxy garage floors worth it? Consider the additional benefits: epoxy floors are low maintenance, easy to clean, resistant to moisture, take heavy traffic, and create a lower noise-level environment.
How long do epoxy garage floors last?
Epoxy flooring can last much longer compared with other flooring materials. Residential spaces that use epoxy flooring for their patios and garages can expect the materials to look great in the next 10 to 15 years with proper care.
How much does epoxy cost and how much should I spend for a 3-floor garage?
The cost for epoxy flooring for your garage depends on many factors like the size of your garage, how thick the epoxy would be, and the type of flakes or paint you want to be applied to your garage floor.
We can provide a free, no-obligation quote for your garage. Call us at 863-243-9508 or fill out our Contact form.
What colors and styles do you have for my garage?
Our epoxy flooring comes in a wide variety of epoxy colors and styles such as granite, stone, quartz, metallic, terrazzo, and many more. Depending on the vibe that you want to achieve for your garage, you can combine various flakes in one application. You can choose between light tones, nude grays, white, black, metallic, and bold tones. The color options are limitless.
How long does the installation of epoxy garage floors take?
The general epoxy curing time typically lasts for 7 days depending on many factors. Medium-sized garage floors can dry in 12 hours and light use would be available after 24 hours. Factors that can affect the installation process can include the preparation for the concrete layer, the need to do repairs, and whether it is humid. When the days are colder, it would take longer for epoxy floors to dry. Even so, we don’t recommend using your garage until the epoxy has completely dried to prevent floor deformities and surface damage.
Do epoxy garage floors turn yellowish after some time?
The quick answer is yes but only for epoxy garage floorings with no UV protection. Exposure to the extreme rays of the sun can cause damage to epoxy floors. Our solution to prevent yellowing is to apply urethane or polyaspartic coating as a topcoat to add a layer of protection to your epoxy floor. It helps prevent the yellowing of epoxy and extends the life of your epoxy floor.
How do I clean an epoxy garage floor?
Epoxy floorings are highly resistant materials even to oil and grease. You can just sweep the dust and debris if there are any. For stubborn stains and grease, you can just use soap and water to clean them. A soft bristle brush will work best with epoxy flooring. Avoid using hard chemicals because you don’t need them when cleaning. Any dirt on the floor simply sits on the top layer and is very easy to remove.
Does epoxy smell bad; is it safe?
This is one of the top questions our customers have regarding epoxy. Some epoxy products have a strong odor, which is why temporary evacuation may be needed when applying the material. But it all depends on the type of epoxy product used.
There are high-end, solventless epoxies that do not evaporate because of the absence of solvents. With no evaporation, there are no harmful smells emanating from the material. Also, ask about future outgassing. Just like a new mattress, when unfurled, will outgas for a few hours, an epoxy floor can outgas for a month or more. It is advisable to spend a little bit more and obtain epoxies that are safer and do not emit harmful chemical smells.
To speed up drying time, you must improve ventilation in your home such as opening up the windows and doors, and for garage floor installation, leaving your garage door open.
Is epoxy flooring for the garage slippery?
Generally, epoxy flooring is far less slippery compared with other smoother surfaces, but surprisingly, epoxy floors are not slippery. But, for added precaution for customers who want a more aggressive anti-slip service, we can apply an anti-skid coating on epoxy flooring to improve its surface. Depending on the size of your garage or parking way, we can also add bumps as preventative to slipping.
What methods do you use for cleaning and prepping my garage?
We use the most natural methods of preparing the garage concrete floor such as using pressure washing or water blasting techniques to remove dust, mildew, and other debris. Acid-washing is barely used by professionals as it does not create the textured profile that is required for epoxy coatings to bond with the concrete. This method is also disapproved of for safety and if not properly neutralized, the altered pH can affect the adherence of epoxy coatings.
After a good pressure washing, we make sure there are no cracks in the concrete. With the concrete floor completely dry, we use a concrete repair kit that fills in and smooths out cracks so that the epoxy coating rests on a level and smooth surface.
What type of maintenance does an epoxy garage floor require?
An epoxy garage floor coating is very low maintenance. You can just sweep or vacuum occasionally to remove dust and debris. Since epoxy flooring is highly resistant to liquids, spills like oil, grease, water, etc. are very easy to wipe up with a towel. Many homeowners value epoxy floors for the main reason that epoxy flooring is very easy to clean.
Will my floor be damaged if heavy equipment passes through?
No. Epoxy garage floorings are highly durable materials. They offer good resistance against hard wear and tear. They also offer good traction for vehicles, which is why they’re a top choice for many garage builders.
Still, have questions?
At Advanced Surface Solutions, we are professional epoxy garage floor installers. Call us with questions you may have about your epoxy floor ideas. Phone 863-243-9508 or fill out our Contact Us form.