Frequently Asked Questions

Nationally, HomeGuide prices installed epoxy at $4 to $10 a square foot: roughly $1,200 to $3,900 in a one-car garage and $1,600 to $5,800 in a two-car one. Polyaspartic comes in around $5 to $12 a square foot. Crack repair, stripping an earlier coating and a flake or metallic finish all add to the total, so we set a price only after seeing the floor.

Multiply length by width for square feet. A 20 by 20 foot garage comes to 400 square feet; run that through HomeGuide's installed range of $4 to $10 a square foot and you get a rough bracket before any extra prep. Then add patching (This Old House lists $25 to $250) and removal of any old coating. Our on-site estimate swaps that math for a fixed written price.

Epoxy has to go on a dry, correctly ground slab, and trapped moisture, oil or old sealer underneath can make it peel. According to HomeGuide, a full cure for standard epoxy can stretch to a week, and the same guide grades epoxy's UV resistance as merely poor to fair, so the area by a sunny door can yellow. A smooth gloss is also slippery with snowmelt on it. Careful prep, a topcoat that holds up to UV and some added texture deal with each of these.

It depends on the floor. Polyaspartic cures in about a day or two, handles sunlight far better and can be applied in a wider temperature range, so many garage floors here get a polyaspartic topcoat or a full polyaspartic system. Epoxy is still a strong choice for basements and commercial floors because it builds thick coats at a lower cost. We recommend one or a combination after testing the slab.

A properly installed coating seals the concrete so salt and brine stay on the surface rather than working into it, which protects the slab from salt damage during freeze-thaw cycles. Salt left to dry can leave white residue and dull the topcoat over time. Rinsing or squeegeeing meltwater out during the winter keeps the floor looking right.

In many cases, yes, provided it is vapor rather than liquid water. After testing the slab, we switch to a moisture-tolerant epoxy primer if the readings run high. A basement that floods, or water pushing up through cracks, has to be repaired before any coating, since a coating cannot hold back standing water.

Spring through fall is easiest because slabs are warm enough to cure well. Mid-summer works when we watch the dew point and schedule around humid mornings. Winter jobs are possible in a heated garage, but cold slabs slow curing, and if a date looks like a poor fit we will say so plainly.

Ask how they prepare the concrete, whether they test for moisture, what each coat is and how thick, how they handle salt and slip resistance, and when you can drive on the floor. Get it all in a written quote so you can compare installers fairly.

For a two-car garage, HomeGuide's national figures run about $1,600 to $5,800 in epoxy and $2,000 to $6,900 in polyaspartic. Repairing salt spalling, removing an old coating and choosing full flake coverage can push a job within or past those ranges. Measuring and testing your floor comes first, and then we hand you a written number.

Salt does not soak through a sealed coating the way it soaks into bare concrete. Left to dry, it can leave a film that dulls the finish, so we suggest squeegeeing or rinsing meltwater out during the winter. Flake floors also hide salt spotting well between cleanings.

HomeGuide advises avoiding driving on new epoxy for 2 to 7 days, while polyaspartic is ready for heavy vehicles in about 24 to 48 hours. Since the temperature and humidity that week shift those times, we name a specific day for your floor.

Most of the time, yes. We grind off the loose surface, fill the pitted areas with a repair material and grind them flush before coating. A slab that is badly broken or heaving may need concrete repair before coating, and we will point that out if it applies.

With snowmelt on it, a smooth gloss coat can get slick. The chips in a flake floor give it texture on their own, and solid-color floors get an anti-slip aggregate mixed into the topcoat.

Plain epoxy is one solid color. A flake floor adds vinyl chips, thrown into the wet base and locked in by a clear topcoat. Those chips add texture, hide dirt and salt, and help disguise small flaws in the slab.

Less than a smooth coat. Under the topcoat, the chips create a light texture, and a grit aggregate can be added for more grip. More clear coats make it smoother and easier to mop but a little less grippy, so we set the balance with you.

Yes, a speckled blend hides salt residue and dried slush far better than a solid gray or white floor. You still want to rinse salt off during the winter so it does not dull the topcoat over time.

Expect one to two working days for most garages; prep and the chosen system decide which. With a polyaspartic topcoat HomeGuide puts heavy vehicle traffic at about 24 to 48 hours; with epoxy it can take longer. We give you a schedule with the quote.

For many garages, yes. It cures much faster, resists UV yellowing and handles salt and hot tires well. Epoxy builds thicker coats at a lower cost, so a combination of epoxy base and polyaspartic topcoat is often a good middle ground.

Bob Vila puts foot traffic at about 3 to 4 hours and vehicles at about 24 hours. HomeGuide lists 24 to 48 hours for heavy vehicle traffic. Cool or humid weather can stretch those times a little, and we tell you the exact schedule.

It tolerates a wider temperature range than most epoxies, which helps in spring and fall. The slab still has to be above the dew point and within the product's range, so very cold unheated garages in mid-winter may need to wait.

The material costs more and it takes skill to apply because it sets so quickly. HomeGuide lists polyaspartic at $5 to $12 per square foot against $4 to $10 for epoxy. Faster return to use and better UV resistance are what you pay for.

Per This Old House, metallic epoxy costs $5 to $12 a square foot, and high-grade coatings add 20% to 30%. Crack repair, moisture primer and multiple colors move the price. We price your floor after seeing and testing it.

Yes, it is one of the most common places we put it. We test for moisture vapor first and use a moisture-tolerant primer if needed. Basements with active leaks or flooding need that fixed before any coating.

Wet gloss can be slippery. Near sinks, bars or walkout doors, a fine slip-resistant additive can go into the topcoat without dulling the metallic effect much.

It will be in the same family, but each pour is unique because the pigment moves on its own as it settles. We agree on colors and the type of movement beforehand so there are no surprises.

HomeAdvisor puts 100% solids systems for commercial and industrial floors at $12 or more per square foot, while This Old House gives $3 to $12 for professional epoxy in general. Prep method, chemical resistance and markings change the price. We quote after a site visit.

It depends on the system and the size of the area. Bob Vila notes businesses may close a day or two for polyaspartic. We can phase work by section or schedule nights and weekends to keep you running.

Yes. We remove old coatings and contaminated surface concrete by grinding or shot blasting, repair damage, and test for moisture before coating. Very oil-soaked areas may need extra cleaning or cutting out.

A sealer soaks in or forms a thin film to reduce dusting and staining. A coating system builds a thicker, harder layer on top that resists abrasion and chemicals. Busy commercial floors usually need a coating, not just a sealer.

Usually, as long as the dampness is vapor rather than liquid water. Slab testing tells us when a moisture-tolerant primer is needed. Water that comes in during storms must be dealt with before coating.

Usually moisture vapor coming up through the slab, combined with paint that was rolled over unprepared concrete. Paint is thin and does not block vapor. We grind it off, test the slab and use a primer suited to the readings.

Per HomeGuide, installed epoxy runs $4 to $10 per square foot, or $400 to $2,000 for a room of 100 to 200 square feet. Moisture primer, crack repair and decorative finishes affect the total. We quote after testing.

Some coatings have an odor during application, and 100% solids and low-odor products help. We ventilate the space and tell you how long the smell may last for the product we use.

DIY kits cost $200 to $700 according to HomeGuide, but most kits are thin water-based products applied without grinding or moisture testing. In basements, that is a common cause of early peeling.