Flooring FAQ’s

Professional garage floor coating installers use high-solids epoxy resins while the DIY kit is usually an epoxy paint, meaning it is water-based paint with some epoxy resin added so it can be advertised with the word epoxy on the label.

There is also a substantial difference in the amount/quality of prep work that is able to be achieved by professional installers.

The cost of a garage floor coating is determined by the size of the garage, the type of system you use, and the condition of the existing concrete. Metallic epoxy flooring is more expensive than traditional flooring systems because it necessitates specialized metallic pigments and multiple layers as well as more time and effort to produce distinctive patterns.

Despite the increased costs, many homeowners and business owners find that it is well worth the extra money. We are delighted to examine your current flooring and provide free estimates for either system.

The first step in any garage floor coating project is to grind the concrete with a concrete grinder that uses metal-bonded diamond tooling to open the pores of the concrete, abrade the surface, and remove pollutants such as oil, dirt, and grease.

This procedure is similar to sanding a piece of wood before painting or staining it. The holes and cracks are then repaired and polished smooth. Finally, the floor is cleaned using brushes, vacuums, and/or scrubbing brushes before being coated.

The concrete grinder is connected to a large, industrial vacuum that is designed to prevent concrete dust from escaping into the air. It does an excellent job keeping dust out of the air. It’s possible, though, that some dirt will slip through.

If you don’t want dust to fall on your stored goods on overhead shelving, take them out of the garage or cover them with plastic during this procedure.

We begin by applying a vapor barrier, which is a specifically formulated seal coat placed beneath the epoxy coating, once the concrete slab has been properly prepared. The moisture vapor barrier aids in the prevention of fluids passing through concrete.

To guarantee moisture does not reach the epoxy flooring system, we need to cure the moisture barrier. We’ll apply our epoxy coating and broadcast the flakes to rejection after it’s cured, which means the entire floor is fully coated and there are no reflective areas.

After that, we will scrape up all loose flakes and vacuum the floor once more the next day. We also provide an optional water-based acrylic sealer, often known as a grout coat, which can help smooth out the flakes and add dimension and luster to them.

The final stage is to apply a chemical-resistant, protective polyurethane topcoat. After 24 hours, the floors are ready for light usage.

We offer a high-build, metallic floor coating that provides the ultimate metallic look with stunning depth of color and the capacity to use many colors in the same floor.

This coating is then spread out over the entire surface with a squeegee after being mixed with a drill mixer. Additional accent colors may be poured onto the floor and gently combined using a roller.

Finally, a topcoat is applied to ensure that the flooring retains its good visual appeal, as well as proper protection from high traffic and corrosive chemicals.

The first few steps are similar to the flake and metallic floor process.  We will grind the concrete and clean it well to start. We will then apply the first coat of the color stain using a sprayer. 

Once dry we will often apply another coat of the same color based on the desired color and look. We will finish with another coat to be used as highlights, typically a darker color than the base.  Once dry we will apply an acrylic sealer followed by a durable topcoat in the desired sheen.

All applications start with grinding the concrete. Both polished and grind/seal concrete floors can have a similar finish. For polished concrete, the concrete is polished using finer grits of diamond abrasives until the floor reaches the desired level of shine.

However, with sealed concrete, the finish is achieved from a topical sealer. Color stains can be applied to both polished concrete and grind and sealed floors. Sealed floors help protect against spills and stains more than polished floors and has a more consistent appearance.

Polished concrete is a more expensive process than staining due to the increased labor required and is not recommended for outdoor applications, though it offers long-term durability for high traffic spaces. 

Prior to our arrival, household items and/or cars will need to be removed from the area. Depending on the sort of flooring you choose and other factors like season and temperature, the curing process might take up to 5-6 full days before your floors are fully cured.

In most situations, you will need to wait at least 24 hours on metallic floors and 5 days on flake floors before you start replacing household items and furniture or vehicles if you are choosing this type of flooring for your garage.

The most essential step in the installation procedure is epoxy repair and restoration, which entails careful preparation of the surface.

Pre-existing defects, dust, and other foreign particles can compromise the integrity of your new epoxy flooring, therefore, all efforts are made to repair any flaws while reducing dust and other messes throughout the procedure.

By using modern, high quality diamond grinding equipment combined with diligent efforts from our highly trained team, we are able to keep dust and debris to a minimum during the installation process.

Of course! We’ll sit down with you before we start your epoxy floor installation to talk about the future you want for it and determine which color and texture is best suited to your preferences and needs.

Depending on the type of flooring you choose, your floors may have a slightly textured or smooth, glass-like surface. When it’s wet, most epoxy flooring systems are just as slippery as ordinary concrete.

Nearly all garage floors we do can be completed in two days, but prepping and coating it might take up to four days, depending on the size, condition of the existing concrete, ambient temperature, and epoxy system used.

Caring for your epoxy floor will take a minimum amount of time, but you’ll want to do it on a regular basis in order for it to stay in excellent form. The following are the best practices for keeping your epoxy floors looking great.

• Keep the surfaces dirt and grit-free.

If you’re using an epoxy floor for commercial purposes, say a warehouse or industrial building that must accommodate heavy machinery and vehicles on the ground, you’ll need to think carefully about how it’s going to be maintained. If allowed to remain on the floor, dirt and dust will embed themselves into an epoxy floor. It’s a good idea to remove all sand and dirt on a regular basis.

The best method to do that is with a shop vac equipped with a soft brush attachment. How often you vacuum is determined by how much dirt and grime are tracked into the flooring. You may alternatively employ a broom, dust mop, or even a leaf blower for light cleaning.

 Metallic floor coatings show a bit more wear and tear and need more maintenance so we typically recommend this type of look in places that will get swept often.

• Avoid using soap-based cleaners.

Detergent-based floor cleaners create a hazy coating on the epoxy flooring over time. Warm water and a good mop or deck-scrubbing brush should be enough. If you require more scrubbing power, try incorporating soft soap into the mix to assist with the more difficult spills.

• Periodic Deeper Cleaning.

The easiest approach to cleaning an epoxy floor is to sweep and vacuum the entire space thoroughly. To remove all of the surface dirt, use a hard foam mop with warm/hot water for a second mopping. Then you can use a clear ammonia/water solution (at 2-3 ounces of ammonia per gallon of hot water) for a second mopping.

• Stains

Scrub gently with a kitchen scrubbing sponge or a soft deck brush and warm water on any stains that require it, such. Steel wool or harsh chemicals like comet are unnecessarily abrasive.

Use a moderately abrasive scrubbing pad or brush or soft-scrub and never use citrus or acid-based cleaning supplies. The epoxy catalyst is damaged by citrus cleaners and vinegar, so they should be avoided.

• Oil, car chemicals, and other chemicals.

Wipe off antifreeze, oil, and other car-related chemicals with shop towels or a paper towel and properly dispose of them. The most essential thing to remember about automobile-related spills is that they should not be allowed to accumulate on the floor for an extended period of time.

Engine oil, for example, may contain compounds that are harmful to an epoxy floor. Clean up any spilled gas as soon as possible since it can harm the surface of an epoxy floor if left for too long. Household cleaners and other abrasive liquids must be immediately cleaned away. Wipe them clean with shop rags as soon as the spill is made.

With proper maintenance, you will enjoy your beautiful epoxy floors for years to come.