Are epoxy floors worth it?
The first thing you need to know is that garage floor epoxy coatings are not like regular floor paint and that all epoxies are not the same.
So exactly what are epoxy floor coatings? Epoxy floor coatings are usually two part solids based, solvent based or water based. Epoxy flooring consists of a Resin part and a Hardener part, much like epoxy glue. Regular garage floor paints are one part oil based or water based. High quality epoxy floor paints are neither one part, oil based nor water based and all epoxies are not the same and you need to know why so you don’t have to do your floor a second or third time.
Why Should You Epoxy Your Garage Floor?
When the compounds in epoxy are mixed together, a chemical reaction starts and unlike paint, epoxy doesn’t dry, but cures. But once it’s cured, the finish is unlike any other flooring you can get.
Besides its appealing surface, epoxy has a high tolerance to chemicals, stains, impacts, scratches, and chipping. If you drop something heavy on the floor you won’t see as much as a crack in the epoxy. And when that transmission fluid spills all over the garage, cleaning it off the hardened resin is much easier.
Another advantage of having an epoxy coating for your garage floor is the fact that it can cover any imperfections in the cement floor. Cracks and small holes, especially where the floor meets the wall are common in garages. And these can become homes to spiders and other insects. Epoxy covers all these holes and gives the floor a professional and clean finish.
If you live in a humid region or it snows a lot in your area, then moisture must be one of the problems you have to deal with in your garage. It leads to mildew and mold breakouts and attracts pests. Epoxy is highly resistant to moisture and you can clean road salts and icy brines off it with little effort.
Are epoxy garage floors worth the investment?
One of the most common questions that people ask when considering ways to improve their garage is whether an epoxy concrete floor coating is worth the investment. You may have seen a neighbor’s garage looking sleek and unusually clean, and they may have told you that epoxy is the secret to transforming their garage from an outdoor-area to sleek indoor-outdoor workspace.
But is it worth it? How much money will you save on garage maintenance by installing an epoxy floor coating? And how much more might your home sell for with an epoxy-reinforced garage floor? Today, we’re here to answer your questions on whether epoxy garage floors are really worth the investment.
No more cracking concrete maintenance
Concrete maintenance is the single biggest cost associated with your garage. Most garages have floors of poured concrete which looks smooth at first, but concrete doesn’t last forever. Concrete is actually porous and made of a gravel medium that eventually breaks apart. Concrete swells, cracks, and then contracts pulling the cracked edges away from each other.
You can pour time and money into filling these cracks and trying to refinish or repaint your garage floor surface, but a far more practical answer is to apply a thick epoxy coating. Epoxy both provides a sealant and is more flexible than concrete, helping you to fill cracks, hide, and prevent cracks instead of worrying about them.
Your garage becomes easier to climate-control
Concrete is fairly susceptible to the elements and during a cold winter, the cold seeps up through your garage’s concrete floor turning the whole area into a freezer. This is not just uncomfortable for the family, it’s bad for your car!
With an epoxy coat on your garage floor, your garage is far easier to climate-control. Because heat will not escape and cold can’t seep up as easily, any use of space heaters or even ACs in the summer will more effectively keep your garage at a comfortable temperature.
Stop worrying about insect invasions through your concrete cracks
When the ants go marching into the house at the turn of the seasons, your job is to track them back to wherever they’re coming from and spray so the invasions stop. You can get every doorway and the home perimeter and yard. But sometimes, insects come straight up from the ground through the cracks in your garage floor. An epoxy coating seals those cracks and prevents new ones from forming so you can finally stop worrying about insect invasions sneaking in through the garage concrete floor.
Epoxy floors are child-safe and easy to clean
For some families, the garage is a place for the whole family. Maybe it’s where you keep your kid’s bikes and sports gear, maybe you host indoor-outdoor barbecues for the whole neighborhood out of your garage. Maybe you’re teaching family members the secret arts of automotive care. Some families even keep the dog kennels in the garage.
Epoxy floors make your garage even more welcoming to the family because the floors are easy to clean perfectly. Automotive chemicals and oils won’t soak in because of the smooth plasticky surface and when you run a mop over that epoxy, everything comes up. You could let your toddler play on an epoxy garage floor when you’d never be comfortable letting them sit on the dirty gravel and motor oil covered concrete.
Pros of Epoxy Floors:
Appearance
Compared to an average garage floor, epoxy floors are bright and professional. Their appearance alone makes them enticing to use. The smooth and even surface is also very easy to sweep and maintain. Since not much sticks to this type of flooring, cleaning up a mess a very easy.
Affordability
Compared to other types of flooring, the per square foot cost of epoxy floors are tough to beat. Since it can be installed directly over concrete and other flooring types, the installation costs are quite a bit lower than the others. Pricing remains one of the biggest and the most immediate advantages you’ll find with epoxy flooring.
Resistance
Epoxy floors are highly resistant to just about everything – oil, gasoline, bleach, transmission fluid, cleansers and more. This is one the main reasons they’re frequently used in garages and within the automotive industry. Besides withstanding chemical spills/cleaners, epoxy floor coating is also heat and water-resistant. They are almost impervious to most chemical spills without any negative effects on the coating.
Another pro is that these floors also resistant to bacteria and germs, which makes them very easy to sanitize. This is why epoxy is an excellent choice for hospitals and clinics.
Durability
Distinctly valued for their durability, epoxy floors have a longer lifespan than many other floor types. Concrete is the only material that beats it, but it needs to be properly sealed and maintained. Besides, an epoxy floor coating required concrete beneath it anyway. Epoxy floor coating makes renders concrete exceptionally durable. They also offer benefits of anti-fatigue and can be easily rolled-out on the cement without mortar or glue. But if you wish to go that extra step to care for your floors, consider getting yourself epoxy resins for wood on woodimprove.
Cons of Epoxy Floors:
Temporary
One of the major disadvantages of using epoxy on your floors is that it’s a temporary flooring solution. Though durable and resistant, you will have to replace it eventually. Unlike some other flooring solutions, everyday wear and tear takes it toll on epoxy floors. To keep things looking good, you’ll have to put down a new coat of epoxy. This is inevitable especially if heavy things are dropped on the surface of the floor.
pros and cons of epoxy floors
Cracks can develop and chipping is a very common issue. Thought chips can start out as a small annoyance, eventually they can lead to a large area of the coat peeling off of the floor. Wheeled carts and toolbox wheels also get caught catch as they are rolled over the damaged spot. The floor has to be repaired when this happens.
Slippery
Epoxy floors are relatively skid resistant. This con is not universal. It’s specific only to oil-covered epoxy since that can be very slippery. But they can also become very slippery when wet, which creates a dangerous situation. They are not a good choice in areas that may be prone to spills or water on the floor. This is another drawback. However, you can mitigate this risk, at least to some degree, if you’re able to texturize your floor.
Preparation
Getting the existing floors ready for applying epoxy is tedious. A significant amount of effort goes into it to. The concrete floor has to be clean and free of any grease, oil, or solvents before the epoxy coating is applied. Cracks will need to be filled as well. Cleaning concrete floors requires multiple attempts. All this preparation work required is a drawback.
The good news is that with the advancements in the manufacture and application methods, homeowners will find it relatively easy to apply using hand tools in a minimum amount of time.
Application
Apart from the extensive preparation that goes into getting the concrete ready, applying the epoxy coating is a time-consuming process. It also takes several days to dry properly. Additionally, the first coat of epoxy must dry completely before adding the next coat.