A current trend with homeowners is do-it-yourself garage floor kits. The large retail stores offer these kits, and they seem straightforward and easy to use. However, if you are looking to purchase one of these garage floor kits, there are a few things you may want to consider.
The garage floor kits come with the following items: waterborne epoxy, random flake and an acid wash solution. Some kits also include a topcoat for you floor. Let's start with the acid wash solution. Applying this to your garage floor is the first step. The acid wash is a mild cleaner and it will help clean your floor. However, it will not remove any stains, paints, or sealers that are currently on your garage floor. The acid wash also will not open the floor up enough, and therefore the coatings you apply won't hold a good bond. A poor bond often results in failed floor. Simply pulling your car in and out of the garage will cause the coating to peel which will lead to a lifetime of recoating and maintenance.
The next item you apply is the waterborne epoxy at 8 - 10 mils thick. Since the material is waterborne, when the floor dries you will have approximately half of that amount left on the dry floor. The other half will evaporate. You will then apply the flake while the floor is wet. Some of the kits will include a topcoat to apply over the flake. A large problem with the coatings in these kits is that they aren't thick enough to fill any cracks or holes.
There are many advantages to having your garage floor done by floor coating specialists verses using the kits described above Our company will bring a diamond grinder and grind the entire garage floor to remove any sealers, stains, paints, etc that may be on your floor. We then prefill any cracks and holes in your garage. After the prep work is complete, we apply 100 percent solid epoxy to the floor with a minimum thickness of 13 dry mils. Next, we can add flake to your floor, depending on the look you want. Finally, we topcoat the floor with a chemical resistant urethane. With our system, you are guaranteed a great bond to your garage floor.
The garage floor kits you purchase in retail stores can run you $600, not counting supplies and labor. If the garage floor fails, you will have a lifetime of recoating and maintenance, as stated above.
Having your garage floor professionally coated will give you a top notch finished product, as well as peace of mind about your epoxy garage floor coating. In twelve years, we have never had to return to fix a failed garage floor. If you are thinking of coating your garage, please call us for a free estimate.