Garage floors need more than just a can of standard floor paint. They need a durable coating that can resist heat, chemicals, and both vehicle and foot traffic.
Fortunately, several different options on the market will do the job. We will take a look at the best garage floor coating available today. Read on to know more.
Epoxy
Bare cement floors shed fine dust that can cling to tool benches, cars, and anything else stored in the garage. Epoxy floor coatings minimize the dusting, creating a more polished look and making it easier to maintain a clean garage.
This two-part epoxy is easy for do-it-yourselfers to apply with brushes or rollers. It dries in just 24 hours and is ready for foot traffic, three days after vehicle application. It resists oil, gasoline, and salt and has a low odor.
One drawback of epoxy is its vulnerability to hot-tire pickup, where the heat under your car’s tires can break down the bond between the concrete and the epoxy, causing the epoxy to crack or peel. Urethanes, such as polyurea and a product from Rust Bullet, are more resistant to hot-tire pickup than epoxy. They are also less likely to have a strong odor, which can be difficult for people with allergies and asthma to tolerate.
Polyurea
Polyurea garage floor coatings are fairly new to the market. Typically used in industrial settings for truck bed liners and pipe linings, polyurea is a tough material resistant to chemicals and moisture.
This makes it a great choice for commercial environments as well as residential. It’s an especially good choice for the garage where it’s easy to slip and hurt yourself if you don’t have enough traction on your shoes or socks.
Another advantage of polyurea over epoxy is that it’s not prone to developing efflorescence or dark spots. This makes it much safer to walk on, especially when wet.
Polyurea is also incredibly easy to apply. Unlike epoxy, which requires mixing the A and B components, single-part polyurea is applied straight from the can and cures chemically into the concrete. This helps eliminate a lot of common mistakes during DIY installation and greatly reduces the chance of injury. The curing process is also faster, allowing for a one-day install and quick return to use.
Polyaspartic
This tough coating system is based on polyurea, but it uses amine-terminated polyether resins instead of aromatic isocyanates. This creates a chemical-resistant material that’s more eco-friendly than epoxy. It’s also odorless and low-VOC, so it doesn’t emit harmful fumes.
Another reason to choose polyaspartic is its better bond to concrete than epoxy. While epoxy doesn’t penetrate concrete, polyaspartic does and stays bonded even in extreme temperatures. It’s also colorfast and won’t fade under UV rays.
Polyaspartic floor coating is very quick to cure. This allows you to return to your garage as soon as the installation is done. It’s a great option for busy families or business owners who don’t want to shut down operations for weeks.
Although polyaspartic is more expensive than epoxy, it’s worth the investment for its superior durability and strength. It also lasts longer, so you won’t need to re-coat it as frequently. Plus, it’s more resistant to chemicals and stains.
Latex & Acrylic
Many garage floor coating kits advertise a fast, simple application process, a low price tag, and the promise of protecting your concrete from damage and looking great. However, they are usually substandard in material and will not last the way that professional-grade polyaspartic floor coatings will.
These products are similar to regular house paints but are specially made for concrete floors and have special features that make them less susceptible to oil, chemical, and other spills, moisture, and other damage. They are less expensive than epoxy but still provide good protection and a nice look to your garage floor.
Latex and acrylic are water-based, which makes them more environmentally friendly and easy to clean up than oil-based paints. They are also prone to peeling and won’t prevent your concrete from cracking. They are best suited for garages used as home workshops and storage areas. Check this helpful information.