The Best Guide for Garage Floor Epoxy

Epoxy flooring is the best thing since sliced bread. We’re here to let you know that this durable flooring solution will change the way you see garage floors forever. Garage floor epoxy contractors have been perfecting their craft for a number of years and have been introducing this state-of-the-art technology to the masses. Originally meant for heavy industrial purposes only, epoxy has gained popularity in the residential and commercial sectors due to its strength, durability, ease of use, and aesthetic appeal.

First, let’s begin with what exactly an epoxy floor is. An epoxy floor coating consists of several layers of resins and hardeners, and is usually applied at a depth of 10 mils. When the resinous material of the epoxy and the hardener are mixed together, magic begins to happen. During something known as the curing process, the epoxy flooring solution begins to harden an create a very strong, nearly indestructible flooring solution. You’ll be amazed at how strong this garage floor coating really is!

Some of the amazing benefits of this miraculous material include:

Anti-microbial properties. Epoxy flooring is a monolithic flooring solution, which means that it hardens into one surface. There are no multiple layers to this, unlike tile and concrete. Epoxy flooring is naturally antimicrobial because it does not allow liquids or bacteria into its impenetrable surface. Epoxy can also be mixed with antimicrobial additives for added protection. It’s great for places like commercial kitchens, garages, hospitals, and now… garages. You could eat off of your floor.

It looks much more appealing than regular, boring concrete. You can customize your epoxy flooring with hundreds of different color, design, and flake options (more on all those in a second.

It is non-porous. What exactly does that mean? Porous means that something contains pores. Think about regular concrete. The miniature pores of the surface allow a certain amount of liquid and microbes to penetrate through the surface, so the surface of the concrete is literally drenched-through.

Epoxy can be high-gloss, which will brighten up the room (estimates range from 30-80% increase in brightness!).
It is a seamless surface, so it’s great for machine shops and places where you want no sharp edges or divots.

Epoxy floor coatings for garages offer a number of advantages and a resistance to many things. Resistances include abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, oil spill resistance, microbe resistance, chip/scratch/blunt force resistance, and heat resistance.

Epoxy flooring for garages is surprisingly easy to maintain. A thorough mop and a nice vacuum will be more than enough to maintain this floor for a number of years. If you treat your epoxy floor well, it will treat you right for decades!

Epoxy flooring can be combined with anti-slip additives. With the addition of epoxy floor flakes, you’ll never have to worry about a slip-and-fall again!

And most importantly, it’s strong. Very strong.

Epoxy was originally used in places that require a hard-wearing floor. So, epoxy was used in places like warehouses, basements, commercial kitchens, showrooms, retail areas with high foot traffic, industrial areas, factories, and geo-industrial sites. It’s used in these locations because it is very resistant to moisture, chemicals, water, and damage. It’s non-flammable and easy to maintain… even in the toughest of conditions.

The best epoxy garage floor coating is widely based on preference, with the exception of one rule: always choose a 100% solids based epoxy.

100% solids epoxy, otherwise known as a ‘true’ epoxy, is composed of 100% solids content. This means that it is very strong, incredibly durable, and very hard to apply. This is why we recommend that only professionals apply this type of mixture, because it is easy to botch the process. Known for its resistance to hot tire pickup, chemical mixtures, and abrasions, true epoxy is the way to go for a high performance garage floor solution.

Since 100% solids-based epoxy is so difficult to apply, the market generated a demand for an easier-to-apply epoxy. The result was the two-part epoxy floor coating. The issue we see with two-part mixtures is that the epoxy solids are diluted by water or solvent. The problem arises when you compare the technical specs of a two part mixture to a 100% solids mixture.

You can measure epoxy based on the coverage per gallon and the DFT (dry film thickness). True solid epoxy will have a DFT of 10+ mils, making it a force to be reckoned with. A two-part mixture generally has an average of 3 mils. This means that the 100% solids epoxy mixtures is over 3x as strong as the two-part mixture! We recommend spending a little more money up front for the stronger solution. It’ll pay off in the long run, as you won’t have to pay for expensive repair or maintenance costs that come with a two-part system. A two-part system is popular among DIY enthusiasts; but don’t expect the results that a 100% professionally-installed solids mixture will provide.

As a side note, don’t waste your time on the epoxy floor paint mixtures that you can find at home improvement stores. These are not epoxy mixture products, they are epoxy paint products. This is essentially an epoxy roll-on paint that is not very durable at all. They typically will last one year before they begin to wear off due to hot tires, chipping, or abrasions. A true epoxy floor, on the other hand, will last you decades if it is properly taken care of.

Metallic epoxy is just like regular epoxy, with one exception: right before the curing process starts to happen, a professional garage floor epoxy contractor will mix in a metallic pigment into the mixture, and begin to swirl the pigment into the mixture. The result? You can recreate the beautiful marbled look of real stone or marble flooring. It is often described as looking akin to a lava flow. A beautiful pearlescent design can provide a durable, high-gloss, ultra-colorful, and high-performance garage flooring solution.

You can choose from a number of design and color options. Want a red, blue, gray, yellow, or white floor? Not a problem. There are an infinite number of color combinations possible. The multi-colored swirls will open up a universe of color options. Your imagination is the only limit.

If you are looking for the latest and greatest in epoxy flooring, epoxy flake flooring is the way to go. During the installation process, a contractor will add a number of dried epoxy flakes. This will create a surface that is un-uniform, which will avoid the boring continuous pattern of flooring solutions such as vinyl and tile. The flakes can be customized in color and coarseness, meaning that no two epoxy floors are the same.

Epoxy flakes are not just decorative either! They also add a whole new level of slip-resistance. This is why epoxy flake floors have gained such a huge popularity in commercial kitchens and restaurants: there is a significant decrease in the number of slip-and-falls, and the kitchen staff and patrons are protected as a result.

If you are looking for the best installation team this side of the capital, the professionals at Epoxy Floor Nashville know exactly what you need. It is the go-to solution for commercial garages, kitchen, and industrial plants, and now this technology is available for residential use!

Let your floor work for you and never experience an issue with your garage floor again. This is the hardest-wearing of materials that won’t crack under pressure, weight, heat, rain, or force. With a number of years in both the commercial and residential sectors, our professional contractors know what it takes to make a floor last for a lifetime.

Ready to change the way you see your garage forever? Give us a call or visit our contact page today. We’ll be here for you every step of the way.