Frequently Asked Questions

HomeGuide's national figures put installed epoxy at $4 to $10 per square foot, or about $1,600 to $5,800 for a two-car garage, and polyaspartic at $5 to $12 per square foot. HomeAdvisor lists the average epoxy floor at $2,526. Grinding off an old coating, repairing salt-scaled concrete or adding a moisture primer raises the total. We price your floor in writing after we see it.

Large home centers mainly sell DIY kits, which HomeGuide prices at $200 to $700. Whoever applies the coating, ask how the floor will be prepared. A thin kit over an acid-etched slab often lifts at the tire paths in a salted Michigan garage, and a diamond-ground floor gives the coating far more to grip.

It is done in some craft and commercial settings, but wood swells and shrinks with the seasons and a rigid coating over it tends to crack. We coat concrete only. For a wood subfloor, another flooring material is usually the better fit.

The system and the prep matter more than the label. Look for a 100% solids epoxy or a polyaspartic base, a UV-stable topcoat if sunlight reaches the floor, and a moisture-tolerant primer on a damp slab. We name the exact products for your floor in the written quote.

Often, yes. Resin coatings need a slab and air temperature the product can cure at. HomeGuide lists polyaspartic with an application range of -30°F to 140°F, far wider than standard epoxy, so it is a common choice in cold months. We check the slab temperature, heat the space when needed and reschedule if conditions are wrong.

No. A coating seals the slab surface, but radon and water can still come in through cracks, wall joints and the sump. The Washtenaw County Health Department estimates more than 40% of county homes are above the EPA's 4.0 pCi/L action level, so test before finishing a basement, and fix water problems before any coating.

HomeGuide's national range for a two-car garage is about $1,600 to $5,800 for epoxy. Heavy salt scaling, an old coating that has to be removed and a full flake finish all push toward the top of that range. We give you a written number after we see the floor.

HomeGuide says solid epoxy can last 10 to 20 years, while water-based coatings may need redoing every 3 to 5 years. Prep, the topcoat and how you treat the floor in salt season make the biggest difference.

HomeGuide advises waiting 2 to 7 days before driving on epoxy, depending on the product. A polyaspartic topcoat shortens that to about 24 to 48 hours. We tell you the exact wait for your floor and the temperature on install day.

Usually the floor was etched but never ground, so the coating bonded to weak or salt-contaminated concrete. Hot tires then pull a thin film up in the tire paths. Grinding to sound concrete and using a thicker system fixes most of these failures.

Less than smooth coatings, because the chips give the surface texture. The thickness of the topcoat sets how much texture is left, and we can add an anti-slip aggregate for wet entry areas.

HomeGuide lists flakes and custom colors at about $0.50 to $2.00 per square foot on top of the base system. A full broadcast uses more flake and labor than a partial one.

A flake floor is an epoxy or polyaspartic system with vinyl chips broadcast into it. The resin does the bonding and sealing. The flakes add color, texture and help hide dirt.

Better than solid colors. A multi-tone blend makes dried salt residue and dust far less visible between rinses. The floor still needs a rinse now and then during salt season so brine does not dull the topcoat.

It cures faster, handles cold weather better and resists yellowing, which helps here. Epoxy builds thicker per coat and costs less. A hybrid with an epoxy base and polyaspartic topcoat gives you some of both.

HomeGuide says full cure for vehicles takes about 24 to 48 hours. Cooler slabs sit at the longer end. We give you a specific time on install day.

HomeGuide puts residential polyaspartic floors at 10 to 20 years or more. Prep, coating thickness and how the floor is cleaned in salt season decide where yours lands.

Often, yes. It has a much wider application temperature range than standard epoxy. We still check slab temperature and the specific product's limits, and heat the space or reschedule when needed.

If the dampness is vapor and the readings are moderate, a moisture-tolerant primer under the coating usually handles it. If water is actively seeping in through cracks or the walls, that has to be fixed first. We test before recommending anything.

Not in any reliable way. It seals the slab surface, but radon also enters through cracks, joints and sumps. The Washtenaw County Health Department recommends testing every home, and a mitigation system is the fix if levels are high.

Almost always. Paint is weaker than the coating and bonds poorly to concrete, so a new floor on top of it can fail when the paint lets go. We grind it off to bare concrete.

The coating does not change the temperature of the slab much. It does seal out concrete dust and is easy to put rugs on. Many people add area rugs in seating areas and leave the coated floor bare in laundry and storage spaces.

Metallic epoxy is a decorative epoxy with metallic pigments mixed in. It is poured and worked to create movement and depth. Standard epoxy is a solid color or a base for flakes and has a uniform look.

Bob Vila lists metallic epoxy at about $5 to $12 per square foot, compared with about $4 to $10 for standard epoxy in HomeGuide's guide. Design complexity and moisture work move the price.

They are glossy and can be slick when wet. We add an anti-slip additive to the topcoat in bars, kitchenettes and near walkout doors.

We bring samples and photos of patterns, and we talk through colors before the pour. Because the pattern forms as the resin moves, every floor is a little different from any sample.

It depends on the system and the size. Fast-cure topcoats can have foot traffic back within hours and vehicles in a day or two. Larger floors can be done in sections so part of the space stays open.

Only after the oil is out. We degrease and grind until the concrete is clean. Very deep contamination can take extra grinding, and we note that in the quote.

HomeAdvisor lists commercial 100% solids coatings at $12 or more per square foot, with high-traffic upgrades adding 20% to 30%. Slab condition and scheduling affect the price, so we quote after a site visit.

Yes, as long as the floor is concrete. Detached shops often have older or thinner slabs, so we check for cracks, moisture and settling first.