Frequently Asked Questions

HomeGuide puts installed epoxy nationally at $4 to $10 per square foot; multiply your area by that rate for a first estimate. That guide lists polyaspartic at $5 to $12 per square foot. Crack repair, coating removal and moisture primers raise the figure, and we price your floor after measuring and testing it.

A 20x20 floor works out to 400 square feet, which is roughly a two-car garage. HomeGuide lists two-car garage epoxy at $1,600 to $5,800. Where yours lands depends on the slab condition and the finish you choose.

Start with HomeGuide's $4 to $10 per square foot and multiply by 1,500. Large commercial floors may need a thicker 100% solids system, which HomeAdvisor prices from $12 per square foot upward. We give a written figure after a site visit.

Plain epoxy can be slippery when wet, it yellows under sunlight, and it needs several days before you park on it. It also cannot hold back a slab with too much moisture. A textured or flake finish, a polyaspartic topcoat and a moisture test before work begins deal with each of these.

Yes, but not on every day. We check the dew point and slab temperature before each coat and keep the slab at least 5 F above the dew point. On muggy mornings that often means starting later or moving the date.

Usually. We look for cracks, salt residue and soft spots left behind, grind and repair them, and take moisture readings, which decide the primer. The quote tells you exactly what the slab needs.

Yes. Outdoor floors get a UV-stable polyaspartic system or a textured coating, not plain epoxy, because sun and standing rain are hard on standard epoxy. See our patio, porch and pool deck page for details.

HomeGuide lists water-based epoxy at about 3 to 5 years and solid epoxy systems at 10 to 20 years. How the slab is prepared, how damp it is and how the garage is used make the biggest difference.

Not as it is. Paint and failing coatings must come off under the grinder, because the new system needs bare concrete to hold onto, not a layer that is already letting go.

Tires lifting a coating is mainly a problem of thin coats over badly prepped concrete. A ground slab, a 100% solids base and a polyaspartic topcoat resist it far better.

HomeGuide advises keeping cars off fresh epoxy for 2 to 7 days. With a polyaspartic system the wait is shorter. We give you the exact wait for the products on your floor.

Glossy finishes get slippery once water hits them. Mixing anti-slip grit into the final coat, or choosing flake, gives wet shoes and paws something to grip.

Less than a smooth gloss floor. The chips give the surface texture, and grit mixed into the final coat adds even more traction on ramps and porches.

They are the same idea. The chips are usually vinyl, and they are broadcast into an epoxy or polyaspartic base. People use flake, chip and vinyl flake to mean the same finish.

Much less than a solid color. The speckled pattern hides dust, pollen and light tire marks between cleanings.

Only if the existing coating is sound and well bonded. Usually we grind the old layer away first, so the new system grips raw concrete.

It cures faster and holds up better in sunlight. Epoxy builds a thicker film per coat and is a bit cheaper. Plenty of garages combine the two, with epoxy as the base layer and polyaspartic as the finish.

Bob Vila lists about 24 hours for vehicles, and HomeGuide advises waiting 24 to 48 hours before heavy vehicles roll on. We confirm the time for the products on your floor.

Yes. It reacts with moisture, so the slab must be well above the dew point and the batch sizes must match the conditions. We check before every coat.

HomeGuide gives polyaspartic an excellent rating for UV resistance, so it holds its color where sunlight reaches the floor.

A glossy surface turns slippery with water on it. A fine grit in the topcoat adds grip, at the cost of a little depth in the look.

It can, provided the topcoat resists UV and you accept that scratches show more than on flake. It suits show garages and game rooms better than heavy-use bays.

It will be close in color and style, but no metallic pour can be copied exactly. The pigment settles differently each time, which is part of the appeal.

This Old House lists $5 to $12 per square foot. Prep, layers and room size decide where your floor lands, and we price it in writing after a visit.

It depends on size, prep and the system. Many jobs are phased so parts of the building stay open. We give a written schedule before work starts.

Often, yes. Oil-saturated areas are degreased, ground and sometimes treated with a primer made for contaminated concrete. The worst spots sometimes have to be sawn out and replaced with patch material.

Yes. Walkways, forklift lanes, storage zones and hazard areas can be marked as part of the coating.

For 100% solids commercial and industrial systems, HomeAdvisor's range begins at $12 per square foot. Prep, chemicals and phasing change the total, and we quote after a walk-through.

Plain epoxy is a poor choice in direct sun, since HomeGuide scores its UV resistance only poor to fair. We use UV-stable polyaspartic systems or textured pool deck finishes outside instead.

It depends on the deck. Textured finishes such as Kool Deck stay cooler and grip well when wet; overlays can renew a worn deck. We recommend after seeing it.

Per HomeGuide, Kool Deck runs $4 to $6 per square foot, decorative overlays $6 to $12 and stamped overlays $7 to $20. Repairs and deck size set the final price.

No. A coating protects the surface but does not change drainage. If water ponds on the slab after storms, we may suggest fixing slope or drainage first.