If you’re getting into the world of garage flooring for an upcoming revamp to your garage, you’ve probably come across the epoxy option quite often. Epoxy is a popular garage flooring choice for a number of reasons. Should you be wondering why epoxy comes up so much in your research, here’s why this type of flooring is so popular and why it could be a great choice for your garage space (of course, depending on your specific needs.) But first things first, let’s discuss what epoxy flooring is. 

What is Epoxy Flooring? 

Epoxy is a super durable and tough organic compound that is resin part polyamine hardener. Think of it as part glue, part sealer. It acts as a protective barrier for your garage flooring. There are different options when it comes to epoxy – there are premium 100% solids epoxy which is the heaviest duty choice, great for commercial and industrial flooring – but it does require an intensive and meticulous installation process to get it right. It works for flooring with more damage than the average floor. Then there is high solids epoxy, which started out as 100% solids, but then had some solvent added to make the option easier to install. 

Why Epoxy is an Excellent Choice for Garage Flooring

When you compare epoxy to other types of floors aesthetically, epoxy wins hands down. It’s bright and professional-looking and you can get creative with the color and textures you want for the flooring. The even and smooth surface is easy to maintain and to sweep as well. Here are some other reasons why epoxy is a great choice: 

It’s Affordable

The square foot cost of epoxy flooring is hard to beat. It can be installed directly over concrete and other types of flooring so the installation can cost less than other types of flooring. 

It’s Durable, Resistant and Protective

These types of floors are very tough and resilient. They protect the floor and can go up against pretty much anything. Gasoline, bleach, transmission fluids, oil, and other types of chemicals. This reason right here is why many garages in the automotive industry choose it. Epoxy coating is also very resistant to heat and water and even bacteria. This makes it easy to keep sanitized and is also used in hospitals and healthcare settings. Epoxy also protects the concrete underneath from grease, cracks, moisture, and stains. 

It’s Long Lasting

Epoxy coatings last longer than many other types of flooring and when properly installed, can last for decades without peeling or cracking. This is another reason why it’s used commercially and industrially. 

It offers a Selection of Looks: You can make epoxy look like almost anything. It can be made to be any color and you can even get creative and add textures, patterns, and unique designs. 

Things to Consider with Epoxy Flooring 

With all these advantages mentioned, it is important to note that epoxy flooring needs to make sense to your specific flooring needs. If you don’t want a complicated installation and happen to have a very damp garage environment that is nearly impossible to fully dry, you may want to choose something else other than epoxy as your garage flooring option. 

Complicated Installation:  If you need a quick and easy install, epoxy might not be the solution since it requires sanding or etching the floor first, then applying it in stages so it can cure before being sealed. You must also know what you’re doing and install meticulously or else you could end up ruining the process and wasting your money. It is not a straightforward, one-step process like some other garage flooring options. 

Lack of Flexibility:  Also, if you plan on changing the look of your garage frequently, changing the colors or designs can end up being labor-intensive and expensive. With epoxy, you’re committing too many years of the same look, so you have to be sure to get it right. 

Potential for Mistakes: You also can’t make the mistake of trapping any moisture underneath the flooring when you install or else it can become a problem when it evaporates, leading to eventually needing to repair or refinish the bubbling and buckling in the flooring that happened as a result of the moisture. The floor must be completely dry, etched or sanded and must be completely clean for the bonding to occur the way it needs to. If you don’t get this right, you could forfeit all the money and time you invested. 

Strong Odor: Lastly, epoxy flooring is made up of strong chemicals. There will be a strong odor reminiscent of ammonia after its installation.