Epoxy coatings have been the go-to option for coating concrete floors for a long time. In some situations, they’re a good solution and can offer benefits that shouldn’t be diminished.
It’s easy to assume that they will be the best choice for your garage, but is this really the case? We would have to say that epoxy is not the best option for your garage. Read on to learn why!
#1: Epoxy does not adhere well
Epoxy has a significantly stronger adhesion than paint. But, as the floors swell and retract, the epoxy begins to break down. Chipping and peeling is a common occurrence with epoxy floor coatings.
However, when you compare epoxy with polyurea, there is no comparison. Our polyurea 1-Day floor coating comes with a 15-year warranty that covers chipping, peeling, and delamination. Epoxy does not offer this.
#2: Epoxy takes days to cure
Epoxy floor coatings take a minimum of 5 days to become drivable. One of the best things about our 1-Day floor coating, is that it is drivable in just 24 hours. This is ideal for both homeowners and business owners.
Five days is a long time to keep the kids and dogs off the driveway and finding street parking after a long day at the office! Not to mention five days is a long time to be shut down for business while the floors dry. Plus, the long cure time invites bugs, dust and other contaminants to get caught in your beautiful floors. Our 1-Day installation eliminates all of these issues.
#3: Epoxy will fade
Epoxy is tough, but unfortunately it doesn’t stand up to UV exposure. That super cool floor color will not hold up under the sun and that’s disappointing!
That means that patios, walkways and pools are off limits for epoxy, and you should even limit how long your garage door stays open. Protecting your floor coating from UV exposure is the only way to keep epoxy from fading and this is impractical.
On the other hand, polyurea is 100% UV stable - with a lifetime warranty!
#4: Epoxy doesn’t stay in place!
Unfortunately, epoxy doesn’t stay where you put it. On hot days, you run the risk of peeling up the flooring as your tires drive over the surface. Hot-tire pickup is a massive problem with epoxy.
Many people choose to protect their floors with rubber mats to combat this lift, but then you’ve masked your beautiful floors! Our 1-Day floor coating chemically bonds with cement. This makes it virtually impossible to peel!
#5: Epoxy is inflexible
Epoxy never fully cures. After 5+ days, it becomes drivable and it will continue to harden indefinitely. This means that over time the floor turns brittle. The more brittle it becomes, the more it becomes compromised during temperature fluctuations. As the cement expands and contracts, the brittle epoxy will begin to crack.
Polyurea is 10x more flexible than epoxy.
#6: Cool temperature applications are tricky
Epoxy is finicky and the temperature needs to be just right in order for it to cure well. This means that epoxy can only be applied when the temperature is ideal, and that’s not always practical.
Our 1-Day floor coatings can be applied in all seasons. We can install these coatings any time of the year. If winter is your slow season and the best time to recoat your floors, our 1-Day floor coatings are up to the task. Epoxy is not.
Lancaster Painting specializes in 1-Day floor coatings
Our 1-day floor coatings:
- 4x Stronger Than Epoxy
- Will Not Crack or Chip
- 1-Day Installation
- 15-Year Warranty
- Slip-resistant
We spent a long time researching the best floor coatings and chose polyurea floor coatings for a specific reason. We stand behind our products and offer a 15-year warranty. Head over to our Facebook page to see some of our recent floor coating projects. If you have any questions, or want a free estimate , reach out to our team!
