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A QUICK GUIDE ON GARAGE FLOOR COATING COST AND OTHER

CONSIDERATIONS

How Much Does It Cost To Do A Garage Floor Coating

Like any other part of the

house or building,

garages have to have that

look that matches the

place’s overall aesthetic

appeal. The cost of a

garage floor coating

could be determined by

some of these factors. Usually, the walls and furnishings are what would

immediately catch the eye in other parts of the house. In a garage,

however, the most important thing to consider is the flooring. This is

what absorbs most of the busy work in a garage and is thus more prone

to wear and tear.

Garage floors must be tough enough to endure the traffic and activity

that happens in a garage. That doesn’t mean that it can’t look attractive

though. There are numerous flooring options that can be considered if

you want to have a good and strong garage floor that is st il l being

visually appealing. You do not have to settle for dusty and dirty concrete.

Consider floor coating.

Doing the Math

The number of floor coating options is quite a lot. You simply have to

know exactly what you need and what your budget is so that you can

narrow down your choices. Budget, of course, is one of your most

important considerations. You want to choose a product that is

affordable yet would give you the best value for your money.

Garage floor coating cost varies depending on the type of coating, the

size of the garage to be painted, the number of coatings needed to be

applied and whether you’ll employ professionals to do the work or rely

on a DIY kit . These kits can easily be found in your local paint and

hardware stores. It comes with instructions on how to set up and work on

your garage flooring and costs less than having professional help.

DIY epoxy kits, for example, are around $50 – $600, with 100% epoxy

coating kits enough to cover the flooring of a one-car garage costing

around $250. Even with its advantages, however, DIY kits have their own

share of cons. These kits usually come in monotone colors only, leaving

the buyer with no option for more expansive colors that may better suit

his/her style or the style of his/her house or building.

The preparation product provided in the kit may also not be sufficient

enough to fully get rid of the sealers, grease, oil , paint or stains of any

other coating material st il l visible on the garage floor. DIY kits also won’t

provide the user with the necessary tools needed to repair small cracks

and rough spots on the garage floor in the case where the floor is in such

poor condition. DIY kits are more budget-friendly but they can be risky.

The difficult part with DIY kits is that it leaves you up to the challenging

task of preparing your garage floor for coating, a task that comes with

cautions which can be better confronted by professionals.

Prepping Affects Cost

Floor coating is essentially painting over a floor. It ’s not as easy as it

sounds though. Concrete is just not simply painted over in a couple of

hours. It has to be prepared and preparations don’t come easy. In fact, it

takes a long t ime before concrete can be fully prepared for painting.

Among the factors that must be taken into account in preparing the floor

are holes, cracks, previously applied coatings or sealants and overall

dirt iness. Floors must be even, free of moist and spotless clean before it

can be painted on.

The garage floor coating cost may vary depending on the extensiveness

of the preparation procedures. If the flooring is not well prepared, the

coating will not bond with the concrete as expected and the whole thing

will prove to be a waste. Although non-professionals who want to try out

the DIY approach can do this preparation by themselves, the lack of

materials and experience may hinder them from doing so as efficiently

and safely as professionals do.

Preparing and cleaning the garage floor requires the use of specific tools

such as grinders and chemical materials such as muriatic acid which, if

used without caution, may damage the skin. The floor must be prepared

tightly to close perfection before floor coating ever touches it .

The DIY approach will surely cut your cost but without knowing how to

properly prepare your floor, your garage floor coating will be doomed to

fail before the coating process even starts. DIY is thus only recommended

for people who have sufficient experience in floor preparation and have

fewer than usual issues with their garage floor that must be addressed

before coating.

Types of Coating

There are two common

types of coating that can be

used to paint on garage

floors: concrete paint and

epoxy. They are further

divided judging from what

materials they are based on

– concrete paint can be

made from oil or acrylic

latex, while epoxy comes in a wider variety of options such as pure epoxy

coatings and water or solvent-based coatings.

Concrete floor paint is the cheapest among these options. It is basically a

more durable version of the usual paint used on walls and ceilings. Its

appearance may differ depending on what the paint is based on; oil-

based paint has a more glossy appearance and is considered to be

stronger compared to latex-based paint, but it is also more challenging

to apply.

At around 15 cents per sq. ft . or less per coat, concrete paint is a sure

money saver. Generally speaking though, when it comes to garages,

concrete paint is not as durable as expected of garage flooring. It is

prone to being damaged by chemicals and hot car t ires. It also requires

retouching more often, unlike epoxy coating.

If you’re looking for the perfect combination of toughness and appeal,

epoxy coatings are definitely the way to go. Epoxy coatings are popular

and are considered to be the standard for garage floor coatings. This is

the favorite among professional garages, warehouses and car showrooms

and for good reason.

First, it is very strong, having the durability that can withstand usual

garage materials, chemicals, grease and oil stains, scratches and wear

and tear. Depending on the type of epoxy coating, they can be about 3 to

10 mils thick.

Secondly, it looks gorgeous, with a glossy finish that is sure to add more

flair and style to the overall look of your garage. It comes in a variety of

colors too which can make your garage floor stand out just the way you

want it too.

Epoxy as Garage Floor Coating

Epoxy coatings are a highly recommended suggestion that will surely

satisfy your need for a durable and beautiful-looking garage floor. As

such, however, those looking into epoxy coatings will have a considerably

higher garage floor coating cost.

There are three main types of epoxy coating: 100% pure epoxy, water-

based epoxy coating and solvent-based epoxy coating.

Water-based epoxy

coating has the lowest

price among the three

but it is also the weakest

and least durable, though

it can stil l sustain

scratches, blows and

chemicals to a certain

extent. Unlike two-part

100% solid epoxy

coatings, water-based epoxy coatings contain only about 40% – 60%

epoxy. They are thinner and are thus easier, quicker and more convenient

to apply. However, they also need constant re-application. Water-based

epoxy coatings can cost around $30 – $50 a gallon.

Solvent-based epoxy coatings are slightly stronger, thicker and more

durable than water-based paint. Their application can be done in lower

temperatures. However, this requires the use of respirators because of

their high VOC (volatile organic compounds) content. Aside from these

factors, l ike water-based epoxy, they are easier to apply and are more

favorable for those who prefer the DIY approach. A gallon of solvent-

based epoxy coatings costs around $45.

100% pure epoxy coating is the toughest and most durable of these

three. These are two-part coatings that result in very hard and thick

flooring. However, they are more suited to be worked on by professionals

because of the difficulty in their application and thus are not preferred

by those who want to go DIY.

100% pure epoxy coatings are commonly used in professional garages for

their ability to resist hot t ires, scratches, oil and chemical spillage. They

are also prized for their longevity and can last up to twenty years.

Because of these qualit ies, 100% pure epoxy coatings are the most

expensive. Prices for a gallon of 100% pure epoxy paint range from $45 –

$150.

Professional installation of these floor coatings are about $1.50 for a

single coat per sq. ft . Because multiple coatings are required for the best

and hardest flooring results, epoxy coating costs around $3 to $6 per sq.

ft . For a typical 2-car garage, the total cost for installing pure epoxy

coating ranges from $1,000 – $1,800. Despite the high price however,

those who use epoxy coatings for their garage floorings are sure to get

their money’s worth.

For a long t ime, epoxy coatings were the best option when it came to

garage floors. As popular and renowned as epoxy coatings are, however,

they also have their own share of weaknesses. For example, while epoxy

can absorb scratches, hot t ire marks and abrasions, they are not U.V.

resistant.

Eventual discoloration is common when epoxy coatings are exposed to

sunlight. And despite its long-standing reputation as the strongest and

most durable material when it comes to garage floor coating, recently a

new type of coating is challenging epoxy.

Another Floor Coating Option

Polyaspartic coatings are gaining recognition today as a floor coating

option that can stand toe to toe with epoxy coatings. Many are turning to

polyaspartic coatings for their flooring needs because of the advantages

of these coatings over epoxy.

Polyaspartic coatings can be applied under any common climate and

temperature. Unlike epoxy coatings, they are completely U.V. resistant

and will not discolor when exposed to sunlight. In terms of visual appeal,

they also appear in a smooth, clear glossy finish and can come in a variety

of colors.

Application is notably easier and takes less t ime than when you’re

applying epoxy coating – polyaspartic only needs two coats as opposed

to epoxy coating which may require multiple coats. Yet, similar to epoxy

coatings, they are also non recommendable for DIY practit ioners and

would be better applied by professionals, especially since its application

would require respirators to be worn by workers and special equipment.

Performance-wise, polyaspartic coatings are considered to be more

durable than epoxy coatings. Although they are thinner than epoxy

coatings, they are also more flexible and thus can better absorb impacts.

They have a higher tolerance for scratches, marks, chemicals, stains and

heat. They also have very litt le, if absolutely no VOC’s which reduces risks

during installation. In terms of longevity, polyaspartic coatings will last

as long as the garage lasts while requiring the very least of maintenance.

These qualit ies make polyaspartic coatings a new favorite among

professional outfits. It goes without saying, however, that by possessing

the all-around best that floor coating can offer, they are also the highest

when it comes to garage floor coating cost.

Polyaspartic coatings cost close to around $5 – $7 per sq. ft . With

Polyaspartic coatings, the estimated cost needed to cover the flooring of

a typical 2-car garage would range from $2,000 – $2,800 which is twice

that of epoxy coatings when used for the same purpose and with the

same size of flooring coverage.

The Final Equation

When you want to make sure that you are not spending unnecessarily for

your garage floor, you just have to keep two main factors in mind: the

type of coating needed and mode of work (DIY or Professional). DIY is

cheaper but won’t guarantee for everyone a properly prepared floor

required for applying the coating, unlike professional work.

As for the coatings themselves, concrete floor painting costs less but is

not as durable as the widely used epoxy coatings. Epoxy comes in water-

based, solvent-based and 100% pure epoxy variations, with 100% pure

epoxy being the toughest of these coatings and thus the priciest.

Polyaspartic coating is a new type of floor coating that is making the

rounds as the best type of coating available but it is also the most

expensive, with its price reaching twice that of epoxy coatings.

It is important to consider these options carefully when selecting a type

of coating for your garage floor. There are numerous options with how

garage floor coating can be done but ult imately, the goal is to search for

the perfect balance between appearance, durability and affordability.

How to Use Epoxy Garage Floor Coating For Your Floor

What You Need To Know About Rustoleum Garage Floor Coating

Remodeling with Epoxyshield Garage Floor Coating and OtherAlternatives

Epoxy Garage Floor Coating – A Review

What You Need to Know About Quikrete Epoxy Garage Floor Coating

DIY Garage Floor Coating: Understanding Epoxy Coatings

Behr Garage Floor Coating and Paint for Garage Repair

A Quick Guide on Garage Floor Coating Cost and Other Considerations

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