NAVIGATE
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
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
SEARCH WEBSITE
Search … Search
RECENT POSTS
MARCH 6, 2016
Reading Technical Data Sheets for Floor Epoxy – What You Need to Know
MARCH 1, 2016
How To Fill Expansion Joints In A Garage Floor
FEBRUARY 28, 2016
How To Clean Winter Salt Stains From Your Garage Floor
FEBRUARY 23, 2016
The Alternatives to Acid Etching Concrete Flooring
FEBRUARY 21, 2016
How To Install A Flooring For Your Garage
FEBRUARY 15, 2016
The Ultimate Guide in Choosing Garage Floor Tiles
FEBRUARY 14, 2016
Best Anti Fatigue Mats For Garage Floor
FEBRUARY 6, 2016
Jazzing up your Garage with Color Chips and Color Flakes
ABOUT US
Best Garage Floor Coating is the No1. resource for finding great information on any type of garage project
you have. We bring you the most updated information on new products, reviews and tutorials. Stop by and
leave your comments.
Copyright © 2015 Best Garage Floor Coating · All rights reserved | Terms & PrivacyPolicy.
0
0
JANUARY 31, 2016
Tips for Choosing the Best Floor Sealers for Your Large Shop or Garage
JANUARY 26, 2016
Water Based vs Solvent Based Epoxy What’s The Difference