The Importance of Professionally Installed Garage Floor Coatings

What do your garage floors look like? If they’re lacking floor coatings, then they likely leave a lot of room for improvement. After all, floor coatings elevate a garage’s aesthetic appeal and durability. You have so many options, from polyurethane to polyurea and epoxy. However, no matter which you like most, professional installation is key to maximizing the benefits of your garage floor coatings.

Why else should you consider reaching out to a professional? Here are some more information on professionally installed garage floor coatings you shouldn’t miss: 

• Why professional installation matters
• Proper surface preparation
• The science behind garage floor coatings
• Improved aesthetics and safety
• Cost-effectiveness and professional garage floor coatings
• Common mistakes in DIY garage floor coating applications

With all this helpful, handy information at your fingertips, you can prioritize your floor coatings the way they’re supposed to be done: by talented, trained experts.

Why Professional Installation Matters

Sure, anyone can pick up an epoxy resin kit at their local home improvement store or even online from big-box retailers, but that doesn’t guarantee a job well done. Having your floor coatings professionally installed has unique advantages.

After all, installing a floor coating in the garage or elsewhere is a complex job. This task requires preparation, equipment, and expertise to do correctly, all of which professionals have in spades. Foregoing their valuable inputs means your flooring might not last as long or look as high-quality.

The pros know everything that has to go into the process when upgrading garage floors, including cleaning, etching, and repairing cracks before pouring. They also have access to specialized equipment and tools that the average consumer cannot find, even online.

These factors converge to provide longer-lasting performance and better results that you can adore for a long time to come.

Proper Surface Preparation

So, let’s chat more about the preparation that goes into professionally installed garage floor coatings. First, the experts will clean the concrete, which likely includes a degreasing process to remove floor grime like oils and vehicular grease.

Following that, they will sand and/or etch the surface of the floors, generating a rough texture. Brew Floors states that techniques like shot blasting and diamond grinding may also be required, especially before pouring epoxy. 

Next, the installers will address any imperfections or cracks on the garage floors, as these will affect how well the floor coating will adhere and what it will look like. Then, finally, they apply the coating.

Although it sounds like a lot of time and effort, preparing ahead of time prevents bubbling, chipping, and peeling, keeping your floors in optimal shape for longer.

The Science Behind Garage Floor Coatings

So what exactly is it that makes garage floor coatings such optimal choices for your space? Well, each option has its own unique properties. For example, epoxy adheres easily and offers high strength, especially impact and compressive strength. Further, it doesn’t shrink much when curing and boasts moderate thermal resistance. Epoxy also resists chemical damage.

If you’re considering polyurea flooring, this material adheres very well, and it has awesome temperature resistance. Further, polyurea is abrasion-resistant, long-lasting, and chemical-resistant. It also doesn’t produce volatile organic compounds (VOC) during pouring.

Lastly, polyurethane flooring can handle low temperatures and other harsh environments with aplomb. It’s very hard and thus resilient, offering resistance to tears, UV rays, and chemicals. Quite importantly, polyurethane is flame-retardant with modifications.

The key to maximizing these properties is by relying on professionals to install your floor coatings. If you apply them yourself, DIY style, you might not get the intended performance from your flooring, leading to premature damage.

Improved Aesthetics and Safety

Here’s another perk about professionally installed garage floor coatings. Not only do they enhance the functionality of your space, but they also elevate its safety and aesthetics. 

Professionally applied coatings enhance the visual appeal of your garage. Plus, working with the experts means having more finishes, textures, and color options to suit your tastes and budget.

For example, you could prioritize a safer garage with slip-resistant coatings, or perhaps you look further into the aforementioned flame-retardant coatings. Either way, your garage can become an extension of your home rather than just a utility space.

Cost-Effectiveness and Professional Garage Floor Coatings

If you’re still not totally sold on the value of professional installation for floor coatings, let’s talk about cost. Working with the pros for your garage is a cost-efficient decision long-term. You won’t have to spend as much money (or time) on maintenance, as your floors will be easier to care for. You also won’t have to shell out as frequently for flooring repairs.

Additionally, upgrading to high-quality service means your garage floor coatings can drive up your home’s curb appeal. Oppositely, if you do the job yourself, and especially if you do it poorly, you’ll reduce your property value.

Plus, there are many more hidden costs you can end up incurring if you go the DIY route. All the expenses of redoing the floors or treating failed flooring chews up the financial benefits you thought you’d reap.

Common Mistakes in DIY Garage Floor Coating Applications

Not only that, but adequately pouring epoxy or polyurethane floor coatings isn’t easy. There are plenty of mistakes you could find yourself making that many homeowners before you have also done.

Here’s a list:

• Uneven Application: If you apply the floor coating more consistently in some corners than others, you’ll end up with an uneven, lopsided floor that feels weird to walk on. Also, the thinner areas won’t be as well protected, leading to faster failure.
• Inadequate Surface Preparation: We’ve already discussed the value of surface prep in setting up the garage flooring for success. Skipping this or not doing it adequately will diminish the quality of the final result.
• Wrong Coating Choice: Not all garage floor coatings are created equally. Some are more durable, while others offer a greater degree of impact resistance or anti-slip properties. The pros know which formula to choose according to your garage floor.
• Improper Curing Time: If you don’t let your flooring cure long enough, that will impede the quality of the finished result. Fortunately, the experts know just how long before foot and vehicular traffic is allowed on newly poured floors.

Conclusion

The best way to avoid garage floor coating peeling, discoloration, and coating failure is to enlist the services of professionals. They will thoroughly prep the flooring surface, ensuring high aesthetics and long-term value. Consider the investment in professional installation as a way to guarantee long-lasting results and optimal performance.

Source

• https://brewfloors.com/prep-epoxy-coating/