Frequently Asked Questions

HomeGuide puts professionally installed epoxy at about $4 to $10 per square foot nationally, or about $1,600 to $5,800 for a two-car garage. Polyaspartic and flake systems usually cost more, and heavy prep such as removing old coatings or repairing salt damage adds to the total. We give a written price after seeing the floor.

At HomeGuide's national range of $4 to $10 per square foot, a 1,200 square foot floor works out to about $4,800 to $12,000 for epoxy. At its $5 to $12 range for polyaspartic, it would be about $6,000 to $14,400. Basements and shop floors in that size range vary a lot with moisture and crack repair, so the on-site estimate sets the price.

Epoxy needs a dry, well-prepared slab, and it can peel if moisture or oil is trapped under it. Standard epoxy cures slowly (HomeGuide says up to a week for a full cure), can yellow in sunlight without a UV-stable topcoat, and can be slippery when wet unless texture is added. Each of those has a fix, but they have to be planned for at the start.

Store kits cost about $200 to $700 according to HomeGuide, and many are water-based, which HomeGuide says may need recoating every 3 to 5 years. The bigger difference is prep: most kits rely on acid etching, while a professional install starts with diamond grinding. On a Michigan garage that sees road salt every winter, prep is what decides whether the coating lasts.

Epoxy is sometimes poured over wood in craft and commercial settings, but wood expands and contracts with humidity, which can crack a rigid coating. We coat concrete only. If you have a wood subfloor, a different flooring material is usually the better choice.

A sound, fully cured coating resists salt far better than bare concrete, which is why many West Michigan homeowners coat their garages. Salt brine left sitting for weeks can still dull a topcoat and wear it faster, so we suggest squeegeeing meltwater out and rinsing the floor a few times over the winter.

Resin coatings need the slab and the air to be warm enough to cure, and each product lists its own minimums. In winter we check slab temperature, may heat the space, and often choose a polyaspartic topcoat, which HomeGuide describes as having a wider application temperature range than epoxy. If conditions are not right, we tell you and schedule for a better window.

HomeGuide's national range for a two-car garage is about $1,600 to $5,800 for epoxy and $2,000 to $6,900 for polyaspartic. Salt-damaged concrete, an old coating that has to come off, and the finish you choose move the price within or above that range. We give you a written number after seeing the floor.

For a garage that sees road salt every winter, a well-bonded coating keeps brine out of the concrete and makes the floor easy to clean. It is not worth doing over a slab with an active water problem or major heaving; we tell you if that is the case.

It depends on the system and the temperature. Bob Vila's polyaspartic guide says vehicles can usually go on after about 24 hours, while standard epoxy often needs around three days. We give you a specific time for your floor.

A smooth, glossy coating can be slick when wet, which matters in a Michigan winter. Flake broadcast floors have natural texture, and we can add an anti-slip aggregate to the topcoat on solid-color floors.

Usually it is prep. Kits typically rely on acid etching, which does not remove weak or salt-contaminated concrete or old sealers, and hot tires can then lift a thin coating. A ground surface and a thicker system bond much better.

Not stronger, but more forgiving. A flake floor hides dirt and salt film and adds texture. A solid color looks cleaner and more uniform but shows marks sooner. Both rely on the same prep.

Flake floors are less slick than smooth solid coatings because the chips leave texture under the topcoat. If the floor will often be wet, we can keep the topcoat thinner or add an anti-slip aggregate.

Many garage flake floors are done in one or two days, depending on prep, repairs and whether the topcoat is polyaspartic or epoxy. Cure time before parking depends on the product and temperature.

Only if the existing coating is well bonded. If it is peeling anywhere, it needs to come off. If it is sound, we grind it to give the new layers something to bond to.

It cures faster and holds its color in sunlight, which epoxy does not. Epoxy is usually cheaper and builds thickness well. Many garage systems use both: an epoxy base with a polyaspartic topcoat.

Bob Vila's guide says about 3 to 4 hours before foot traffic and about 24 hours before vehicles. HomeGuide lists a full cure at 24 to 48 hours. Cold slabs slow that down, so we give you times for your floor.

Many polyaspartic products are rated to cure at lower temperatures than standard epoxy, but each has a minimum. We measure slab temperature and may heat the space before installing in late fall or winter.

HomeGuide lists polyaspartic coatings at about 10 to 20 or more years. Prep, traffic and how much salt and grit the floor sees all affect that.

If the dampness is vapor coming through the slab, a moisture-tolerant primer can often handle it. If water is actually seeping in through cracks or the floor-wall joint, that has to be fixed first, or the coating will blister and peel.

HomeGuide lists installed epoxy at about $4 to $10 per square foot and basement floors from about $1,200 to $20,000 depending on size. Moisture work, removing old paint or tile adhesive and crack repair add to that. We quote after testing the slab.

No. Coating the floor and sealing cracks is not radon mitigation. The Kent County Health Department says county radon levels are typically moderate to high, so testing before finishing a basement is a good idea.

It works well for gyms, laundry, play areas and bars because it is seamless, cleanable and not harmed by small spills. Some people prefer carpet or vinyl plank for warmth underfoot in living areas; a coating can go under area rugs.

Bob Vila and This Old House both list metallic epoxy at about $5 to $12 per square foot installed. Basements that need moisture work or floors with multiple colors cost more. We quote after seeing the slab.

They are smooth and glossy, so they can be slick when wet. An anti-slip additive in the topcoat helps and slightly reduces the shine.

Yes, but a metallic floor shows salt film, dust and scratches more than a flake floor. It suits garages used for storing a car rather than daily winter parking.

Close in color, not identical in pattern. The swirls depend on how the material moves on your floor, so every floor is unique.

HomeAdvisor lists commercial-grade 100% solids coatings at $12 or more per square foot, with high-traffic coatings adding 20% to 30%. Size, slab condition and scheduling change the total, so we quote after walking the space.

Often, yes. We can phase the work by area, work after hours and use fast-curing topcoats. The quote spells out how long each area is out of service.

A properly prepared slab with a thick, high-solids system handles forklift and pallet jack traffic. Thin coatings and poor prep do not, which is why we spec the system to the load.

Yes, as long as the floor is concrete. Cold slabs and moisture in unheated buildings affect product choice and timing, so we check both.