Frequently Asked Questions

HomeGuide's published figures put garage floor epoxy at about $4 to $10 per square foot installed and polyaspartic at about $5 to $12. A two-car garage commonly lands somewhere between $1,600 and $5,800 for epoxy, depending on size, prep and repairs. We give you a written price after measuring and inspecting the floor.

It is a two-part resin that is mixed on site and applied to prepared concrete, where it hardens into a thick, bonded layer. In a garage it seals the slab against oil and stains, stops concrete dust, and is easy to clean. Most residential systems add colored flakes and a clear topcoat for texture and wear resistance.

Epoxy can yellow in direct sunlight, it can be slippery when wet without flakes or an anti-slip additive, and it fails if the concrete is not properly prepared. It also takes longer to cure than polyaspartic. Cracks in the slab can eventually telegraph through if the slab keeps moving. We use flakes, UV-stable topcoats and diamond-ground prep to deal with most of these.

It depends on the product and the thickness. HomeGuide notes coverage of roughly 80 to 200 square feet per gallon, so 1,000 square feet can take anywhere from about 5 to more than 12 gallons per coat, and most systems have two or three coats. For a professional install, we figure material for each coat from your exact measurements.

A properly installed system should not. Hot tire pickup usually traces back to concrete that was not ground, moisture coming through the slab, or a thin, low-solids coating. We diamond grind, check for moisture, and use a thick base with a wear-resistant topcoat to avoid it.

It depends on the system and the temperature. Polyaspartic topcoats cure much faster than epoxy, so a polyaspartic system usually returns the garage to use sooner, while an all-epoxy system needs more days before cars. The manufacturer's cure times for your system, adjusted for the weather, are written into your quote.

Yes, in most cases. We clean out and fill cracks, pits and spalls and grind the repairs flush before coating. On North Texas clay soil, slabs that are still moving can show a hairline through the coating later, and we point those out at the estimate.

HomeGuide lists a typical two-car garage at $1,600 to $5,800 for epoxy, and puts installed epoxy at about $4 to $10 per square foot. Crack repair, oil stains and the topcoat choice move the price. We measure and give you a written number.

Usually because the concrete was not ground, there was moisture or oil in the slab, or the coating was too thin. Heat and tire chemicals then lift the weak spots. Proper grinding, a moisture check and a thicker system prevent most of it.

Not safely as a rule. A new coating is only as strong as the old one under it, so we grind off loose or failing paint and coatings down to sound concrete before recoating.

Most two-car garages take one to three days of work, depending on prep, repairs and the system. Then the floor needs time to cure before you park on it; we write those times into your quote.

A smooth, glossy epoxy can be. A flake broadcast or an anti-slip additive in the topcoat adds texture, which helps when you track in rain or a car drips water.

Epoxy is the resin. A flake floor is a system that uses an epoxy or polyaspartic base, a broadcast of colored vinyl flakes, and a clear topcoat. The flakes add texture, hide dust and add thickness.

Less than a smooth solid-color floor. A full broadcast with one topcoat leaves a light texture. More topcoat makes it smoother and glossier, so we set the texture to how you use the space.

Mid-tone gray and tan blends hide the most dust, tire marks and red clay. Very dark or very light blends show more. We bring samples to the estimate.

HomeGuide lists decorative flakes or custom colors at about $0.50 to $2.00 per square foot on top of the base system. A full broadcast uses more flakes than a partial one.

For sun and speed, yes: it is UV-stable and cures much faster. Epoxy is cheaper and builds thickness well as a base coat. Many floors use an epoxy base with a polyaspartic topcoat to get both.

HomeGuide lists polyaspartic at about $5 to $12 per square foot installed, and its national guide puts a two-car garage at $2,000 to $6,900. We give you a written price after measuring.

It is hard to DIY well. It sets quickly, especially in Texas heat, so it has to be mixed in small batches and spread fast and evenly. Mistakes show as lap marks and are hard to fix.

Aliphatic polyaspartics resist yellowing in sunlight, which is their main advantage over epoxy topcoats. That is why we use them on garages and slabs that get direct sun.

This Old House lists metallic epoxy at about $5 to $12 per square foot; ArmorGarage, which sells coatings, puts professional metallic installs higher, at $9 to $15. It costs more than flake or solid-color systems. We price your room after seeing the slab.

It can be for a showpiece garage, but for daily parking a flake floor hides dirt and wear better and has more grip. Metallic shows scratches and is slick when wet without an additive.

Only after the cracks are repaired, and even then a slab that keeps moving can show a line through the design later. We assess the cracks before recommending metallic.

It will follow the colors and style you choose, but every metallic floor is unique because the pigment moves by hand. We agree on colors and technique in writing before the pour.

Standard epoxy is a poor choice in direct sun because it can yellow and chalk. For uncovered patios we use UV-stable polyaspartic systems or sealers instead; epoxy can work under a fully covered patio.

HomeGuide lists epoxy patio coatings at about $4 to $10 per square foot and polyaspartic at $4 to $9, or roughly $750 to $2,250 for a 250-square-foot patio. Sealers cost less. We give a written price after measuring.

It can cover stable, repaired cracks. It will not fix a slab that has heaved or sunk on the clay soil, and active cracks can come back through. We tell you which you have at the estimate.

Not when it is built for outdoor use. We add texture with flakes or an anti-slip aggregate so the surface grips when wet.

Published figures vary: HomeGuide's general installed epoxy range is $4 to $10 per square foot, and ArmorGarage, which sells coatings, lists $7 to $15 for professional commercial installs. Large, sound slabs cost less per foot; repairs, thick or chemical-resistant systems and after-hours work cost more.

Often, yes. We phase the work in sections, work nights or weekends, and use faster-curing materials where needed. The phasing plan is written into the quote.

Polished concrete suits large, dry floors and needs no coating to wear through. Epoxy adds chemical resistance, color, easier cleaning and coated safety lines. We can talk through both for your use.

A properly specified high-build system on a well-prepared slab is made for forklift and pallet jack traffic. Thin coatings are not, so system thickness is part of every commercial quote.