Can I Epoxy My own Garage floor?

So you are tired of the stained or boring concrete slab in your garage or basement.  You wonder to yourself can I Epoxy my own floor?

The answer is yes but let me give you some reasons why you should consider having it installed professionally instead.

Surface preparation (HOMEOWNER): This is the majority of the really hard work when it comes to epoxy floors.  Getting your concrete ready for a coating can be a real task.  Generally speaking homeowner grade epoxy kits are going to have you utilize an acid etch as your means of getting a profile.  This can lead to problems that they don't tell you about on your kit.  If your slab has a cure and seal (many do) the acid will not work or barely work.  It also will not remedy any oil or chemicals that have leached into the concrete surface.  Lastly if not properly neutralized it will continue to soften the concrete under your new floor.

Diamond Grinding concrete

Surface prep (PROFESSIONAL): A professional epoxy installer is going to use some form of diamond grinder with dust collection to remove surface imperfections and create a profile.  This avoids chemicals and will remove many contaminants.  This equipment is very expensive and requires typically a large machine for the main floor and an edger or hand grinder for the edges and corners. 

So you are probably thinking I can rent that right?  The answer is yes but the cost could surprise you.  A typical grinder is going to cost $150 a day, diamonds you either buy outright or pay a fee and are on average $200+, a vacuum is $65 a day and a hand grinder and a diamond for that another $100+ so that is gonna set you back at least $500.00 and you can still make mistakes!

The products (homeowner):  Most quality epoxy products require training to purchase so the products that a homeowner can buy are must less difficult to work with.  The pot life of epoxy is how quickly it turns over in a mass.  Most of the homeowner grade epoxy is able to sit for 4-6 hours without turning and may never get fully hard if left in a bucket.  This will affect how hard the surface is in a big way.  They are also quite thin most kits only include a few gallons of epoxy.

Homeowner grade epoxy kits

The products (professional):  Professional grade epoxies get hard fast.  Typical pot life is around 15-20 minutes.  If left in a bucket they will heat to the point of creating smoke and will be completely hard in a short period of time.  This means the products will harden quicker and be more durable overall.   The professional products are much thicker a typical 500 sq foot floor will use about 9 gallons of epoxy total vs. about 2 with the kits from big box stores.

The last and most important issue:  It's never as easy as it looks and it takes years of training to know how to read the concrete, repair the holes and cracks and make things look good.  If you have moisture or high humidity you need to know how to handle it.  

A homeowner floor can look pretty good and they will last a while but a professional floor will last much longer and look amazing.  They also are typically guaranteed for a period of time so you can rest easy knowing that you won't have any issues with your new floor. 

To get a free quote and design consultation on your new epoxy floor call Superior Epoxy Flooring today at 231.878.6840

Superior Epoxy Flooring serves all of Northern Michigan including:  Cadillac, Big rapids, Traverse City, Kalkaska, Kingsley, Buckley, Mancelona, Gaylord, Alpena, Kewadin, Elk Rapids, Petoskey, Charlevoix, Lake City and more.  If you have epoxy flooring, concrete repair, basement flooring, trailer flooring or any epoxy or concrete flooring needs please call 231.878.6840 and we will get you a Superior Epoxy Floor!