Epoxy flooring is a great solution for areas of your home, such as your garage, that need a highly durable, resilient and easy to maintain floor finish. As a bonus, epoxy flooring also happens to look great, and is more economical than other garage floor paints or coatings in the long run. Whether you use your garage for parking, storage, a workshop or a gym, epoxy flooring is able to handle the hard wear while imparting a pristine and modern feel to the space. As proof of the practicality of epoxy flooring, consider that it often used in commercial or industrial settings that require a floor that can take a lot of abuse, yet must be easy to clean and not show wear and tear: places such as automobile showrooms, schools, aircraft hangers, manufacturing facilities or warehouses. A garage with an epoxy floor will last up to 20 years; compare that to a regular oil or water based garage paint, that will begin to flake in just a couple of years. In this article, we explain what a true epoxy floor is and why an epoxy floor is an ideal solution for your garage, supporting that claim with a recent example of an AZ Painting garage floor project.
True epoxy flooring is created when a floor’s surface – usually concrete – is coated with a two part application consisting of an epoxy resin and a polyamine hardener. When combined these two components form a chemical reaction, triggering a curing process that can take a few hours to a few days depending on the specific combination of components. The heat of the curing process hardens the mixture into an inert plastic that binds to the concrete creating a hard, seamless and watertight surface. Don’t confuse true epoxy flooring with epoxy paint: Epoxy floor paint is a water or solvent based paint that has some epoxy added to it.
While it is more durable and resilient than a simple paint, it will not deliver the long-lasting, durable results of a true epoxy flooring. For a garage, the best solution is a two part, 100% solids epoxy coating.
Epoxy flooring can contain a varying amount of epoxy solids. The higher the percentage of solids, the thicker and more protective the final coating. The minimum amount of epoxy for a durable garage floor is 85%. Epoxy is available in transparent or solid colours and offers a number of decorative finishes that also deliver practical benefits for a garage floor. At AZ Painting, we often use epoxy that contains flakes, quartz grains or metallic particles for a textured finish with anti-slip properties. To enhance the inherent properties of epoxy, while adding a few extra benefits such as UV protection, flexibility and the ability to apply it in cold weather, at AZ Painting we often apply a polyaspartic coating over the epoxy coating.
This garage was in bad shape: the walls and ceiling were damaged and the drywall had been cut to install a Tesla charger. The concrete floor was stained from oil and had cracks that ran the length and width of the garage. The surface had been painted in the past.
Drywall repair and painting We repaired the damaged drywall and gave the walls and ceiling a coat of paint to freshen it up. Garage Floor coating
1. We first prepared the garage floor by grinding it down to remove all the oil, paint and dirt from the concrete. A thorough preparation is needed to ensure good adhesion of the epoxy to the concrete.
2. We tested for moisture and applied a primer that penetrates the concrete and acts as a moisture barrier
3. We then sealed the corners with a urethane caulk to provide a non-porous edge, helping to prevent air bubbles from forming which could lead to peeling or blistering in the future.
4. We mixed the epoxy and applied a base coat, to which we added flakes for an anti-slip finish.
5. We continued with layers of epoxy to create a very durable surface.
6. Once cured, we added a clear polyaspartic topcoat to enhance the durability of the coating and to provide UV protection to prevent yellowing.
The garage is now bright and clean, providing a modern, upscale look that won’t degrade for a long time. The home owners were ecstatic with the results. The perfect home for this Tesla!
If you live in the Vancouver BC area, call AZ Painting for your garage epoxy flooring. As Vancouver Epoxy Experts, we understand the local challenges and tailor our flooring solutions to meet the unique needs of Vancouverites, blending durability, style, and practicality.
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