Choosing a floor covering for a new house? Or maybe you started a renovation in your apartment? Don’t know how to do everything in time, and deadlines are running out? A few extra pairs of hands will definitely not hurt you. Transfer the scope of tasks to experienced movers who will help you move furniture out of the room, as well as help with moving to a new house with a new floor covering. Useful link to study information about moving with professionals. It can be tough to find a floor solution that stands the test of time whole being chemical, spills and stain resistant. Almost every type of flooring has some disadvantage or the other.And that’s one of the reasons as to why having stable shoes for walking on concreteis very important.An excellent choice for a variety of needs, epoxy floors seem to have fewer drawbacks and more benefits. However, examining both pros and cons of this material is a good idea if you’re considering installing it at home or work.
Appearance
Compared to an average garage floor, epoxy floors are bright and professional. Their appearance alone makes them enticing to use. The smooth and even surface is also very easy to sweep and maintain. Since not much sticks to this type of flooring, cleaning up a mess a very easy. Appearance is one of the most important considerations when choosing the best epoxy for wood floors.
Affordability
Compared to other types of flooring, the per square foot cost of epoxy floors are tough to beat. Since it can be installed directly over concrete and other flooring types, the installation costs are quite a bit lower than the others. Pricing remains one of the biggest and the most immediate advantages you’ll find with epoxy flooring.
Resistance
Epoxy floors are highly resistant to just about everything – oil, gasoline, bleach, transmission fluid, cleansers and more. This is one the main reasons they’re frequently used in garages and within the automotive industry. Besides withstanding chemical spills/cleaners, epoxy floor coating is also heat and water-resistant. They are almost impervious to most chemical spills without any negative effects on the coating.
Another pro is that these floors also resistant to bacteria and germs, which makes them very easy to sanitize. This is why epoxy is an excellent choice for hospitals and clinics.
Durability
Distinctly valued for their durability, epoxy floors have a longer lifespan than many other floor types. Concrete is the only material that beats it, but it needs to be properly sealed and maintained. Besides, an epoxy floor coating required concrete beneath it anyway. Epoxy floor coating makes renders concrete exceptionally durable. They also offer benefits of anti-fatigue and can be easily rolled-out on the cement without mortar or glue. But if you wish to go that extra step to care for your floors, consider getting yourself epoxy resins for wood on woodimprove.
Protective
Epoxy flooring protects the underlying concrete from moisture, stains, grease and cracks. In the long run, this can save you a great deal on cleaning and maintenance costs by eliminating the need to clean carpet or grout. It’s also very reasonably priced for the duration and level of protection that it offers.
However, the protective qualities of epoxy flooring depend on the installer. You need to find a quality local epoxy floorer. You can find epoxy flooring near me if this is a concern.
Longevity
Epoxy coating lasts longer than many types of flooring. When installed properly, it can last for several decades without cracking or peeling. Besides the durability, its lifespan makes it popular for commercial and industrial use.
Variety
Epoxy is a great choice to decorate your floors as well. It’s available in a variety of colors that add a flawless, smooth, elegant shine elegant shine. The flooring can also be arranged into traditional or personalized patterns and designs. The number of choices makes it an economical way to upgrade plain concrete and improve the ambience of a home or office.
Safety
One of the lesser-known advantages of using epoxy on a garage floor is it enhances visibility inside the garage by reflecting light off the floor.
Temporary
One of the major disadvantages of using epoxy on your floors is that it’s a temporary flooring solution. Though durable and resistant, you will have to replace it eventually. Unlike some other flooring solutions, everyday wear and tear takes it toll on epoxy floors. To keep things looking good, you’ll have to put down a new coat of epoxy. This is inevitable especially if heavy things are dropped on the surface of the floor.
Cracks can develop and chipping is a very common issue. Thought chips can start out as a small annoyance, eventually they can lead to a large area of the coat peeling off of the floor. Wheeled carts and toolbox wheels also get caught catch as they are rolled over the damaged spot. The floor has to be repaired when this happens.
Slippery
Epoxy floors are relatively skid resistant. This con is not universal. It’s specific only to oil-covered epoxy since that can be very slippery. But they can also become very slippery when wet, which creates a dangerous situation. They are not a good choice in areas that may be prone to spills or water on the floor. This is another drawback. However, you can mitigate this risk, at least to some degree, if you’re able to texturize your floor.
Preparation
Getting the existing floors ready for applying epoxy is tedious. A significant amount of effort goes into it to. The concrete floor has to be clean and free of any grease, oil, or solvents before the epoxy coating is applied. Cracks will need to be filled as well. Cleaning concrete floors requires multiple attempts. All this preparation work required is a drawback.
The good news is that with the advancements in the manufacture and application methods, homeowners will find it relatively easy to apply using hand tools in a minimum amount of time.
Application
Apart from the extensive preparation that goes into getting the concrete ready, applying the epoxy coating is a time-consuming process. It also takes several days to dry properly. Additionally, the first coat of epoxy must dry completely before adding the next coat.
If you’re in a time crunch, you can also utilize a penetrating concrete sealerinstead. You’ll be able to save on time and cost, but the downside is you won’t have the aesthetic look of an epoxied garage floor.
Smell
Wet epoxy has strong fumes. Darker shades of epoxy have more hardeners than the lighter shades. They tend to have an ammonia smell after applying.
Sensitivity
Epoxy flooring needs to be installed exactly according to directions. If not done properly, the flooring will not last as long as it should. The coating also gets scratched pretty easily. It’s very hard to clean paint overspray off of it. The coating should be applied only when during that time of the year when the humidity levels are low. This is because moisture can affect the durability of these floors.
We recommend using a dehumidifier to lower humidity for a period of 24 hours before applying your first coat of resin. This will extract as much moisture from the air as possible which will prevent moisture from becoming trapped underneath the floor once the resin finish has been applied.
Adherence
The concrete floor must be dried, prepared and cleaned thoroughly before applying epoxy to avoid adherence issues. Epoxy does not adhere well in a moist environment such as a basement. The epoxy paint peels off the floors if applied in a damp environment on a moist floor.
Moisture
Since the material doesn’t breathe once it cures, any moisture trapped below the surface can be a problem as it evaporates. It may lead to the eventual need for repair or refinishing as bubbling or buckling in the flooring material may occur in some cases.
Additional Costs
Homeowners have to buy special cleaning acids and other chemicals to ensure that the epoxy sticks. It’s also necessary to buy and use special protective clothing, protective eyewear and breathing devices when using these chemicals. Not only does this increase the amount of time and effort necessary, but in some instance, it can also increase costs.
Removal
Once the epoxy is applied, changing colors or designs can be a labor-intensive and costly endeavor. In those situations where the floor has to be repaired, removing the coating is quite extensive and difficult.
There are several pros and cons to using epoxy floors. It’s highly recommended that you consult a professional contractor to conduct an analysis of your floor before making any decision. A professional can also evaluate the moisture tolerance of the floor to minimize the chances of delamination.
Must Read: Creating a Healthy Work Environment for Your Eco-Friendly Business
FAQs
What are the advantages and disadvantages of epoxy? ›
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| They have good physical properties, especially in a moist environment, as well as excellent chemical resistance | Higher price |
| Very good adhesion on a wide variety of materials | Very strict conditions of use |
Extremely safe – Epoxy is a very safe coating for your hard floors. It's slip resistant, shock resistant, and less abrasive than concrete and other types of industrial flooring. It's also water resistant, and will protect your floor from any spills, including harsh chemicals that would harm other types of floor.
What will damage an epoxy floor? ›Oil, car chemicals and other chemicals.
Clean up spilled gas immediately, because it will damage the surface of an epoxy floor if allowed to sit for too long. Paint, household cleaners and other abrasive liquids need to be cleaned up immediately.
Peeling creates an uneven surface and an unprofessional appearance, which may also damage the concrete flooring under it. An epoxy floor can peel for many reasons, some of them related to the surrounding conditions as professionals apply it.
When should you not use epoxy? ›Do not use Epoxies when temperatures of the air or the substrate will drop below 50 degrees F. Without first consulting with Epoxy.com Tech service for cold installation.
Does epoxy flooring scratch easily? ›Does epoxy flooring scratch easily? Epoxy flooring doesn't scratch easily due to it being a hard resin coating, however like any surface if something sharp enough scratches the surface, scratches may appear.
Are epoxy floors worth it? ›Durable and long-lasting
Epoxy flooring is highly durable and will last for years to come. With other options, you'll find you must reapply the paint frequently to keep the floors looking great. With epoxy, you won't have to touch your floors again for years after the coating is applied.
For residential spaces that use epoxy flooring—like patios or garages—homeowners can expect to keep their epoxy flooring looking great for even longer. Typically, residential epoxy flooring can last up to 10 years with proper care!
What causes epoxy to fail? ›The most common reasons for a failure in your epoxy floor coating are, the floor was not properly prepared, the epoxy floor coating used was water based or other low grade type of epoxy, the epoxy was not rated for the type of traffic on it and or the floor has an issue such as moisture, oil stains, corrosion or ...
What causes epoxy to peel? ›Several factors can cause the epoxy to peel from your floors. The most common reasons this occurs is improper preparation of the epoxy or applying the epoxy when the temperature is too hot or cold or the humidity is too high.
Can you put a rug on epoxy floor? ›
Generally though, if the epoxy is well adhered and fully cured and is not sticky at all, a mat can be safely applied over. It is the responsibility of the homeowner to check from time to time and make sure the mats are not beginning to stick to the floor below.
How thick should my epoxy floor be? ›Depending on the number of coats, the floor thickness should range between 300 and 600 microns. Such epoxy floor thicknesses are suitable for light applications where the primary purpose of the coat is to keep the surface clean and dust free.
Does water damage epoxy floor? ›Even though epoxy floors are extremely durable, they can get damaged by grease, oil or water. The damage won't happen immediately, but you should still clean the mess before you forget about it. If left for too long, even water can start to degrade your epoxy floor.
Do things rot inside epoxy? ›Fresh food items with high water content, like fruit, will rot and turn disgusting in resin. You must dehydrate your food first. Even then, it's challenging to make something beautiful. Food releases bubbles into your curing resin, making it hard to see what you've got in there.
Can you use Pine Sol on epoxy floors? ›Regular Care:
Even though epoxy is a durable material, small bits of dirt can become embedded in the epoxy if not removed properly and frequently. Mix an all-purpose cleaning product such as Pine-Sol or Mr. Clean and mix it according to manufacturer's directions in a bucket with warm (never hot) water.
They develop as the concrete cures. During the curing process the volume of the concrete decreases because of the evaporation of water content. This forces the weaker parts of the concrete to develop cracks.
Why is my epoxy floor turning white? ›Causes of Cloudiness in Resin Floors
One other undesirable type of discoloration is when an epoxy coating appears white or cloudy immediately after installation or curing. This is usually caused by the resin floor being exposed to water prior to it completly curing.
Exposure to UV light is the most common reason for epoxy resin turning yellow. When UV light hits the cured epoxy resin, whether directly or indirectly, the natural process of degrading the polymers within is sped up. This photochemical reaction is responsible for more than just turning the epoxy resin yellowish.
Does epoxy make floor slippery? ›Resinous garage floor coatings like epoxy, polyuria, and polyurethane are non-porous, which is why the surface tends to be extremely smooth. Although this type of surface works fine when dry, it becomes slippery, which can pose a threat with a mere introduction of water, oils, or mud.
Can bacteria grow on epoxy? ›Seamless Epoxy Floors Naturally Resist Bacteria
Being a non-porous material, once cured, epoxy provides a surface that will not harbor bacteria.
Does epoxy need maintenance? ›
In terms of daily maintenance, epoxy floors are pretty low-key. They don't need much, but a daily sweep and mop should be part of the cleaning routine.
Can you touch epoxy with your hands? ›If you accidentally get resin on your hands, wrists or arms, it needs to be removed right away to avoid possible skin irritation. Epoxy resin is sticky, so it's important to use the correct cleanser to remove it. Hand soap and water will not remove resin entirely from your skin.
What is better than epoxy floors? ›Nowadays, polyurea coatings are a much better option. Here at Garage Force, our patented polyurea garage floor coatings are about 20 times stronger than epoxy coatings. That is a huge difference in strength!
What is stronger than epoxy flooring? ›Polyurea is more durable than epoxy and more flexible because it is an elastomer. It is also chemical resistant and can withstand stable heat up to 266℉ and 430℉ for a shorter amount of time according to Corrosionpedia. Polyurea is UV resistant and will not yellow in the sun.
What happens if epoxy gets wet? ›The effects of water on uncured epoxies and epoxy composites are studied. Experiments show that water causes an increase in the cure rate of epoxy materials at low degrees of cure and a decrease in cure rate and total cure at high degrees of cure.
Can epoxy floors break? ›Epoxy flooring contains several layers of hardeners or resins that must equal a depth of two millimeters to be considered an official epoxy floor. Anything less is just a coating. That alone makes it a hardy material that resists materials that will scratch, mar, break, or crack its foundation.
How much does it cost to epoxy a 3 car garage floor? ›| Garage Size | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Car | $800 | $1,850 |
| 2 Car | $1,300 | $3,100 |
| 3 Car | $2,100 | $5,000 |
Epoxy coatings cannot withstand the stresses associated with concrete cracks due to settling, dry shrinkage or other factors. Don't let the fear of cracks keep you from enjoying the benefits of epoxy; with a little prep and repair work, you can move forward with your epoxy project.
Does epoxy crack over time? ›Even though epoxy flooring is popular for being durable and long-lasting, it will crack if there is a foundation shift in your home because it is not flexible. Similarly, your epoxy flooring may chip if it is applied to weak concrete that contains cracks.
Can you reseal an epoxy floor? ›As long as the floor is not experiencing any delamination issues, many times you can recoat right over a worn epoxy floor to create a brand new looking finish.
Can you epoxy over old epoxy? ›
Can I put another coat of epoxy over cured epoxy? Yes. Since the epoxy has cured a chemical bond is not possible so what is called a mechanical bond is needed. This simply means that the cured epoxy has to be lightly sanded before the next coat is applied: the first coat should have a matt, almost white, surface.
What do I need to know about epoxy flooring? ›- Epoxy's Strength Comes from Its Chemical Bond. ...
- Surface Prep Is the Most Important Part. ...
- The Difference Between Epoxy “Flooring” and “Coating” Is 2mm. ...
- Epoxy Can Be Applied to Most Hard Flooring Surfaces. ...
- Flexible-grade Epoxy Is Stronger. ...
- Epoxy Flooring Can Be Beautiful!
Epoxy flooring is easy to maintain by keeping dirt and debris off of it through regular sweeping. A broom that has a soft bristle or even a clue commercial dust mop is perfect for sweeping up dirt, sand, debris, and other elements like dust, wood shavings, and trash that mess up your floor.
Why is my epoxy not getting hard? ›If your ratio of resin to hardener is off, your resin will not harden. If the ambient temperature in your workspace isn't ideal, or if your resin mixture has been contaminated, this could also cause your resin to not cure correctly.
How do I keep my epoxy floor from bubbling? ›To prevent bubbles being formed in epoxy floors, application of a primer is highly recommended. Also never apply the coating in direct rays of the sun and always use a drill of a slower speed when mixing the coating. When a roller is used to apply the coating, it is better to use a medium roller.
What happens if you touch epoxy? ›By themselves, WEST SYSTEM epoxy hardeners are moderately corrosive. If left in contact with the skin, they can severely irritate it and cause moderate chemical burns. Chemical burns develop gradually and first cause irritation and slight pain. The burn may discolor and slightly scar the skin.
What happens if you don't etch concrete before epoxy? ›New concrete must be etched before applying the epoxy. The smooth surface of unaltered concrete won't bind with other materials, such as epoxy or paint. As a result, epoxy will peel and lift away, failing to adhere to the surface.
Are epoxy floors worth it? ›Durable and long-lasting
Epoxy flooring is highly durable and will last for years to come. With other options, you'll find you must reapply the paint frequently to keep the floors looking great. With epoxy, you won't have to touch your floors again for years after the coating is applied.
Nowadays, polyurea coatings are a much better option. Here at Garage Force, our patented polyurea garage floor coatings are about 20 times stronger than epoxy coatings. That is a huge difference in strength!
What floor is better than epoxy? ›Polyurea is more durable than epoxy and more flexible because it is an elastomer. It is also chemical resistant and can withstand stable heat up to 266℉ and 430℉ for a shorter amount of time according to Corrosionpedia.
Do epoxy floors scratch easily? ›
Does epoxy flooring scratch easily? Epoxy flooring doesn't scratch easily due to it being a hard resin coating, however like any surface if something sharp enough scratches the surface, scratches may appear.
What happens if epoxy gets wet? ›The effects of water on uncured epoxies and epoxy composites are studied. Experiments show that water causes an increase in the cure rate of epoxy materials at low degrees of cure and a decrease in cure rate and total cure at high degrees of cure.
Can epoxy floors break? ›Epoxy flooring contains several layers of hardeners or resins that must equal a depth of two millimeters to be considered an official epoxy floor. Anything less is just a coating. That alone makes it a hardy material that resists materials that will scratch, mar, break, or crack its foundation.
How much does it cost to epoxy a 3 car garage floor? ›| Garage Size | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Car | $800 | $1,850 |
| 2 Car | $1,300 | $3,100 |
| 3 Car | $2,100 | $5,000 |
- DR CRAFTY Epoxy. – Best Overall. ...
- TotalBoat Epoxy. – Runner Up. ...
- Aquaseal Epoxy. – Honorable Mention. ...
- Pro Marine Supplies Epoxy. – Also Consider. ...
- JDiction Epoxy. Check On Amazon. ...
- J-B Weld Epoxy. Check On Amazon. ...
- Loctite Epoxy. Check On Amazon. ...
- Gorilla Epoxy. Check On Amazon.
1. Devcon Plastic Steel Epoxy. The strongest epoxies will often have a longer setting time. Devcon's Plastic Steel Epoxy is one of the best choices for all types of metals; it contains a steel alloy for an impressive final tensile strength of 2,600 PSI.
How much does a gallon of epoxy cost? ›Type of Epoxy
Water-based epoxy is the least expensive option at $30 to $50 per gallon. Solvent-based epoxy is in the middle of the price range at about $45 per gallon. Solid epoxy is the most expensive option and can range up to $150 per gallon.
Epoxy flooring surface is tough, resilient, and resistant to abrasion, but that doesn't mean prolonged exposure to grime, dirt, and grit can't damage it over time. So to extend the lifespan of your flooring surface, take extra precautions to make sure your epoxy floor is always free of dirt.
Why do epoxy floors fail? ›The most common reasons for a failure in your epoxy floor coating are, the floor was not properly prepared, the epoxy floor coating used was water based or other low grade type of epoxy, the epoxy was not rated for the type of traffic on it and or the floor has an issue such as moisture, oil stains, corrosion or ...
Why do epoxy floors peel? ›When the floor is acid etched like with many DIY projects and the acid is not removed properly, there is a thin layer of loose concrete dust that sits on top of the concrete slab. When the epoxy is applied, it bonds to the concrete dust than to the concrete slab, resulting in peeling off shortly after application.
Why do epoxy floors crack? ›
They develop as the concrete cures. During the curing process the volume of the concrete decreases because of the evaporation of water content. This forces the weaker parts of the concrete to develop cracks.