Garage Floor Coatings: Why DIY Just Won't Work

There are few things in life sadder than an unfinished DIY project. You fret, you sweat, you watch YouTube videos that make it seem oh-so-easy… and then you finally admit defeat and call a professional — who you just know is going to lecture you on what you did wrong.

All this can be avoided if you set yourself up for success by knowing which household projects are doable by the average homeowner and which require professional work. And, when it comes to coating your garage floor, it’s not even up for debate; if you want a professional finish, you need to hire professionals to install it.

Preparing for Success

When it comes to garage floor renewal, polyaspartic coatings are the best way to go. This newer technology is superior to both polyurethane and epoxy coatings for several reasons, the most important being its resistance to delamination (peeling and cracking) over time. The key to resisting delamination is surface preparation. Experts agree that about 80 percent of a successful polyaspartic garage floor coating installation is down to superior surface preparation.

First, a professional floor-coating installation team will fill cracks and other damaged areas of the garage floor with an epoxy sealer. Then they’ll grind the surface to scarify it in preparation for the initial coat of polyaspartic material. Next, they’ll sweep and mop it to get rid of any residual dust.

Once the floor is prepped, the crew will lay down the first coat of polyaspartic material. Next, thousands of vinyl chips are dispersed using a “full-broadcast” method, giving the coating an almost granite-like look. Once dried, the surface prepped once again for the final clear coat.

As mentioned above, poor surface preparation can lead to delamination, which means the coating will de-bond from the concrete beneath and peel and flake. And, unless you have the expertise and access to the professional tools and machinery needed to adequately prep the surface, the chance of eventual delamination is high.

Beyond surface prep, there’s the actual installation. There’s an art to a full-broadcast chip distribution. If done poorly, the finished surface will look strange. Too thin a topcoat, and it won’t last. Too thick, and it will be slippery and potentially dangerous.

So, instead of pulling your hair out trying to coat your garage floor yourself (and likely having to redo it in a year or two when it begins to delaminate), why not relax and have a team of experienced professionals do it for you?

Call for your free estimate today!