Common Misconceptions About Epoxy Flooring

Do epoxy floors peel? They've seen it happen in a neighbor's garage or a parking structure and written the whole thing off. What they actually saw was a floor coating failure. And almost every time, it came down to poor prep, product, or some combination of both. Epoxy doesn't peel when the concrete is properly cleaned, degreased, and acid etched or diamond ground before anything goes down. That prep process is what creates the mechanical bond. Skip it or rush it and you're just painting over a dirty floor. It'll look great for six months and then start lifting at the edges.

Is Epoxy just thick paint? Nope. So paint is something that dries, whereas epoxy cures. For paint, as the water evaporates, the dry color is left behind on the wall. With an epoxy coating, a chemical reaction is happening that is triggered by mixing in a resin and a hardener. This results in a permanent and rigid polymer bond that is VASTLY stronger than paint. It shouldn't even be considered in the same category.

Can anyone easily apply a DIY kit on a weekend? For a moderately experienced DIY homeowner, sure, they can get something that looks halfway decent in a weekend, and it's cheaper. But without professional-grade prep and industrial products, the coating will peel off. The DIY kits from big box stores lack the industrial grade solids to properly bond into the concrete.

Is epoxy slippery? It can be if it's applied without flake or a textured top coat. The flake broadcast and the Armorseal Rexthane clear coat I use create a surface with real grip, which is significantly better traction than bare concrete when it's wet. I also like to use a silica additive to the last coat of clear coat to give it some extra grip.

Epoxy hides all concrete imperfections and cracks. FALSE. A liquid epoxy will mirror the surface underneath it. Any cracks or divots will show in the final glossy topcoat. Whenever we are preparing a slab, we make sure to grind down and fill/patch any pockmarks or cracks before applying our Tile-Clad epoxy coat.

Can epoxy floors be repaired if damaged? Yes! You don't always have to scrape down an entire floor. If there are minor chips, those can be sanded down, filled, and spot treated with a matching top coat. If there is a larger section that is failing, we typically will scuff the existing topcoat and apply a fresh layer. The most difficult part is color matching your epoxy color, and there is a minimum threshold for product that you'll need to purchase.

Can you still sweep and mop an epoxy floor, even if it has fumed silica in it? Yes, absolutely! You won't need a special broom or mop head to clean. People also assume it's high maintenance. It's the opposite. Sealed epoxy doesn't absorb oil, chemicals, or water. You sweep it or mop it and you're done. Bare concrete soaks up everything and holds it.