Frequently Asked Questions

HomeGuide lists professionally installed epoxy at $4 to $10 per square foot nationally, or about $1,600 to $5,800 for a two-car garage. Polyaspartic runs $5 to $12 per square foot in its guide. Old coatings, salt damage and crack repair add to the total. We give you a written price after we see the floor.

HomeAdvisor reports contractor labor at $50 to $150 per hour and says labor makes up 33% to 60% of an epoxy floor's total cost. HomeGuide puts labor at $3 to $5 per square foot. Most of that time goes into grinding, repairs and cleaning before any coating is mixed.

Epoxy is sometimes poured over wood for tables and craft projects, but a wood floor moves with humidity and temperature, and a rigid coating can crack. We coat concrete only. For a wood floor, another flooring material is usually the better choice.

The type of product matters more than the label. HomeGuide says water-based epoxy may need a new coat every 3 to 5 years, while solid epoxy can last 10 to 20 years. Store kits run $200 to $700 and rely on acid etching. A 100% solids base over a ground surface, with a polyaspartic or urethane topcoat, holds up far better to Utah road salt.

A cured, well-bonded coating resists salt much better than bare concrete. Brine left sitting for weeks can still dull the topcoat. Squeegee meltwater out after storms and rinse the floor a few times each winter to keep it looking right.

Each coating has temperature limits for the air and the slab. HomeGuide notes that polyaspartic can be applied in a much wider temperature range than epoxy. In cold months we check the slab temperature, may heat the space, and lean on fast-curing systems. If conditions are not right, we reschedule.

HomeGuide gives a full cure of 1 to 2 days for polyaspartic and up to a week for epoxy. Solid epoxy is walk-on dry in about 18 hours. We give you exact times for your floor based on the product and the temperature that day.

HomeGuide's national range for a two-car garage is $1,600 to $5,800 for epoxy and $2,000 to $6,900 for polyaspartic. Removing an old coating, repairing salt damage and adding a full flake broadcast move the price. You get a written number after we see the garage.

For a garage that takes road salt every winter, a bonded coating keeps brine out of the concrete and makes cleanup fast. It is not worth putting over a slab with an active water problem or a heaving section. We tell you if that is what we find.

A smooth, glossy floor can be slick when wet. Flake floors have built-in texture, and we can add an anti-slip aggregate to the topcoat on solid-color floors. Squeegeeing meltwater out also helps.

Usually the coating never bonded well. Acid etching leaves weak or contaminated concrete in place, and hot tires can then lift a thin film. Grinding and a thicker system fix the cause.

Less than a smooth gloss floor, because the flakes leave a light texture under the topcoat. If you want more grip, an anti-slip additive can go in the topcoat. That is worth considering by an entry door that sees snow.

HomeGuide says solid epoxy can last 10 to 20 years, and water-based epoxy may need recoating every 3 to 5 years. A flake floor with a good topcoat often only needs a fresh topcoat when the surface wears dull.

It hides small cosmetic flaws well, and larger chips hide more. Cracks still get repaired first. A crack that moves can show through any coating over time.

Yes. Manufacturers sell many standard blends, and you can pick one to match your house or cabinets. We bring sample boards to the estimate.

It cures faster, resists UV better and can go on in a wider range of temperatures. Epoxy costs a little less and builds thickness well on rough slabs. Many floors use both: an epoxy base and a polyaspartic topcoat.

Often, yes. HomeGuide says it can be applied in temperatures from -30°F to 140°F, though each product has its own label limits. We check the slab temperature and conditions before we schedule.

HomeGuide says heavy vehicle traffic can return after a full cure of 24 to 48 hours. We confirm the time based on the product and the temperature that day.

Aliphatic polyaspartic is UV stable and resists yellowing, which is why we use it as a topcoat on floors that get sun through an open door.

A mildly damp slab can often be coated with a moisture-tolerant primer under the system. A slab with standing water or active leaks needs that problem fixed first. Testing tells us which you have.

HomeGuide puts basement floors of 300 to 2,000 square feet at $1,200 to $20,000. The spread is wide because of size, moisture work and old finishes. We price your basement after testing it.

No. A coating is not a radon mitigation system. Utah DEQ says about 1 in 3 Utah homes have elevated radon, so test before you finish the basement.

It feels like the concrete under it. Many people add area rugs in living spaces. In storage, laundry and gym areas, the easy cleanup usually matters more.

This Old House puts metallic epoxy at about $5 to $12 per square foot. Old finishes, cracks and moisture work add to that. We give a written price after seeing the room.

They can be, but they show scratches and salt residue more than flake floors. For a garage that takes winter road salt, we usually recommend flake. For a display garage or one that rarely sees a wet car, metallic can work well.

It will have the same colors and style, but every pour is unique. Patterns form as the resin flows, so expect variation across the floor.

Yes, once old paint, glue and loose patches are ground off and the slab passes a moisture check. Older slabs may need more smoothing so flaws do not show through.

HomeAdvisor lists commercial and industrial 100% solids coatings at $12 or more per square foot, with high-grade upgrades adding 20% to 30%. Large floors and heavy prep change the per-foot price. We give a written quote after a site visit.

Often, yes. We can work in phases or over weekends and use fast-curing topcoats to shorten downtime. We plan this with you before we start.

A thick, well-bonded system over repaired joints handles forklift traffic. Joint edges take the most impact, so we rebuild spalled joints before coating.

Oil-soaked concrete needs degreasing and sometimes extra treatment before a coating will bond. In severe cases, the worst spots are cut out and patched. We check during the site visit.