Many homeowners are looking to upgrade their garage flooring from just the basic concrete cover. Long-lasting epoxy flooring is a great option as it protects from the general wear and tear as well as winterization that just concrete garage floors can be impacted by. The big question for people looking to upgrade is “how much does epoxy garage floor cost?”. Well here are a few cost factors that you will want to consider before making the investment.
Type Of Coating Used
The 3 primary coatings used in garages are Epoxy, a coating formed by mixing polyamine hardener with epoxide resin, Polyaspartic, a colored-based coat with a vinyl flake layer and a clear top coat, and Polyurea, a subset of polyurethane that is very durable and lasts longer than traditional coatings. Epoxy is lower in cost than polyureas and polyaspartics.
- Pro Tip: Typically the higher the material cost the increased longevity of the floor coating. DIY “floor paints” though cheap, only last for a year or two.
Condition Of The Concrete
The common thought is that new concrete is less expensive to coat than old concrete. This is typically true but the new concrete will still need to be ground to remove contaminants or sealers. Pitting, spalling, and cracks can all add to the cost of the installation.
- Pro Tip: If you can see rebar, it’s time for new concrete, not a coating!
Moisture
We document and test to make sure your concrete garage floor has the right amount of moisture. We need a relative humidity measurement of between 2% and 5%, anything above 5% requires an additional moisture barrier which can add to the cost of the flooring project.
- Pro Tip: You can take a sheet of plastic and tape it to the floor, wait two days and if you don’t have any visible moisture under the plastic, moisture isn’t a concern (don’t worry we still document and test for it).
The Density Of Concrete
Concrete needs to be a certain hardness to install a floor coating. Professionals use a “Mohs hardness kit” to determine how hard the slab is. Concrete under a “3” can’t be coated. Concrete that’s extremely hard can increase the amount of labor and diamonds used to achieve the correct profile.
- Pro Tip: If your fingernail scratches the concrete, it’s probably not a good candidate for a coating.
Size And Location
A 200SF one-car garage will have a higher cost per square foot than a 4-car garage. A basement will cost more than a garage due to logistics and the extra labor to get to the basement. Weighing the logistics of what your project might entail is an important piece to understanding the total costs that will come with treating your garage or other flooring options.
Additional Logistics To A Project
Is there a coating/sealer installed now? Sealers and previous coatings add an extra step in the preparation of your floor. This adds to the logistics aspect that we spoke about previously.
- Pro Tip: Usually the darker the concrete is the chance of having a sealer is higher.
Other features, such as verticals (the curb around the garage), steps, or additional topcoats for increased protection can add to the cost of the project. On average a professionally installed polyurea/polyaspartic floor will cost you between $6-9SF in a garage. Again there are certain variables that need to be considered when starting a project.
If you’re looking for more information on the types of flooring options, how to take care of your newly purchased flooring, or want an estimate on what your current project might look like, reach out to us and we’d be more than happy to help.
