With 55% of Americans spending 1-2 hours every week in their garages, it’s no secret that garages are of great importance. One of the best places you should start when looking to add a little color and style to a garage is the floor. And among the options you have, epoxy flooring may be one of them.
Epoxy coatings are made of synthetic resin and installed on top of concrete. Though they are ideal for decoration and protection, they don’t match other flooring types in terms of durability and quality. Here are five reasons you shouldn’t use them on your garage floor:
Installation Process is Tiring and Time-Consuming
The preparation of a floor for epoxy coating involves removing solvents like oils and grease.
The installation has to follow specific instructions for the coating to stick. For instance, the humidity levels in your garage should be low. This is because moisture can damage the floor and make the coating less durable.
You’re more likely to incur additional costs doing retouches, reinstalling, or refinishing the coat.
Long Curing Time
Epoxy coatings take several days to cure completely. They also need to dry for some time in warm conditions. An epoxy coat won’t be ideal if you want to use the garage within a week after upgrading its floor.
The long curing time may be inconvenient if your schedule is tight. It will be inconvenient to leave the floor unmanned until the coat cures.
Strong Smell When Wet
If you are allergic to strong scents, installing an epoxy floor won’t be appropriate. The coating produces a strong smell when applied. Your nose, throat, and eyes may be inflamed, or your lungs irritated by this smell.
Long-term exposure to the strong smell can cause serious health issues. It may also take a great toll on your nervous system in the same way as alcohol.
Slippery When Wet
The non-porous nature of epoxy makes it very slippery when wet. You risk having slip and fall accidents on your garage floor when you install this type of flooring.
While you may install additional materials to make the coating less slippery, doing this is quite costly. It is also not safe to install an epoxy floor coating on a garage with high traffic.
Temporary Flooring Solution
Epoxy does not to withstand everyday wear and tear like polyurea floor coatings. You will have to add a new epoxy coat on your garage floor when the existing one starts to fade. Such an investment will prove costly over time and fail to give great value for money.
Since garage floors withstand heavy impact and high traffic, you need a highly resistant coat. Unlike an epoxy one, a polyurea garage floor will cut unnecessary costs since it’s more durable.
Looking for an Alternative to Epoxy Coatings?
Choosing durable garage flooring is an investment you should never take for granted. Notwithstanding the cost, your choices should include a coating other than epoxy. That’s because epoxy coatings are less durable, slippery, and tiring to install.
Garage floor coatings from Garage Force are resistant to UV light damage. They also cure fast, offer a great-looking finish, and resist stains. Discover what our company offers by requesting a free estimate today.