Frequently Asked Questions

HomeGuide's national figures put installed epoxy at about $4 to $10 per square foot, or about $1,600 to $5,800 for a two-car garage. Polyaspartic runs about $5 to $12 per square foot. Old coatings, flaking concrete and crack repair add to the total, so we give a written price after seeing the floor.

Using HomeGuide's $4 to $10 range, 1,000 square feet comes to roughly $4,000 to $10,000 for epoxy, and about $5,000 to $12,000 at its polyaspartic range. Where a floor lands depends on prep, repairs and the finish. Large open shop floors can price differently from a garage cut up by steps and corners.

Epoxy needs a dry, clean, ground slab or it can peel. Standard epoxy cures slowly, and HomeGuide notes it can take up to a week to fully cure. It can also amber in sunlight without a UV-stable topcoat, and a glossy finish is slick when wet unless texture is added. We plan for each of those before we start.

Compared with bare concrete, yes. Compared with replacing a damaged slab, much less: HomeAdvisor lists concrete resurfacing at $1,000 to $5,000 and simple patching at $25 to $250. A coating protects the slab you have. Store kits cost less up front, about $200 to $700 according to HomeGuide, but HomeGuide also says water-based kits may need recoating every 3 to 5 years.

For many garages, a hybrid system works well: an epoxy base for bonding and build, with a polyaspartic topcoat for UV resistance and abrasion. Full polyaspartic systems cure faster and, per HomeGuide, have a much wider application temperature range. Polished concrete is another option for some shops. The right answer depends on the slab and how you use the space.

Sometimes. Each product lists a minimum slab and air temperature, and a cold detached garage in January may sit below it. We measure the slab, can heat an enclosed space, and often choose faster-curing polyaspartic materials in cool weather. If conditions are wrong, we schedule for a better window.

They wear it slower than bare concrete, but they do wear it. Grit ground in under tires dulls a topcoat over time, and brine left for weeks leaves a film. Sweeping out sand, squeegeeing meltwater and rinsing a few times each winter keep the floor in good shape.

HomeGuide's national range is about $1,600 to $5,800 for epoxy and $2,000 to $6,900 for polyaspartic. Removing an old coating, repairing flaked concrete and the finish you choose move the price within or above that range. You get a written number after we see the floor.

For a garage that takes in sand and brine all winter, a well-bonded coating keeps that out of the concrete and makes cleanup a matter of minutes. It is not worth doing over a slab with water coming up through it or heaving sections, and we will tell you if that is what we find.

It depends on the system and the temperature. HomeGuide lists a full cure of 24 to 48 hours for polyaspartic and up to a week for epoxy, and says to avoid driving on epoxy for 2 to 7 days. We give you a specific time for your floor.

Usually the prep. Kits often rely on acid etching, which leaves weak concrete and old sealers in place, and hot tires can then pull up a thin coat. Grit and brine finish the job. A ground surface and a thicker system bond far better.

A smooth, glossy coat can be slick when wet. Flake floors have built-in texture, and on solid colors we can add an anti-slip aggregate to the topcoat, especially inside the door where meltwater collects.

A blend with three or more colors, mixing dark, mid and light chips, hides sand and mag brine haze the longest. Single-tone gray or white blends show it within days.

Often, yes. HomeGuide lists polyaspartic as workable from -30°F to 140°F. Epoxy needs a warmer slab. In an unheated garage we check the slab temperature and pick the product that suits that week.

Yes, as long as the slab is sound and we can get the oil out. Floors soaked with hydraulic fluid may need extra degreasing and grinding. Heavy equipment may call for a thicker build, which we cover on our shop floor page.

The chips sit under the clear layer, so wear shows up there first. If the base is still bonded, we clean and scuff the floor and roll a fresh topcoat without grinding out the chips.

It cures faster, handles a wider temperature range and resists UV much better, according to HomeGuide's comparison. Epoxy builds thickness at a lower cost and bonds well to ground concrete. Many floors use both: epoxy underneath and polyaspartic on top.

Many polyaspartic products are made to cure in cooler conditions than epoxy, which helps in Missoula's spring and fall. Every product has a minimum on its data sheet, and we check the slab temperature before starting. If it is too cold, we heat the space or reschedule.

HomeGuide puts installed polyaspartic at about $5 to $12 per square foot, or about $2,000 to $6,900 for a two-car garage. The written quote after we see the floor is the actual price.

Polyaspartic is aliphatic and is rated for excellent UV resistance by HomeGuide, so it holds its color far better than plain epoxy in sunlight. That is why we use it as a topcoat on floors near big doors and windows.

If the slab shows moderate vapor, a moisture-tolerant primer can work. If water is coming in through cracks, the floor-wall joint or a window well, that has to be fixed first, because no coating will hold against active water.

Yes. Montana's DEQ reported in 2014 that about 53 percent of tests in Missoula County came back above the EPA action level. A coating is not a mitigation system, so test first and mitigate if needed.

HomeGuide lists basements at about $1,200 to $20,000 for 300 to 2,000 square feet, at $4 to $10 per square foot. Moisture work and old finish removal push a floor toward the higher end. Your written estimate is the price.

A coating does not insulate, so the floor will feel about as cool as the concrete does now. Area rugs work fine on a coated floor. If you want a warmer floor, that is a separate insulation or flooring decision.

A thick 100 percent solids epoxy body with a chemical-resistant topcoat is the usual choice. For the heaviest loads, we add more build and texture. The right system depends on the weight, the fluids and how the floor is cleaned.

Often, yes. We degrease and grind, and treat deep stains before coating. Some heavily soaked areas need more grinding or a patch. We will tell you at the estimate what the slab needs.

HomeAdvisor lists commercial and industrial 100 percent solids coatings at $12 or more per square foot. ArmorGarage, a coatings seller, gives $7 to $15 for professional commercial installation. Your written quote is the price.

Yes. With faster-curing topcoats and phased work, many commercial floors can be done over a weekend or in sections so part of the space stays open.

A properly filled shrinkage crack usually stays hidden, especially under flakes. A crack that is still moving can reflect through any rigid coating, which is why we check for movement and use flexible fill where it is needed.

In most cases, yes. We grind off the weak surface and rebuild it with a repair mortar or resurfacer, then coat it. A slab that is breaking up deep or heaving may need replacement instead.

HomeAdvisor lists patching cracks and chips at $25 to $250, and resurfacing at $1,000 to $5,000 depending on size. We price your floor after we see it.

Watch for cracks that keep widening, one side sitting higher than the other, water coming through, or doors that stop closing. Those call for a structural assessment, and we will say so rather than coat over them.