If you want to coat your concrete floor, be it a garage floor, laundry room, or patio, you have two main options to consider: epoxy or polyurea. Both will give your floor a glossy shine, but only one is flexible and impact resistant. Here’s what you need to know:
What’s an Epoxy Floor Coating?
An epoxy floor coating is comprised of a polyamine hardener and epoxy resin. A 100% solid epoxy coating creates a hard, glossy finish after it cures, sealing the porous concrete. Don’t confuse an epoxy coating with epoxy paint. Epoxy paint is made of latex acrylic with a bit of epoxy in the formula. Epoxy paint is prone to stain and peel. Likewise, the epoxy coating will chip and crack with time.
What’s a Polyurea Floor Coating?
Polyurea is a type of elastomer. If that brings the word “elastic” to mind, then you’re beginning to understand how polyurea differs from epoxy. Polyurea is more rubbery. It also cures faster, so think twice if you’re considering applying a polyurea coating yourself. This product won’t give you time to fix any mistakes. It’s incredibly unforgiving.
So, Which is Better: Epoxy or Polyurea?
Polyurea is the clear winner. Because it’s more flexible, the material moves with the concrete (hello, earthquakes!). It’s also more impact resistant and is several times more durable than epoxy.
Again, polyurea flooring is definitely not a DIY job. Our application experts meticulously prepare the surface, extracting grease and stains and repairing any damaged or spalled concrete, among other steps. Preparation is key to creating a profile for a mechanical bond between the concrete and the coating.
The result is a smooth, attractive garage floor that’s resistant to oil, grease, chemical, extreme heat, and tire marks. A polyurea coating is available in various colors and a blend of flakes so that you can customize your floor.
Turn to the Garage Flooring Experts
At ALLBRiGHT PAINTING, we proudly stand behind our expert applicators and the quality and durability of our garage floor coatings. That’s why each installation comes with a 15-year residential warranty. To schedule your installation, call (661) 464-0771.