Frequently Asked Questions

Installed epoxy is generally priced by the square foot, and HomeGuide's national range is $4 to $10. Multiply by your square footage for a ballpark, then expect the slab's condition, any old coatings and your pick of finish to shift it. Your written price comes once we have measured and tested the floor.

A 20-by-20 floor works out to 400 square feet, roughly a smaller two-car garage. HomeGuide puts two-car garages at $1,600 to $5,800 for epoxy and $2,000 to $6,900 for polyaspartic. Repairs, grinding off an old coating and a full flake broadcast are what push a floor up that range.

Standard epoxy yellows in sunlight, gets slippery when wet unless texture is added, and needs several days before you can park on it. It also fails if moisture pushes up through the slab. A UV-stable topcoat, added grit, a moisture test and proper grinding deal with each of those.

Florida. We work in Melbourne, FL and nearby towns in south Brevard County, such as Palm Bay, West Melbourne, Viera and the beach towns across the Indian River Lagoon. All of our advice is written for Florida heat, humidity and rain.

Yes. We grind the old coating off down to bare, sound concrete, repair what is underneath and then apply the new system. A new floor laid over a failing layer simply peels along with it.

That depends on the product. According to HomeGuide, polyaspartic can carry heavy vehicles after roughly 24 to 48 hours, whereas epoxy can need up to seven days, and its epoxy guide advises keeping cars off it for 2 to 7 days. Before we leave, you get exact times for the system on your floor.

They affect timing and prep more than the cured floor. We avoid coating when the slab temperature sits near the dew point, rinse and clean salt residue during prep, and use a UV-stable topcoat on floors near open doors. A sealed floor is easier to rinse clean of salt and sand than bare concrete.

HomeGuide puts thin water-based epoxy at 3 to 5 years and solid epoxy systems at 10 to 20 years. Prep, slab moisture and the topcoat are what decide where a floor lands in that range.

Per HomeGuide, a car should stay off epoxy for 2 to 7 days; a polyaspartic topcoat shortens that wait. We confirm a firm time for your exact system.

Thin coatings over poorly prepared concrete are where hot tire pickup usually shows up. A diamond-ground slab, a bonded epoxy base and a hard topcoat resist it.

Usually. We degrease and grind, then check that oil has not soaked so deep that the coating will not bond. Badly soaked spots may need extra grinding or a patch.

A smooth gloss finish can be. Grit mixed into the topcoat, or a flake broadcast, gives a wet floor better grip.

Less than a smooth gloss coat, because the chip edges leave texture. If the floor gets wet often, we add grit to the topcoat.

Mid-tone grays and tans hide sand and dust well. Very dark blends hide oil but show light dust and salt residue.

Yes. Chip, vinyl chip and vinyl flake all refer to the same colored vinyl pieces that get broadcast into the base coat.

Yes, on a covered lanai or porch, with a UV-stable topcoat. For an open pool deck we usually suggest a cooler, more textured finish, which is on our pool deck page.

Not always. Its fast cure and much stronger UV resistance make it the winner wherever sunlight lands. Epoxy goes on in thicker coats and makes a solid base over damaged or damp slabs, which is why many floors combine the two.

Usually. Bob Vila lists vehicles at about 24 hours and HomeGuide 24 to 48 hours for heavy vehicles. We confirm the time for your product.

Yes. Moisture in the air speeds the cure and shortens working time. We plan batches and start times around it.

HomeGuide's estimate for polyaspartic floors is 10 to 20 years or longer. Good grinding and a sound slab are what get a floor there.

It can be, as long as it gets a UV-stable topcoat and a bit of grit. Compared with flake it is slicker when wet and shows dust more, so weigh that.

It will match the colors and style we agree on, but every metallic pour is hand-made, so the exact pattern is unique to your floor.

We remove tile and grind the slab rather than coat over it, because grout lines and loose tiles show through and can crack the coating.

Dust mop regularly and damp mop using a gentle cleaner. Skip harsh chemicals and put felt pads under furniture.

Often, by phasing the work and using fast-curing products in areas that must reopen quickly. We plan the sequence with you before quoting.

It is epoxy without water or solvent to evaporate, so nearly everything applied stays on the floor as a thick, hard film.

Yes. Kitchens usually get a textured, chemical-resistant system with a cove base so the floor and wall meet without a seam.

Yes. Aisle lines, bay markings and colored zones are added as part of the coating.

Usually, as long as the slab is structurally sound. Resurfacing reuses the existing concrete, so there is no demolition or new pour.

Light-colored, textured cool-deck style surfaces stay more comfortable than dark or glossy ones. HomeGuide notes Kool Deck helps lower surface temperature.

Loose or peeling paint is removed first. Sound, well-bonded coatings can sometimes stay, which we judge on site.

Most decks take a few days, including repairs and cure time, and rain can add a day in summer. We give you the schedule in writing.