Coming into the garage to see a sea of gray concrete can make for a dull walk to your car or home gym. And for those looking to sell their house, having a concrete garage floor that’s pocked with cracks or stained by oil is unappealing to buyers. If this sounds like you, then perhaps it’s time you considered investing in an epoxy garage floor.
Replacing that unsightly concrete with an garage floor epoxy coating is an excellent and inexpensive investment that adds style to your garage and gives it more usability. And if you’re trying to sell your house, a garage floor makeover could make it more attractive to buyers without breaking the bank. If this has piqued your interest, check out more below to learn about what epoxy is and whether it’s a good investment for you.
What Is Garage Floor Epoxy Anyway?
That might be your first question when looking at flooring options for your garage. It can be hard to know what the big deal is and how epoxy would even make a difference in your home.
Epoxy is a thick, clear coating that you can put over surfaces to add a stylish, sleek look to your floor.
But the cosmetic appeal isn’t the only reason you might want to invest in garage floor epoxy. It adds a layer of protection to the surface it’s covering, helps avoid pesky oil stains, and so much more.
Pros and Cons of Using Epoxy Flooring: How to Know Whether Epoxy Flooring Is a Good investment
Home improvement changes, even inexpensive ones like adding an garage floor epoxy, require careful consideration. When you’re considering investing in epoxy flooring, it’s important to consider both the positives and negatives of your investment. Here are some ways to know whether epoxy flooring is a good fit.
Pros
- Waterproofing: This particular resin is waterproof, which makes it easier to clean and can even help with those ugly oil stains you’d usually get on your garage floor. This is great news if you’d like to spend less time cleaning your garage floor.
- Eco-friendly: Because this type of epoxy originates from trees and plants that are easily replaced, it leaves less of a carbon footprint.
- Upgrades your space: Changing out that gray concrete for glossy epoxy makes your garage look nicer and more functional. Plus, it raises your home’s value whenever you decide to sell.
- Durable: Unlike your concrete garage floor, epoxy is much less likely to break and end up with holes and debris that you can trip on when you’re walking in from your car at night.
- Added functionality: If you’ve got a boring-looking garage, you’re much less likely to spend time in it. That means it will probably end up being a place that collects clutter or doesn’t get used at all. Making that space look nicer with an epoxy floor coating means you’re more likely to use your garage for something other than storage space.
- Inexpensive: Epoxy resin’s low price tag makes it a great flooring choice that’s easy on the wallet while still being durable enough to last 5-10 years on average.
- Customizable: There are many different looks to choose from when it comes to garage floor epoxy coatings. Styles range from metallic sheens to marble-like finishes that resemble tile.
Cons
- Staying power: While adding an epoxy floor coating to your garage is a great way to improve its appearance, you’ll need a good epoxy if you want it to last for more than a couple of years. Cheaper epoxies that you might buy if you try to do this yourself aren’t going to last very long.
- That’s why it’s important to get a professional to put in the epoxy flooring for you. Garage floor epoxy can last up to a decade but only if they’re done correctly and well taken care of, so make that phone call to a professional if you want to get those floors done right.
- Slippery: While you won’t have to worry about tripping over debris with epoxy flooring, epoxy’s smooth, shiny surface can be slippery when wet. One easy way to avoid that potential problem is to add some extra grip in the final coat.
- Not asthma-friendly: While epoxy isn’t toxic, the application process can produce fumes that result in a strong smell throughout the garage. This isn’t great news for anyone with severe asthma. If you still want to choose this option, make sure there’s plenty of airflow in your garage and ask your doctor before installing epoxy flooring.
Remember, epoxy isn’t for everyone, so make sure to consult the professionals before taking the plunge.
Why Call a Professional?
Applying epoxy resin is a complex process that can result in an epoxy garage floor that quickly deteriorates if it’s not done right. Forgetting to dry out the garage before laying down the epoxy could result in the epoxy breaking down after a couple of years because there’s too much moisture. Getting professional input could also help you avoid picking an epoxy resin with a metallic sheen because you like the look, only to find out that it requires a lot more maintenance than you bargained for.
Having professional input means getting the best type of epoxy resin for you.
What Is It Going to Cost Me? The Price of Garage Floor Epoxy Coatings
Epoxy resin is an inexpensive flooring option, but the exact price that you’ll pay will depend on a few different factors:
- Square footage: If you have a larger two-car garage, it’s going to be more expensive than a one-car garage.
- Type of resin: Some types of resin are going to be more expensive than others, so picking a metallic over a marbled resin could affect the price.
- Concrete quality: If you’ve got a beat-up concrete floor with nicks and oil stains, it will take more time to prepare before we can put epoxy down. That means the project will be a little more expensive.
- Who you pick: Every company will be different, so rates will vary depending on who you go with.
If you live in the Irving, CA, area, give California Marble a call at 800-421-3152 to get a free quote or to ask about the services we offer.