Hard Truth: The Pros & Cons of Epoxy Flooring In the Garage
Almost all homeowners are sure to have heard some kind of glowing endorsement of epoxy flooring in the garage at one point or another. As the preferred flooring choice for most commercial spaces, factories, and warehouses, epoxy flooring has a significant and impressive reputation as the best flooring option for garages. Also, you may check other popular concrete coatings San Diego here.
But how true is it? We test its benefits against its disadvantages to get an honest look at epoxy and its pros and cons.
Pros of Epoxy Flooring
#1 Easy to clean and maintain
The garage can be a messy place. Aside from the cars that bring in dirt and other debris from the outside, it can also be the site of spills. This is why epoxy flooring is so popular among car owners. It is famously easy to clean with a dry mop or a wet mop to remove stubborn dirt.
#2 Affordability
Unlike other flooring materials that can be costly to install, epoxy flooring actually comes in the form of epoxy coating that is “painted” onto the existing floor underneath. That you can get an entirely new and remarkable floor from a liquid solution makes it a unique and popular flooring solution. And because it is so simple, epoxy is one of the cheapest flooring options on the market.
#3 Resistance against almost everything
When we say it is resistant against almost anything, we truly mean “almost anything”. Epoxy is heat-resistant, water-resistant, resistant against oil spills and other stains. It is also notoriously hard for bacteria to breed on epoxy, making it incredibly sanitary. What else can you ask for from a garage floor?
#4 Durability and strength
If you’re wondering why factories and warehouses use epoxy flooring as their default flooring, the answer is in epoxy’s strength as a material. The mixture of the resin in epoxy and a hardener creates a chemical bond that is stronger than most flooring materials on the market. Because of this strength, it can stand up to almost anything you put on it.
#5 Longevity
Most epoxy floors will last for at least 10 years. With proper care and maintenance, that life span can extend to 20 or 25 years. With flooring in the garage, epoxy flooring brings a great advantage of longevity.
Cons of Epoxy Flooring
#1 Not a permanent flooring solution
One of the disadvantages of epoxy flooring is unlike other flooring solutions; epoxy does not last forever. It will need a fresh coat of epoxy once in a while, depending on the traffic on the floors and its general quality. However, considering the material’s cost, a fresh coat does not break the bank.
#2 Long installation time
Epoxy should absolutely always be done by a professional. This is because the installation period and process for epoxy flooring can be extremely complex. Before it can even be applied on the floors, a lengthy prep process is due. This is done to remove any dust and dirt, level an uneven floor, and test the floor for moisture (which can take a full day). Once the prep is completed, your contractor can proceed with mixing and applying the epoxy. This can take several days as epoxy is applied in layers, and each one needs to be completely dry before the next one can be applied.
#3 Removal is almost impossible
Because of its character as a strong and durable material, epoxy is notoriously hard to remove once it has been applied. This can be a problem if you should wish to replace your garage flooring, but epoxy is so versatile and advantageous that you may never encounter this particular problem.