Frequently Asked Questions

HomeGuide puts professionally installed epoxy at about $4 to $10 per square foot nationally, which comes to about $1,600 to $5,800 for a two-car garage. Polyaspartic runs about $5 to $12 per square foot. Old coatings, heavy salt damage and crack repair add to the total. We give a written price after we see the slab.

Using HomeGuide's national range of $4 to $10 per square foot, 1,500 square feet works out to about $6,000 to $15,000 installed. At HomeGuide's $5 to $12 polyaspartic range it would be about $7,500 to $18,000. Floors that size are usually shops or large basements, where moisture and repairs can shift the price a lot.

At $4 to $10 per square foot, a 600 square foot epoxy floor runs about $2,400 to $6,000. HomeGuide's polyaspartic table lists $3,000 to $7,200 for 600 square feet. A typical two-and-a-half or three-stall garage lands near that size.

Epoxy needs a dry, well-prepared slab, or it can blister and peel. Standard epoxy takes longer to cure than polyaspartic, and HomeGuide rates its UV resistance as poor to fair, so it can yellow without a UV-stable topcoat. A smooth gloss finish can also be slippery when wet. We address each of these with prep, the right topcoat and added texture.

Sometimes. Each product lists its own minimum slab and air temperatures. In cold months we check the slab temperature, may heat the garage, and often use polyaspartic, which HomeGuide lists as applicable from about −30 °F to 140 °F. If conditions are wrong for the product, we schedule a better day.

Store kits cost about $200 to $700 according to HomeGuide, and many are water-based, which HomeGuide says may need recoating every 3 to 5 years. Most kits use acid etching for prep, which does not remove sealers or weak concrete. Hot tires, brine and sand then work at a thin film that never fully bonded.

A bonded, fully cured coating handles brine far better than bare concrete. Sand is the bigger long-term threat to the shine, because it scratches the topcoat underfoot and under tires. Sweeping or squeegeeing often in winter and putting a mat at the entry door keeps the floor looking good.

HomeGuide's national range for a two-car garage is about $1,600 to $5,800 for epoxy and $2,000 to $6,900 for polyaspartic. Removing an old coating, repairing scaled concrete, and the finish you pick move the price. We give a written number after seeing your floor.

For a garage that takes in brine and sand all winter, a bonded coating keeps that water out of the concrete and makes cleanup simple. It is not worth doing over a slab with active water coming up or a heaved section. We will tell you if your floor falls into that group.

It depends on the product and the slab temperature. Bob Vila's polyaspartic guide says vehicles can usually go on after about 24 hours, while standard epoxy often needs about three days. We give you a specific time for your floor.

A smooth gloss coating can be slick when wet. Full flake floors have built-in texture, and we can add an anti-slip aggregate to the topcoat of solid-color floors. Many owners also put a mat at the door to the house.

Usually it comes down to prep. Kits depend on acid etching, which leaves sealers and weak concrete in place, and hot tires then pull the thin film up. A ground surface and a thicker system hold much better.

For most Bismarck garages, yes. Flakes hide sand and dried brine, add texture for footing, and make small scratches harder to see. A solid color looks sleeker but shows dirt sooner.

HomeGuide lists 10 to 20 years for solid epoxy and 10 to 20 or more years for polyaspartic. How long a floor lasts depends on the prep, the thickness of the system and how much grit and traffic it gets.

Yes. Manufacturers offer many standard blends, and some allow custom mixes. We bring samples so you can compare them in your own space.

No. A full broadcast floor with a clear topcoat sweeps and mops like a smooth floor. The texture is fine enough that a squeegee and a soft mop work well.

It cures faster, handles a wider temperature range and holds up better in sunlight, according to HomeGuide. Epoxy builds thicker per coat, bonds well and costs less. Many floors use an epoxy base with a polyaspartic topcoat to get both.

It tolerates colder conditions than epoxy, and HomeGuide lists a range as wide as −30 °F to 140 °F. The product's own data sheet and the slab temperature decide the actual window. We measure the slab on install day.

HomeGuide's national range is about $2,000 to $6,900 for a two-car garage. Your slab's condition and the finish you choose set where your floor falls.

Aliphatic polyaspartic coatings resist yellowing, and HomeGuide rates their UV resistance as excellent. That is a main reason we use it as the topcoat on garages that get direct sun.

Yes, as long as the floor is concrete and in sound condition. Unheated buildings should be coated in warm months or with temporary heat so the coating can cure.

Lift anchors depend on the concrete under the coating, not the coating itself. Coatings go around or under lift bases; we coordinate with you on whether the lift is installed before or after.

HomeAdvisor lists commercial 100% solids coatings at about $12 per square foot and up. Prep, oil removal, drains and scheduling all move the total. We give a written quote after walking the space.

HomeGuide lists solid epoxy at 10 to 20 years in general use. Heavy traffic wears topcoats faster, and HomeAdvisor notes busy commercial floors can need recoating in two to three years. A maintenance topcoat extends the life.

It depends on how damp. Moderate moisture can often be handled with a moisture-tolerant primer. Active water or standing puddles mean the source needs fixing first, or the coating will fail.

No. A coating seals the floor surface but is not a radon mitigation system. Test first, mitigate if needed, then coat.

HomeGuide lists $1,200 to $20,000 for basements from 300 to 2,000 square feet, or about $4 to $10 per square foot. Moisture work and removing old coverings add to that.

The coating takes on the temperature of the slab, so it feels like the concrete under it. Area rugs, slippers and in-floor heat if you have it make the biggest difference.

Bob Vila puts metallic epoxy at about $5 to $12 per square foot. Floors with more design work, moisture treatment or repairs fall toward the higher end.

A full gloss metallic floor can be slippery when wet. We add an anti-slip additive to the topcoat where it is needed, and we steer metallic floors toward drier spaces.

You can, but a smooth metallic floor will show sand scratches and be slick with snowmelt. In garages we usually recommend flake, or metallic with a textured topcoat.

The colors will match, but the pattern will differ, since every metallic pour moves on its own. We show you several sample boards so you know the range of looks.