With all the benefits of concrete flooring, it’s no wonder that it’s been a popular option in garages for decades. They are durable, easy to install, and relatively inexpensive.
However, there are a couple of big drawbacks. They’re just plain ugly and they’re porous, absorbing spills and becoming stained (and uglier) over time.
The solution is to coat them with a sealant. You may have heard of the polyurea vs epoxy concrete coating debate. We’re here to settle it for you. Read on to learn which is the best type of coating once and for all!
Why Coat Your Concrete Floor?
Concrete is an excellent type of flooring for garages. It holds up well to the abuse of heavy vehicles and machinery being stored and moving across the floor. It also doesn’t chip super easily when heavy or sharp tools are dropped onto its surface.
However, concrete by itself is porous. This means that if you spill fluids like antifreeze or motor oil on the floor, you may be left with a permanent stain.
The solution is to cover your concrete floor with a coating. You can even do this to revive an old concrete floor without having to replace it.
Concrete floor coatings go on like paint and you can be creative about the colors, but the qualities are far different. Unlike paint, they cure to a hard, resistant shell and act as a sealant, keeping moisture and liquids from being absorbed into the concrete.
Polyurea vs Epoxy
Today, we’ll compare the two main types of concrete coatings — epoxy vs polyurea.
Epoxy flooring is popular and has been used for many years. It is relatively inexpensive and some people even do the application themselves. However, epoxy has a few failings. It can take a few days to cure, during which time you can’t use your garage and bubbles may form in the coating.
It does act as a sealant, but it isn’t 100% impervious. Your floor may still get stained, though not as badly as concrete alone. Additionally, certain types of chemicals can damage epoxy and weaken the overall floor. It also fades over time with exposure to sunlight
On the other hand, there are a number of benefits of polyurea floor coatings. First, they cure much faster and don’t allow time for bubbles to form. You can typically walk on it 4-8 hours and drive on it in 24. However, because of this fast cure time, the installer needs to know what they are doing. You’ll receive far better results if you choose a professional to install this flooring.
Epoxy is relatively durable, but polyurea is 20 times stronger. It’s also more flexible, meaning it is less likely to crack and peel and more resistant to chemicals like gasoline, motor oil, and salt.
What’s the Verdict?
With all of the polyurea benefits, it is the clear winner in the polyurea vs epoxy debate.
Are you looking to protect your new garage floor or refresh your old one? Give us a call to learn how a gorgeous polyurea floor coating can perk up your garage today!