What is garage floor epoxy?
Epoxy flooring is a 2-part coating application made by combing one-part colored or clear epoxy resin with one part polyamine hardener. Combined it creates a chemical reaction upon contact and begins the exothermic curing process. The curing forms polymer architecture creating a finish with superior strength and durability. The result is a durable coating that bonds incredibly to properly prepared concrete surfaces.
Along with the colored epoxy coating, you also have the option of applying decorative color flakes and a high-performance clear coat. The clear coat protects the color flakes and color coat.
There is many combinations of coatings available in a garage floor coating system, from ; clear coats, to flakes and options for metallic finishes.
Residential Epoxy Applications
Key Benefits of your Epoxy Floor
What makes epoxy floor coatings the best finish for your garage floor? Other than the obvious beautiful look you get, the substantial 5-layer coating that you get from epoxy creates a decorative surface that is very durable, easy to keep clean and UV resistant.
Epoxy floors are really easy to clean with just a mild cleaning solution and water. Dirt and debris slide right off with sweeping and air-blowing.
It’s resistant to damage caused by falling or dropped items, chipping, chemicals, stains, and abrasion. You get peace of mind in your man cave!
Epoxy Coating also cover imperfections in your concrete such as small cracks and spidering.
In Calgary, it is especially important as it works as a concrete sealer as well. Sealing out moisture at the surface. Protecting it from salts and de-icing fluids that can damage concrete.
The beautiful high gloss finish reflects overhead and natural light, resulting in a brighter work environment and a more enjoyable space to work in.
The durability of the 5-layer epoxy coating is great for home mechanics because it holds up to rolling steel wheels of toolboxes, floor jacks and jack stands scraped across the floor. They will not damage or scratch most coatings.
A 5-Year limited warranty for installation and materials.
How garage floor epoxy is applied
A proper epoxy floor should always be installed by a professional. Home DiY kits from big box stores are not to be compared. Big box DiY kits are low-solids epoxy with a low viscosity and are subpar in quality compared to a professional installed epoxy flooring system. #ditchthediy
The Five Steps of Epoxy Flooring
1. Preparation of the concrete: This step requires the grinding of the surface in order to create the necessary concrete profile.
2. Repairing concrete cracks or other damage at this time is highly recommended if you want an unblemished look.
High quality epoxy floor systems involve multiple coats to insure a very tough and resistant coating that will last for years. 
Depending on the system being applied, an epoxy primer may be applied first.
The primer penetrates and binds to the concrete to provide the best adhesion for the subsequent thick coating layers. Some primers will also act as a moisture vapor barrier. This is for concrete floors that are susceptible to moisture vapor that moves up from the soil through the concrete to the surface.
3. A Coloured adhesive epoxy base coat is applied, which may be applied without a primer depending on the manufacturer’s specifications.
4. Coloured acrylic paint chips (optional) are applied while the colour coat is still wet. There are many coloured flake options available, giving you the ability to personalize your epoxy floor. Full colour flake coatings are a popular option that completely cover the base epoxy coat which provides further durability and thickness to the floor coating.
5. The clear coat or wear coat covers the color flakes and provides the stain and wear protection. This coat gives your floor its glossy shine and depth that epoxy floors are famous for.
