Frequently Asked Questions

HomeGuide's national range for installed epoxy is $4 to $10 per square foot, or about $1,600 to $5,800 for a two-car garage. Polyaspartic runs $5 to $12 per square foot in its companion guide. Salt damage, old paint and crack repair push a floor higher, so we give you a written price after seeing it.

At HomeGuide's $4 to $10 per square foot, 1,000 square feet comes to roughly $4,000 to $10,000 for epoxy. A polyaspartic or full flake system on the same area runs higher. Big open shop floors often cost less per foot than small, cut-up rooms.

Using HomeGuide's ranges, 600 square feet works out to about $2,400 to $6,000 for epoxy and $3,000 to $7,200 for polyaspartic. That is about the size of a large two-car or small three-car garage. Prep and repairs move the number within that range.

Epoxy needs a dry, clean, ground slab, and it peels where moisture, oil or old sealer is left underneath. Standard epoxy cures slowly and can yellow in sunlight without a UV-stable topcoat. A smooth glossy floor is also slick when wet, which matters with snowmelt. Each of these is handled with the right prep and topcoat.

HomeGuide prices premade kits at $200 to $700 and says water-based epoxy lasts about 3 to 5 years. Most kits depend on acid etching, which does not remove salt-damaged concrete or old coatings. On a garage that sees road salt every winter, the prep is what decides how long the floor lasts.

Often, yes. We check slab temperature, can heat the garage, and usually choose polyaspartic for cold-weather work because it tolerates a much wider temperature range than standard epoxy. If the conditions are wrong for your system, we schedule a warmer window.

HomeGuide's national range is about $1,600 to $5,800 for epoxy and $2,000 to $6,900 for polyaspartic. Salt-damaged concrete, an old coating to remove and the finish you pick all move the number. You get a written price after we see the floor.

Often, yes. We check the slab temperature first. Polyaspartic handles cold far better than standard epoxy, so it is the usual choice late in the year. If the slab is too cold for any product, we book a warmer week.

Usually. Cracks get filled and ground flush, and low spots can be built up. A section that has heaved or a crack that keeps widening is a concrete problem, and we tell you so before you spend money on a coating.

It depends on the product and the weather. Bob Vila's polyaspartic guide puts vehicles back on after about 24 hours, compared with about three days for standard epoxy. HomeGuide gives 2 to 7 days for epoxy. We write down the time for your floor.

For most garages that see snow and salt, yes. The chips hide salt film and dirt, and the texture gives more grip when the floor is wet. Solid colors look cleaner when the floor is spotless but show every mark.

HomeGuide lists decorative flakes and custom colors as adding about $0.50 to $2.00 per square foot. A full broadcast uses more flake than a partial one, so it lands toward the higher end.

Less than smooth coatings. The chips leave texture under the topcoat. If you want more grip in a wet spot, we add a fine anti-slip aggregate to the clear coat there.

Yes, as long as the slab passes a moisture check. Flake works well in laundry rooms, storage areas and workshops. Where the slab is damp, we use a moisture-tolerant primer first or recommend fixing the water source.

Each has strengths. Epoxy builds thickness and bonds well. Polyaspartic cures faster, resists UV and can be applied in colder weather. Many floors use an epoxy base with a polyaspartic topcoat to get both.

HomeGuide says full cure for vehicles is 24 to 48 hours. Bob Vila's guide says about 24 hours. Cold slabs slow curing, so we give you a specific time for your floor.

It tolerates much colder application than standard epoxy; HomeGuide lists -30°F to 140°F. The slab still has to be dry and above the dew point, so we check conditions on the day and heat the space when needed.

The material costs more and it has to be applied quickly in small batches. HomeGuide puts it at $5 to $12 per square foot installed, compared with $4 to $10 for epoxy.

It depends on how damp. Slabs with moderate vapor can take a moisture-tolerant primer under the coating. Floors with water actively coming through need that fixed first. We test before we recommend anything.

Yes. Paint is a weak layer, and a new coating bonded to it fails when the paint lets go. We grind it off down to bare concrete.

No. A coating seals the surface, but it is not a radon mitigation system. Iowa HHS says most Iowa homes test above the EPA action level, so we suggest testing and, if needed, installing mitigation before finishing the floor.

HomeGuide gives $1,200 to $20,000 for basements from about 300 to 2,000 square feet, at $4 to $10 per square foot. Metallic finishes run about $5 to $12 per square foot. Paint removal and moisture primers add to the total.

Yes. We test for moisture first, since many outbuilding slabs have no vapor barrier, and plan extra texture near the big doors. Large floors can be done in sections.

A properly installed 100% solids system handles rolling loads well. Steel tracks and chains still damage any coating, so we talk through what equipment runs on the floor before choosing a system.

It depends on size and system. With fast-cure topcoats and phased work, many shops lose only a few days. We write the schedule into the quote.

Usually. We degrease and grind, and treat or cut out the worst spots. If oil keeps coming back, we tell you before the coating goes down.

Yes, once stable cracks are filled and ground flush. Cracks that are still moving can reopen through any coating, so we point those out before quoting.

HomeGuide notes that cracks wider than a quarter inch typically point to foundation problems. Cracks that are uneven from side to side or keep growing are also warning signs. In those cases we suggest a structural check first.

In most cases, yes. We grind off the flaking surface, fill the pits, and coat the floor. If damage covers most of the slab, a thin resurfacing layer comes first.

Yes. You can book crack filling and patching on its own, although most customers add a coating to protect the repaired slab from the next winter.