What coating is best for a garage floor?
Updated November 2022
Giving your garage a makeover? Why not start with your floors? Redoing your garage floors can give your garage a clean and finished look, extending your livable space and transforming your garage from junk drawer to front door.
Before you begin your garage floor transformation, there’s just one decision you’ll need to make — which garage floor coating is best for your floors?
There is an abundance of options on the market which may make it hard to decide which one is best for your garage. In this guide, we’ve mapped out the pros and cons of popular garage floor coating options, including:
- Garage Floor Paint
- Garage Tiles
- Garage Mats
- Epoxy Floor Coating
- Polyurea Floor Coating
- Polyaspartic Floor Coating
We can help you make the best decision for your garage floor!
Garage Floor Paint
Unlike polyaspartic, garage floor paint peels and chips easily.
Some homeowners choose to paint their floors because it is the cheaper, easier option, but this method doesn’t give floors the durability needed to stand the test of time. There are a few paint options available, including latex and acrylic. Both can be found at your local hardware store.
While affordable, garage floor paint is not very durable or long-lasting. A garage floor coating tends to last longer than paint and provides better protection from the wear and tear a garage floor often sustains.
Your floors will be easier to clean since dirt and grime wipe off easily. Plus, you won’t need to worry about the paint chipping away!
Floor Paint Cons
- Chips and peels easily
- Stains
- Not heat resistant
- Won’t last
Floor Paint Pros
- Inexpensive
- Quick drying time
- Customizable to your taste
Garage Tiles
Though garage tiles are easy to install, they come with many cons.
A quick and easy solution to revamping your garage floors are tiles that snap together. They protect your floors and create a slip-free surface. Although garage tiles are quick to install, they are not a permanent solution.
You’ll need to clean around them and under them occasionally to prevent a build-up of dirt, mold or mildew. Tiles are not heat resistant and high heat can cause them to unsnap, creating a tripping hazard. Tiles are a quick solution but should be considered temporary.
Don't be tempted by garage tiles — it'll come back to haunt you in the long run!
Garage Tile Cons
- Not waterproof
- Not heat resistant
- Requires cleaning
- Mold/mildew build-up
- Leveling issues
Garage Tile Pros
- Easy, self-installation
- Fits around objects
- No vapors
Garage Mats
Garage mats are a very inexpensive garage flooring option. Large rollout mats can be easily trimmed to fit any garage, making them a customizable solution. They also come in many different colors and thicknesses.
Garage mats give you a quick, temporary solution to protect your floors. Although they may be cost-effective, they are not durable and will not last under heavy use.
Garage Mat Cons
- Not waterproof
- Requires occasional cleaning
- Mold/mildew build-up
- Not durable
- Not heat resistant
Garage Mat Pros
- Easily customizable
- Self-installation
- Fits a variety of garage sizes
Epoxy Garage Floor Coating
Epoxy floor coatings peel and flake over time.
An epoxy garage floor coating is a fairly common garage flooring solution. It’s known to be semi-durable and easy on your budget. Sure, using epoxy to coat your garage can be done on your own, but can take over a week to dry. Surface preparation is also extremely important and the epoxy application may fail if the garage floor isn’t properly ground and buffed beforehand.
Pro Tip: If you’re coating your floors on your own, you’ll want to make sure you wear protective gear due to the harmful gases epoxy paint gives off.
Aside from the installation process, epoxy floors require lots of maintenance to prevent yellowing and fading as years go by. Although an epoxy floor coating is cheaper and easier to install, it may not give you the longevity you’re looking for. Below are some of the pros and cons associated with an epoxy garage floor coating. Hello Garage offers a tried and proven epoxy alternative!
Epoxy Floor Coating Cons
- Adhesion problems
- Requires a lot of surface prep
- Can peel or flake
- Hot-tire pickup
- Long drying time
- Gives off vapors and requires masks
- Prone to fade or yellow
Epoxy Floor Coating Pros
- Mistakes can be fixed easily
- Self-installation
Polyurea Floor Coating
Polyurea floor coating allows plenty of room for error.
Polyurea is similar to epoxy and polyaspartic floor coatings. It’s made of isocyanate-reactive materials and synthetic resin. Considered a subtype of polyurethane, it forms a durable seal to coat garage floors. It’s flexible and synthetic. Some polyurea floor coatings are even UV-resistant, meaning they won’t yellow over time.
Due to its fast drying time, polyurea can be difficult to work with. Little time is left for the material to soak in and bond with the underlying concrete pores. This can result in mistakes being shown if installers don’t move quickly enough.
Despite being a type of polyurea, polyaspartics are known for overcoming the challenges faced by polyureas, including easier installation and better adhesion to concrete surfaces. Click here to learn more about polyurea floor coatings and the alternative offered by Hello Garage.
Polyurea Floor Coating Cons
- Fast curing time leaves room for error
- Reactive to UV rays
- Poor surface adhesion
Polyurea Floor Coating Pros
- Customizable
- Quick curing
- Easy maintenance
Polyaspartic Floor Coating
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It doesn't get better than polyaspartic!
Polyaspartic is leading the market for its use in coating garage floors. Previously used for commercial applications, this formula is durable and long-lasting, saving homeowners precious time and money.
Polyaspartic requires professional installation and has a quick drying time. Plus, you’ll love the granite-like look of polyaspartic on your finished garage floors after using it. Make sure the company you choose to install polyaspartic uses 100% aliphatic polyaspartic and not a blend. This ensures it’s a pure product and won’t contain harmful additives.
Unlike an epoxy coating, polyaspartic is odorless and won’t affect the air quality around you while it’s being installed. Plus, you’ll never have to worry about your polyaspartic floor turning yellow or fading. A polyaspartic finished floor will look as good as it did on day one for the lifetime of your garage. Below are just some of the pros and cons of using polyaspartic to coat a garage floor. You can learn more about the differences between epoxy and polyaspartic floor coatings by visiting our blog, Comparing Polyaspartic and Epoxy Garage Floor Coatings.
Polyaspartic Floor Coating Cons
- Requires professional installation
- Requires accuracy
- Requires surface prep
Polyaspartic Floor Coating Pros
- Short drying time
- UV and heat resistant
- Damage resistant and highly durable
- Non-fading
- Available in stunning range of colors
Which garage floor coating is best?
All the above garage flooring options will cover your garage floors but not all of them will give you the best value. Garage tiles, mats, paints and epoxy floor coatings will get the job done, but only a polyaspartic floor coating will give your garage a makeover that lasts a lifetime.
Hello Garage specialists offer only the best garage floor coating in the industry: Polyaspartic Floor Coating.
At Hello Garage, all of our coatings are 100% aliphatic polyaspartic and meticulously installed.
Make sure to schedule a free estimate with your local Dream Team today!
