Which Garage Flooring Option Is The Best?

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, epoxy coating, polyaspartic coating, tiles, mats and garage floor paint to help you make the best decision. 

Garage Floor Paint

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.

But coating your floors tends to last longer than paint and provides better protection from the wear and tear a garage floor can sustain. Using a floor coating (polyaspartic, epoxy, etc.) will help cover cracks and flaws garage floors accumulate through the years. 

Your floors will be easier to clean, as dirt and grime wipe off easily. Plus, you won’t need to worry about the paint chipping away! 

Garage Tiles

A quick and easy solution to revamping your garage floors are tiles that snap together. They provide your floors with protection and 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.  

Garage Mats

Garage mats are a very inexpensive garage flooring option. Large rollout mats are easily customizable to any garage and you can trim them to easily fit all garage sizes. They 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. 

Epoxy Garage Floor Coating 

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 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 epoxy garage floor coating.

Polyaspartic Floor Coating 

Polyaspartic is leading the market for its use in coating garage floors. Previously used for commercial properties, 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.