Best Garage Floor Coating: Polyaspartic Coating vs. Epoxy

If you want to upgrade your garage, there is no better way to begin than with a dirty, oil-greased garage floor. No amount of lighting, shelving units, or paint can have the same effect as a new shiny floor. During the process of shopping for the right garage floor coating, you will come across various options available in the market.

There are a few different types of garage floor coatings that you can choose from, but the two most popular options are epoxy and polyaspartic. These floor coatings almost look similar, so you need to understand their differences. Both options provide attractive, durable coatings that can transform your garage-but there are significant differences that can help you make a good purchasing decision. This polyaspartic vs. epoxy comparison will help you make the right choice. Without further ado, let us dive in!

What are Garage Floor Coatings?

If you are looking to transform the function and look of your garage, one of the best places to begin is the floor. Standard concrete garage floors should be functional, but with a little effort, you can make them comfortable and attractive. As a homeowner, you have various options available to spruce up your garage floor. A good way to begin thinking about a transformed garage floor is to choose between garage floor coatings or coverings. The right floor coating can transform the feel and look of your garage or workspace.

Garage floor coatings are produced in a beautiful solid color, but you can add some decorative flakes to give it a classier appearance and traction. Furthermore, garage floor coatings can extend the lifespan of your garage floor. Several factors, like environmental conditions, durability, and anticipated traffic requirements must be considered to determine the best garage floor coating for your home or office.

Polyaspartic Garage Floor Coating

More About Polyaspartic and Epoxy Garage Flooring

The debate of polyaspartic vs epoxy coating for garage floors typically pops up when choosing the right material for your project. Admittedly, it can be nerve-wracking when researching or asking around about the best garage floor coating to use.

Polyurethane and epoxy are excellent for safeguarding your garage floor against damage, stains, oils, chemicals, and wear. They are both durable, easy to clean, and highly reflective. But they also have their pros and cons depending on the application.

Epoxy is a two-part coating that is made up of resin and hardener. It dries to a very hard, glossy finish and is resistant to chemicals and staining. However, it can be difficult to apply correctly, and it can take several days to dry completely.

Epoxy coatings are available in three major formulations; 100% solids, water-based and solvent-based. These formulations offer unique bonding characteristics, dictate the ease of application, and provide various VOC considerations. These coatings are particularly designed for commercial or industrial spaces as well as home garages. Epoxy coatings are more affordable and easier to apply than other garage floor coating options, but they will peel and crack over time. They will become yellow after some time from exposure to UV rays.

Just like epoxy, polyurethane is a thermosetting polymer and a high-performance garage floor coating. Polyurethane comes in different formulas. Painting contractors generally recommend aliphatic urethane for garage floors out of the different options for this kind of coating. Although they consist of 60 to 70% solids depending on the manufacturer, a polyurethane coating will be about 2 to 3 millimeters thick.

Polyurethane coating has excellent flexibility, which helps it to have a good absorption rate than other coatings. It also offers better solvent and chemical resistance than epoxy garage floor coatings.

Polyaspartic vs Epoxy Floor Coating: Which one is the Best?

When deciding which type of garage floor coating is best for you, consider the amount of traffic your garage sees, the type of chemicals that will be spilled on it, and your budget. Now that we know very little about these two garage floor coating options, let’s examine them head-to-head based on specific factors to determine which one emerges as the winner:

Durability
Epoxy coatings are durable, but also susceptible to abrasion. On the flip side, polyaspartic coating is flexible and won’t scuff, chip or scratch. It is extremely more durable than epoxy garage floor coatings.
Winner: Polyaspartic garage floor coating

Drying Time
It takes 30 minutes to one hour for a polyaspartic coating to dry. On the other hand, epoxy takes more than 16 hours for a single coating to dry. If you don’t want to wait, then polyaspartic coating is a perfect choice.
Winner: Polyaspartic coating

Air Quality
Epoxy coating affects the air quality in your garage, and you require good protective gear during the application. Meanwhile, Polyaspartic garage floor coatings don’t have any off-gassing odor and generally have low VOCs.
Winner: Polyaspartic

Cost
Polyaspartic coatings are more expensive than epoxy types. When you also consider the cost of hiring a professional installer, the price tag difference becomes even more dramatic.
Winner: Epoxy

Why Choose Polyaspartic over Epoxy

The only major disadvantage to using polyaspartic garage floor coatings is that they come with a hefty price tag than their epoxy counterparts. The main advantages of using polyaspartic are that they are extremely durable, cure faster, and can handle various environmental and temperature changes. These are some of the benefits that make most property owners choose poly aspartic over epoxy coatings when transforming their garage.

Polyaspartic coatings aren’t foolproof, and they should be installed by technicians who have garage floor coating experience. Schedule an appointment online or call us at 615-299-6407 to learn more about our polyaspartic garage floor coating installation services today.

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