A garage floor zigzagged with cracked cement veins and pockmarks from caustic fluids is typical, especially in older Orlando garage floors or those used by home mechanics. Broken and damaged floors can be a thing of the past with an ArmorSeal Garage Floor System from Garage Design Works. Many people have preconceived notions concerning epoxy floors, and Garage Design Works wants to clear away those ideas to bring you the truth about these durable floors.
Myth #1: Epoxy coating a garage floor is expensive: Actually, it is quite cost effective. Considering the beginning cost is not nearly as steep as you believe, the amount saved throughout the years more than pays for the installation. Epoxy coatings can last for decades with the proper care – and proper care is very simple. You will probably never have to paint or coat your floor again for as long as you own your house. Realize all the small divots and cracks will also be repaired before the sealer is applied and the expense is even less. And if you ever consider selling your home, the upgrade to the floor will impact the retail value of your home. A well-maintained home with beautiful extras such as a professionally installed ArmorSeal Garage Floor System appeals to home buyers.
Myth #2: All garage coatings are created equally: Buying an epoxy sealing kit from a hardware store will save you money, true. However, the warranty is nonexistent and the application will definitely not be as favorable. At this time, manufacturers are ambivalent as to whether their product is a floor paint or an epoxy coating – the names are synonymous for many – and the difference is extremely important. Floor paint does not have the tremendous strength and durability of epoxy coating. It also lacks the benefit of warding off bacteria that can harbor in the crevices of deeper cracks lined with floor paint. Even if you are certain the product you are purchasing is an epoxy coating, is it cost effective to apply it if the result is a very thin product that contains small air pockets or wrinkles?
Myth #3: Paint and epoxy are just as effective: Aside from paint being much thinner than epoxy, it also lacks many of the benefits epoxy offers such as UV protection in the harsh Florida sunshine, abrasion resistance, chemical resistance (no erosion with most chemicals on epoxy), and lack of microbes able to invade epoxy.
Myth #4: Prepping for epoxy coating is easy: Most homeowners believe they simply have to remove their vehicles from the garage and sweep the debris out of the corners before an epoxy finish is poured. Instead, the entire area to be treated needs to be blasted or ground to smooth imperfections and form a rougher surface for better adhesion. The acid etching from a do-it-yourself kit is not nearly as effective.
Myth #5: Epoxy needs to be re-applied every year or so: Professionally-installed epoxy coatings should last 10-20 years, barring no damage. Chemical or material spills will not affect the finish as long as they are mopped up with a soft, absorbent cloth quickly. Floor jacks will not even harm the floor as long as a rubber pad keeps the sharp edges from coming into contact with the epoxy finish. Long lasting means more than durability, though. Epoxy floors are meant to look fantastic throughout their useful lives, shining on their tenth anniversary as brightly as they did on the day they were installed.
Call the epoxy floor coating experts at Garage Design Works at 407-447-8890 to schedule an appointment for their team to thoroughly examine your garage floor and give you an estimate on one of their beautiful Orlando garage floor finishes. Read our blogs for information pertaining to flooring, cabinetry, organization, and our services.