Your garage takes a lot of abuse from various elements throughout its lifespan. When you begin looking at updating your garage floor, you will discover there are many different options available. Do your research before you choose which floor to go with because not all are good options for a garage. In this article, we will discuss three options and why they may not be as good of a choice for your garage as an epoxy finish.

Polished Concrete vs. Epoxy Finish

A polished concrete garage floor can look fantastic; there is no denying it. But is it sustainable in a garage?

If you live where it snows, your vehicle will be tracking in all sorts of salts and liquid that will collect on your floor. On a daily basis, cars can track all kind of debris in from outside. If polished concrete floors are not swept or mopped on a regular basis, your floor can lose its luster and gloss. The higher the traffic, the faster this can happen.

Polished concrete also does not hold up well to stains. The concrete has small, open pores that are susceptible to staining. While there are stain guards one can apply to prevent stains, they break down when exposed to chemicals. You will need to reapply the stain guard in order for it to continue protecting the floor.

An epoxy finish on your garage floor will not be damaged by the salt and debris that comes in from the outside. Sweep or mop at your leisure with your epoxy floor. The epoxy finish is also stain resistant with no extra coating necessary.

Concrete Paint vs. Epoxy Finish

Although there are many concrete paints available, not all of them are good options for your garage. Make sure you do your research to find one that will bond appropriately with the concrete. If the paint doesn’t bond, it will not last.

Another thing to keep in mind with concrete paint is it will not last as long as an epoxy floor. You will need to re-apply the paint on average, once or twice a year. The frequency, of course, depends on how much traffic your garage sees. Once applied, your epoxy floor will last around 15 years.

Many concrete paints also recommend an additional primer before painting to ensure that you get the best results. If you apply the paint with no primer, your paint could begin to come up sooner. With an epoxy finish, it is not necessary to reapply the sealer.

Concrete Stain vs. Epoxy Finish

A concrete stain works the same as a wood stain. It soaks into the concrete. However, you can not just stain and go. You must put a sealer on after the stain. And depending on how much traffic your garage floor sees, you may have to put a new coat of sealer on once or twice a year.

While the stain creates a beautiful look for your garage floor, it does not in any way protect the concrete. Depending on which sealer you choose, you may get some protection from a few elements. All epoxy floor systems will protect your garage floor from various elements. This includes from chemicals to even from dropping things on the floor.

When you are ready to update your garage floor, make sure that you review all of your options carefully. While some may seem like the better option, look at all the facts. If you have to reapply a sealer a couple of times a year, is that really the best option for your floor? Consider an epoxy floor for your garage today.