Professional floor coatings are an excellent option for anyone looking to protect the concrete floors in their home from cracking, chipping, and staining. Floor coatings can be used in many spaces in your home, including in your garage.

If you are looking for ways to improve your garage, you may consider getting Polyurea or Polyaspartic floor coatings. But with so many options available, you may not know which product is best for your home. Each flooring option comes with its benefits, and it is essential to know these before making any final decisions. 

In this blog, our Surface Bella Garage Floors team is going to discuss two popular floor coating options, Polyurea and Polyaspartic floor coatings, why you might choose each of these, and which flooring option we recommend for your floors.

Polyurea Floor Coatings

Polyurea was developed as a water-resistant coating for use on steel but has since been adopted as a floor coating option. It bonds to the moisture in your concrete floor to create a protective barrier between the flooring and anything that may come in contact with it. Many home and commercial space owners have begun using Polyurea floor coatings in their spaces. 

Benefits Of Polyurea Floor Coatings

There are many benefits to using Polyurea floor coating in your home. The benefits of Polyurea include the following:

• The Less Expensive Flooring Option: Compared to some floor coating options, including Polyaspartic, Polyurea is a less expensive option. If you are looking for a floor coating option but are on a budget, you may want to consider Polyurea.
• Quick Curing Time: If you hope to get back to regular use of your garage soon after installing a floor coating, Polyurea is an excellent option. Many Polyurea floor coatings have cured a few hours after application, meaning you can return to regular use of your space a day after application. 
• More Flexible: When the temperature and weight on your floor change, your floors can move. An option like Polyurea is flexible enough to move with the floors. This flexibility means you won’t experience the chips and cracks you might encounter with other flooring options. 

Why You Might Not Want Polyurea Floors

While there are many benefits to installing a polyurea floor in your garage, there are some reasons why you should consider another option. These reasons include the following:

• Not UV Resistant: Your Polyurea floor coating may become yellow over time. This yellowing is because it is not resistant to UV damage. The lack of UV protection may also degrade the material.
• Cures Too Quickly: While quick curing time may sound appealing if your floor coating cures too quickly, it may not properly adhere to the concrete beneath it. This curing time may also become a problem if you attempt to apply this flooring without experience. It may cure before you have time to install it through the entire space. 
• Bubbling In The Coating: If your Polyurea floor coating is mixed at too high a speed, bubbles can form in the coating. As your floor coating professional applies it to your floors, the bubbles will begin to dry in the coating. Over time, these bubbles may burst, leading to chips in the flooring. 

Polyaspartic Floor Coatings

First introduced in the 1990s, Polyaspartic floor coatings are considered the most advanced version of Polyurea. It has a slower curing time than Polyurea, though it still cures in 24 hours. Polyaspartic coatings have been used on ships, bridges, piers, and railcars but have recently gained popularity as a garage floor coating option.   

Benefits of Polyaspartic Floor Coatings

• More Durable Option: Polyaspartic floor coatings are incredibly durable and are generally more resistant to scratching, chipping, and cracking than other flooring options. 

• Non-yellowing, UV Resistance: Polyaspartic floor coatings, unlike Polyurea, has non-yellowing attributes. Because of its non-yellowing attributes, you no longer need to worry about the deterioration of your flooring by exposure to UV rays. 
• Easy installation: Unlike Polyurea, Polyaspartic floor coatings are easier to install. This easier installation is because of the improved curing time. As we already mentioned, a problem people have with Polyurea is the quick cure time. Polyaspartic floor coatings have a slightly slower cure time, giving your flooring professional to apply it to your floor perfectly. 

Which Is Better For Your Garage Floor

While the ultimate decision of which floor coating is best for your home is up to each homeowner, we recommend Polyaspartic floor coatings. While it is often the more expensive option of the two, its high-quality properties mean that it will withstand the test of time and will last the entire length of its warranty period. 

Another benefit that Polyaspartic floor coatings have is that they can be fully customized to best fit your space. If you choose, your Polyaspartic floor coatings can have a paint chip or quartz-like appearance to your flooring, allowing it to match each room in which you choose to use it. 

Upgrading Your Garage Floors With Surface Bella Garage Floors

If you are looking for Polyaspartic floor coatings for your home, our team at Surface Bella is confident we can create the floors of your dreams. Serving the Greenville, South Carolina, area, we have years of experience and happy customers, making us confident that we can also help you.

In addition to our garage floor coatings, we provide coatings for your basement floor, commercial space, patios, and porches. If you are interested in getting Polyaspartic floor coatings installed in your home, contact our team today.

Your garage floors see a lot of action. From your cars’ tires to oil leaks, they put up with a lot. But as you put the floor to the test, you may be considering whether it’s time to get a garage floor coating or if it’s too late to install one.

At Surface Bella, we want to provide you with all the information about caring for your garage floors and what work you might have to do before installing a garage floor coating. 

What Is A Garage Floor Coating? 

A garage floor coating is a covering for the floors of your garage that act as a barrier between your floors and any potentially damaging substances or accident. Garage floor coatings help prevent staining, chipping, and cracking from normal wear and tear. They also improve the overall appearance of your garage by giving the floor a more polished appearance. 

Without a garage floor coating, your garage floors may also be more susceptible to environmental damage. If left uncoated, water may seep into the floors of your garage. In the colder months, this may result in the water freezing and expanding the concrete, leading to cracks. 

When Can I Get A Garage Floor Coating? 

You can get a garage floor coating whenever you decide it is the best option for your home. However, it is important to care for your floors before installing a floor coating. This means the cracks and chips in your flooring must be patched before installation. 

If you’ve just poured the concrete into your garage, you’ll need to wait at least 28 days before installing a garage floor coating. This waiting period may be longer based on temperature, moisture, and humidity. If you don’t let the concrete cure completely, you may trap excess moisture in it, leading it to crack more over time. 

Can I Get A Garage Floor Coating In The Winter?

There is a misconception that garage floor coatings cannot be installed during the winter, especially in a place with colder temperatures. However, as long as your flooring expert is using a high-quality product on your garage floors, the weather shouldn’t greatly impact the installation process.

Another benefit to installing a garage floor coating in the winter is beating the wait. Many people will assume they can only complete this project in the summer. If you install your garage floor coating in the winter, you may beat the long waits you’ll see during the warmer summer months. 

What Are The Benefits Of A Garage Floor Coating?

There are many benefits associated with garage floor coatings, including a few things we’ve already discussed. These benefits include the following:

Damage protection: Floors with a garage floor coating are more durable than untreated floors. They aren’t as susceptible to moisture damage, chips, cracks, and accident.

Easier To Clean: These floors aren’t as easily stained, making spill clean up a breeze. Additionally, dirt doesn’t stick to the treated floors as easily, making it easier to sweep away dust, dirt, debris, and bugs. 

Aesthetic Appeal: Applying a garage floor coating makes a part of your home that may appear dingy look nicer. It gives the space a finished look.

Increased Property Value: By applying a garage floor coating, homeowners and home buyers are more likely to use the space. Its finished look makes it a more appealing space to spend time in, improving your home’s value. 

What Kind Of Garage Floor Coating Can I Get?

The garage floor coating you choose will be based on several things, including the desired level of customization and durability. There are several options available for your garage floor coating, including the following: 

Chip & Flake Coating: A chip & flake floor coating combines epoxy or Polyaspartic floor coatings with vinyl chip flakes. These floors can come in many different color variations and are a good option for someone looking for a little more customization than they are getting from other garage floor coating options. 

Epoxy Coating: Epoxy floor coatings are a resin that turns into a polymer, which makes it an incredibly durable floor coating option. Various finishes are available, including solid colors, marble, metallic, and chip flake, to allow you to customize your space just the way you’d like. This coating option, however, isn’t quite as durable and may need to be reapplied every 5 to 8 years. 

Polyaspartic Coating: Polyaspartic coatings are a newer option for floor coatings. It is a fast-curing, UV-stable coating option. They are an incredibly hard floor option, making them more damage-resistant and a great option for your garage floor. Because of their quick curing time, you can also get back into your regular garage use more quickly. 

Getting A Garage Floor Coating With Surface Bella

If you think it might be time to invest in a garage floor coating option for your garage, our team of experts at Surface Bella can help you choose the best option for your home. With years of experience and hundreds of happy customers, we’re confident that our team can create the garage of your dreams.

If you would like to speak to a Surface Bella expert about your garage floor coating options or would like to schedule an appointment, reach out to our team today. 

As summer begins, you may be thinking about sprucing up your garage. You may consider painting your garage floor to make this dingy part of your home more welcoming. It is a simple home improvement project that may significantly impact your feelings about this often-overlooked space.

But is this a worthwhile investment, or will you look back next summer and wish you’d installed a garage floor coating instead? When painting your garage floor, you must consider the pros and cons of this home improvement project. 

Garage Floor Paint Is A Less Expensive Option

The biggest benefit to painting your garage floor is the fact that it is a less expensive option than other flooring options. On average, a 500-square-foot two car garage may cost $900-$1800 to paint. Because of this, it might be a better option for someone who doesn’t have a great deal of money saved away for this home improvement project. It is a wonderful option if you are looking for a quick, less expensive improvement. 

Paint Helps Floors Resist Damage From Stains And Water

If you’ve dealt with damage to your garage floor from stains and water, painting your garage floor might be a good investment to make. If you’ve treated this damage and are looking for a way to prevent more damage from appearing, you may want to consider painting your garage floors. The right paint may provide your floors with a barrier, preventing stains and water from getting in. 

Paint Makes The Floor Easier To Clean

In addition to being an inexpensive option for refinishing your garage floors, painting your garage floors may also make cleaning the space easier. Because painted concrete is more resistant to stains and spills, it is often much easier to clean than untreated floors. Spills will often clean up off of the paint more easily and won’t get absorbed as quickly. If you often deal with spills on your garage floor that you struggle to clean, painting your garage floor may be a great option for you. 

There Are Many Colors To Choose From

Because your garage is an often-overlooked space, painting your garage floor a bright, fun color might make this space more appealing to you. Thankfully, there are many colors to choose from. Whether you’re trying to match the siding of your home or flooring inside or want to branch out and try something new, there are many options to choose from.   

They Wear And Tear More Quickly

One problem with painting your garage floor is the fact that it may wear and tear more quickly than other flooring options. Whether you’re parking your car in your garage, driving over the paint every day, or walking through the space regularly, the paint may begin to chip away more quickly. If you’re using harsh chemicals in your garage, it may also wear on the paint. Even with a good sealant, the paint may begin to flake away before you expect it to. 

They Need To Be Reapplied Frequently

Because these floors are more susceptible to wear and tear, you may have to reapply paint more frequently than you think. It doesn’t take long for paint that is frequently driven and walked over to begin to look dingy and dull. If you want to maintain a shiny, beautiful surface, you may end up painting your garage floors every year. If you are looking for a lower maintenance floor covering, paint might not be the option for you. 

Painting Entails More Than You Might Think

Painting your garage floor sounds like an easy home improvement project, but it may entail more than you think. Like any other painting project, you have to ensure the space is clean before you can begin applying paint. But the prep doesn’t end there. You also need to apply an etching solution to take care of salt deposits in the concrete and patch and seal any cracks and chips. This can become a time-consuming endeavor and might not be what you’ve prepared for. 

It Might Not Be A Good Option For Your Garage Or Workshop

If you spend a great deal of time in your garage and are using many harsh chemicals, painting your garage floor might not be the best option for you. If you’re using these chemicals often, it may have a larger impact on your paint than it is worth. If you don’t want to deal with the breakdown of your paint due to other projects, it might be worth looking into other flooring options for your garage floor. 

Choosing A Garage Floor Coating With Surface Bella

If you’re considering different garage floor coating options, including whether painting your garage floor is a good option for you, our experts at Surface Bella can help you make that decision. Our team is dedicated to creating beautiful floor coatings for the Greenville, South Carolina, community. No matter what floors you’re looking to treat, we have an option for you.

If you want to upgrade your garage floors and want to learn more about your options, contact us today.