Frequently Asked Questions

HomeGuide puts professionally installed epoxy at about $4 to $10 per square foot nationally, or $1,600 to $5,800 for a two-car garage. Polyaspartic runs about $5 to $12 per square foot. Old coatings, crack repair and the finish you pick move the total, so we give you a written price after seeing the floor.

For a garage you use every day, a well-bonded coating stops oil and stains from soaking in, ends concrete dust and makes the floor easy to hose or mop. HomeGuide gives solid epoxy a 10 to 20 year lifespan, against 3 to 5 years for water-based products. It is not worth coating a slab with water coming up through it; we tell you if that is the case.

Home Depot and Lowe's stores in Columbia and West Columbia sell DIY epoxy kits, and local search results show kits from about $300 to over $1,000. Kits usually rely on cleaning or etching, while a professional install starts with diamond grinding and a thicker system. If you want a store to arrange installation, ask that store directly.

A durable job needs a diamond grinder and vacuum, crack filler, a two-part base coat, flakes or pigment, and a clear topcoat, plus a moisture meter to test the slab first. Most of the cost difference between a kit and a professional floor is in the grinding equipment and the thickness of the resin.

Yes, with planning. High humidity and hot slabs shorten working time and can cause surface problems if moisture condenses. We check the dew point, start early in the day when needed and use products suited to the conditions.

A smooth gloss can be slick when wet, and Columbia gets a lot of summer rain. Flake floors have built-in texture, and we can add an anti-slip aggregate to the topcoat on any system.

Hot tire pickup usually happens with thin coatings over poorly prepared concrete. A ground surface and a thicker resin system with a proper topcoat bond much better. We also give you a parking time so the coating is fully cured before tires sit on it.

HomeGuide's national range is about $1,600 to $5,800 for epoxy and $2,000 to $6,900 for polyaspartic in a two-car garage. Removing an old coating, extra crack repair and the finish you choose move the price. We give you a written number after we see the floor.

If you use the garage every day, a bonded coating keeps oil and stains out of the concrete, stops dust and makes cleanup quick. HomeGuide lists solid epoxy at 10 to 20 years and water-based kits at 3 to 5. A slab with water coming up through it is a poor candidate, and we tell you if yours is one.

It depends on the system and temperature. HomeGuide says polyaspartic takes heavy vehicle traffic after 24 to 48 hours, while it advises waiting 2 to 7 days to drive on epoxy. We give you a specific time for your floor.

Usually the prep. Kits rely on cleaning or etching, which leaves weak surface concrete and sealers in place, and hot tires can then lift a thin coat. A ground surface and a thicker system bond much better.

Yes. We check the dew point and slab temperature, and if moisture could condense on the floor we adjust timing or product. Polyaspartic tolerates a wide range of humidity, according to HomeGuide.

Full-broadcast flake floors have a fine texture from the chips, so they grip better than a smooth gloss. We can add aggregate to the topcoat for more grip in garages and porches that get wet.

Yes, a full-broadcast floor in a mid-tone blend hides dust, pollen and light clay well between cleanings. Very light or very dark blends show more.

Most garages take one or two days depending on the system and the prep. Polyaspartic topcoats cure faster, and HomeGuide lists heavy vehicle traffic at 24 to 48 hours for polyaspartic.

Only if that coating is sound and fully bonded, which is uncommon with kits. In most cases we grind the old coating off so the new system bonds to the concrete.

It cures faster and resists UV yellowing better, according to HomeGuide, but it costs more and goes on thinner. On many floors the strongest choice is an epoxy base with a polyaspartic topcoat.

HomeGuide says residential polyaspartic floors can last 10 to 20 years or more when properly applied and maintained. Prep and how hard the floor is used make the biggest difference.

Yes. Its UV stability makes it a common choice for patios and pool decks. Outdoors we add texture for grip and pick lighter colors that stay cooler.

Often, yes. HomeGuide lists heavy vehicle traffic at 24 to 48 hours. Temperature and the exact product change that, so we give you a time for your floor.

Standard epoxy can yellow in sun and is slick when wet, so we rarely use it alone outside. For pool decks we use UV-stable polyaspartic with texture, or a light-colored spray-texture coating.

Dark coatings do. We recommend light colors and textured finishes, and HomeGuide notes that Kool Deck style coatings help lower surface temperatures.

HomeGuide's national range is about $1,500 to $6,000 for a 500 square foot deck and $2,700 to $10,800 for 900 square feet, depending on the finish. We price your deck after seeing it.

Small cracks are filled before coating. HomeGuide notes that cracks wider than 1/4 inch usually point to a structural issue, and we tell you if a slab needs repair first.

Bob Vila puts metallic epoxy at about $5 to $12 per square foot. Floor flattening, crack repair and extra layers raise the total, so we price from a visit.

It can be used, but it shows scratches and grit more than a flake floor. We usually suggest it for rooms with lighter traffic.

The gloss can be slick when wet. We can add an anti-slip additive to the topcoat in kitchens, bars and entries.

You choose colors and the style of movement, and we follow it, but every pour flows a little differently. That variation is part of the look.

HomeAdvisor lists commercial and industrial 100% solids coatings at $12 or more per square foot. Coating removal, joint work and phased scheduling change the total, so we quote after a site visit.

Often, yes. We phase the work, close one area at a time and can work nights or weekends.

It depends on the system and temperature. Fast-curing topcoats shorten the wait, and we put the return-to-service time for each area in writing.

Yes. Aisles, walkways, parking and hazard zones can be built into the coating in contrasting colors.