Installing an epoxy floor coating can add a significant amount of value and elegance to your property. Epoxy concrete coating flooring systems are durable, and manufactured to withstand the wear and tears of the most extreme environments.
Once you have decided to apply epoxy concrete floor coatings to your home, you now face two major options: hire a professional installer or go the DIY route.
But while installing epoxy coating by yourself can help you save money at the initial stage, there are chances you may not get it right. Not only does a haphazardly installed epoxy floor coating mess with the appearance of your floor, it also reduces its durability.
Here are a few things to consider before making your decision:
Products Available
There are many epoxy flooring products on the market, of varying costs and degree of effectiveness. Some of these products boast one step application. On many occasions, these claims are very misleading, leaving property owners with poorly done floors that won’t stand the test of time.
Other epoxy floor coating products include multiple steps that give you a long lasting floor. However, these products cost more money and time. As a result, many DIYers often settle for faster and cheaper products which hardly serve their purpose.
Preparation & Application
Applying a DIY epoxy floor coating product is not always as easy as many manufacturers make it appear. The first and the most crucial step in epoxy floor system installation is to prepare the floor for the coting. Professional epoxy floor coating installers use tools such as a diamond grinder to mechanically clean and abrade the floor.
For homeowners who do not own a diamond grinder, an acid wash can be used as an alternative to the mechanical grinding method. However, a lot of DIY kits come with a dilute acid solution. This method does not open the concrete pores to the same extent as the diamond grinder. As a result, the DIY epoxy will peel away within a year or two after installation.
Appearance
While DIY epoxy coating kits look great after application, homeowners are often faced with limited design options. The common choices are solid color or a solid color with some appearance of vinyl flakes. Although the flakes add elegance, its primary purpose is to hide imperfections in the epoxy as bubbles, pinholes or roller marks are inevitable.
However, professionally installed epoxy coatings offer a vast variety of design options for higher interest and more appealing appearance. Some of the options you can get include a full spread of colored quartz aggregate, a marbled epoxy floor, a full spread of vinyl chips, and more.
Durability
As each year passes, you are likely to notice blemishes such as peeling, flaking or cracking in your DIY project. Also, the gloss finish may become dim or turn yellow due to the impact of the sun. Because of this, homeowners are forced to re-coat their floor only a few years down the line.
Meanwhile, a professionally installed coating lasts for a long time with every peeling, flaking or cracking. Although scratches may happen from daily use, the presence of vinyl or quartz render the scratches unnoticeable.
Why Choose Professional Epoxy Coating Installation Service over DIY?
If you are like most homeowners, your motivation for choosing epoxy floor coating is inspired by the promise of elegance, durability and cost-effectiveness. The epoxy coating used by professional contractors is typically a 2:1 mix epoxy coating and a hardener, with both parts being 100 percent solids.
Most DIY kits, on the other hand, come with epoxy paints that contain up to 50 percent water which is less strong than 100 percent solid solutions. Professionals often use a polyaspartic top coat to make the surface harder and more abrasion and chemical resistant than the epoxy itself.
Professionally installed coating is a more cost-effective option and is likely to last 5-7 times longer than the DIY epoxy solution.
If you are looking for a professional epoxy coating installer in Atlanta, GA, turn to the experts at BadAss Garage Floors. Bad Ass Garage Floors offers all types of flooring, and are available to help with your epoxy projects.
To learn more about the benefits of epoxy floor coating, contact BadAss Garage Floors office by phone at (678) 713-4348 or visit their official website for a free quote.
