Is It Worth It To Epoxy a Garage Floor – Pros, Cons & Cost

Cost – $0.74 per square foot plus the cost of any tools you may need if you do it yourself or between $3 to $12 if you hire a professional company to do this for you.

An epoxy-coated garage floor will give an aesthetically pleasing look, prevent cracks and staining and make it easier to clean up messes. However, epoxy can give off a lot of fumes when applied and the floor must be very clean before applying.

To learn more about the cost, pros and cons, and what the process is like keep reading.

What is the Average Cost to Epoxy a Garage Floor

The average cost to epoxy a garage floor depends on how you do it (DIY or Hire Professionals), the conditions of the current floor, and how big the space is overall.

Overall, epoxying your garage floor will cost between $1 to $12 a square foot depending on whether you do this yourself or not. In this section, I will break all 3 of these areas down for you.

DIY or Hiring Professionals – Which is Better

Before you start this project you need to consider if you want to tackle this project on your own or hire a professional to do this for you.

A professional will cost more but they have the added benefit that they know what they are doing versus you who may or may not have done this before. They have the right tools for the job and know how to get the best results.

If you plan to do this yourself you’ll be able to save a lot of money and if you’re well versed in doing DIY projects like this you shouldn’t have a problem. If you’ve never done something like this don’t be misled that this is easy.

This project will take at least 2 to 4 days to do and will require a lot of patience and time. If these are not skills you have then consider at least getting a quote from a few different companies to see how much it will actually cost you.

Floor Condition

Next, if the floor is not in perfect condition you will be spending a lot of time cleaning, scrubbing, and patching just to get the floor to a place where you can apply the epoxy.

This is what will likely take the majority of time to complete the job. If your floor has a previous coating on it you will need to remove this by grinding it off or applying a special primer to help cover this up.

As a result, this could add more to the cost in this situation. If the floor is fairly clean then it will save you some time and cost.

Floor Size

Finally, the size of your garage will factor into this cost as well. If you have a one-car garage the cost will be cheaper than if you have a 2.5 car garage.

Below are some general costs to do a 1 car to a 3 car garage.

Average Cost to Epoxy	DIY	Pro
1 car garage 250 sq. ft	$250 to $750	$1000 to $3000
2 car garage 500 sq ft.	$500 to $1500	$2000 to $6000
2.5 car garage 750 sq ft.	$750 to $3000	$3000 to $9000
3 car garage 1000 sq ft.	$1000 to $3000	$4000 to $12,000

What Are the Advantages & Disadvantages of Epoxy Flooring

If you’re not sure if putting epoxy on your garage floor is right for you here are a few things to think about.

Advantages

Great Looking Floor. Whether you plan to keep a certain particular car in your garage or want to use the space for parties and family get-togethers it will definitely make your garage floor shine.

Prevents Staining. Next water and oil on your floor will be no match for the epoxy. It will prevent staining on the floor due since it will fill in the pores of the concrete.

Easy Clean-Up. As a result, this will also make floor clean-ups a lot easier as well. No more oil dry and sweeping will be a lot easier since the dirt has no way to engrain itself to the floor.

Resist Floor Cracking. Finally, the epoxy will also coat the floor and help prevent floor cracking and chipping. This is because the epoxy will actually harden the floor.

Disadvantages

Fumes. Epoxy will have a lot of strong fumes when you first put it down and you will want a well-ventilated area. Try to do it on a nice day out where you can keep the garage door open to keep a breeze going to keep the fumes from building up.

Floor Must Be Clean. Before you lay down the epoxy you will want the floor as clean as possible. There is an exact process you much follow to do this but if you don’t the epoxy won’t adhere as well.

Epoxy Can Be Expensive. Epoxy itself can cost upward of $100 per gallon or more. This doesn’t even include the cleaners and clear coats. At the end of this article, I can show where to buy epoxy and get the best deal.

Doesn’t Last Forever. Finally, just because you put epoxy on your garage floor doesn’t mean it will last forever. High traffic areas will show their wear and tear and will need continued maintenance.

How Long Does Epoxy Last On Your Garage Floor

The amount of time the epoxy will last depends on 3 major factors, how clean the floor was before it was applied, the elements floor is in on a regular basis, and if the floor receives any continued maintenance.

How Clean Was the Floor. If you just swept the floor and washed it out with a garden hose then you didn’t get it near clean enough. You also need to remove any loose debris, use cleaning solutions, and etch the floor to get a better bond.

Conditions of the Floor. Next, what elements are the floor in on a regular basis? Does it get a lot of foot traffic, rain, snow, or road salt on it? These things will break down the epoxy over time and cause wear off.

Continued Maintenance. Finally, to keep your floor looking nice you will need to do some basic maintenance from washing it regularly to applying a fresh clear coat on top to keep it looking nice.

If you follow these 3 points the epoxy floor can last as long as you want but if you don’t do any of these the lifespan of the epoxy won’t be as long.

What Is the Process to Epoxy a Garage Floor

Now that you have an idea of the pros, cons, and cost you might be wondering what is the process like to epoxy your garage floor.

1. Check for Moisture

First, you need to check to make sure there is no moisture on your garage floor. Sometimes moisture isn’t visible on the surface of the floor so before you start you need to do a simple test to see if you have moisture in your garage floor.

To do this tape down a small patch of plastic sheeting or vapor barrier to the garage floor. Then leave it for 24 hours. After that peal up the plastic, if there is any moisture you will need to apply a concrete moisture sealant like Rust-Oleum Concrete Moisture Stop Fortifying Sealer.

You will apply the sealer once you’ve cleaned the garage floor in step 2.

2. Clean the Garage

Next, you will need to clean out your garage in order to get the floor ready.

• Start by removing everything out of your garage. Remember this will take roughly 2 to 4 days to complete.
• Once everything is removed sweep out the garage to get all the large debris and dust.
• Use a wire brush to remove any grease and dirt stains.
• Next use the Rust-Oleum Cleaner and Degreaser by mixing 1 gallon of the cleaner with 1 gallon of water.
• Pour the solution on small areas of the floor and work it in with a brush. Do this until the floor is completely done.
• Then wash it out with a garden hose and use a long handled squeegee to get all of the remaining water out.

3. Etch the Floor

Next, get the etching powder out of the epoxy floor kit. Mix with 2 gallons of water. Also, make sure the floor is just wet before you start pouring the etching solution. The floor will need to stay this way for the entirety of the etching process.

Pour the solution into 10-foot by 10-foot areas and work it in with a scrub brush. Then rinse the area before doing the next section. Repeat this until the floor has been completely done.

Finally, rinse the entire one more time to get the remaining solution off the floor and squeegee any remaining water off the floor. Then let it dry for 24 hours.

4. Patch & Repair Concrete

Once the floor is clean you will want to patch and repair any cracks, and holes. This will also help give your garage a smooth floor.

I recommend using Rust-Oleum Concrete Patch. You may also need a putty knife and something like an old piece of cardboard to help you mix the solution.

Side Note: Once these two solutions are mixed together you will have a limited time to use them before it starts to harden depending on the air temperature. So make sure you do this all at one time. Drys in roughly 8 hours.

If you have a previous floor coating then you may want to apply a primer coat first before applying the epoxy coat.

To do this use the Rock Solid RUST-OLEUM Concentrate Floor Primer first before applying the epoxy. You will want to let this dry for 12 hours before moving on.

5. Apply the Epoxy Floor Coating

Now that your floor is clean and the patch and repair have had time to dry it’s time to apply the floor epoxy. For this, I recommend using Rust-oleum Epoxyshield Professional Semi-Gloss Floor Coating Kit.

Side Note: Make sure you have all of your tools ready as the epoxy has to be used once it is mixed together.

Here are some basic steps to follow.

• Mix the epoxies seperately and then roll part B into part A to break the inner seal and mix the two liquids together.
• Next you will need to let the epoxy sit to achieve the proper induction time. Follow the directions on the product you are using. Don’t cut open the bag until you’ve met this time limit.
• Cut a corner of the bag and pour the mixed liquid into a paint tray for easy use.
• Using a small paint brush do the perimeter of the wall in 4′ by 4′ sections
• Next use a long handled paint roller and finish the first 4′ by 4′ section
• As each 4′ by 4′ section is complete add the decrative color chips by throwing small handfuls of them over the area.
• Continue this process starting in the back of the garage and working your way to the front till the floor is completely done.
• Finally, let it dry for 24 hours

6. Appy the Clear Coat

The final step is to apply the clear coat. This Rust-Oleum Clear EpoxyShield Premium Clear Coating is the one I recommend using. Here are some basic steps to help you complete this.

• First mix the 2 part solution bag seprately.
• Lay the bag on the floor and roll part A into part B. This will break the seal in the center of the bag mixing the solution. Thoughly mix the solution together.
• Cut the corner of the pouch and pour it into a clean bucket.
• Next, add the antiskid additive to the clear coat and mix thourghly. The antiskid additive create an antislip floor that will give you more traction when walking on floor while its wet.
• Now dump the mixture into a new paint tray.
• Trim in the edges in 4′ by 4′ sections.
• Use a long handled roller to apply each section.
• Continue this process working from the back of the garage to front until the floor is done.
• Finally, let the floor dry. You can have light foot traffic in 10 hours, heavy foot traffic in 24 hours, vehicles in 3 days or for a full cure in 7 days

Does Epoxy Increase Your Homes Value

Overall having a garage floor with an epoxy coating will not drive up your home value, at least not by a large amount.

Home values typically go up based on things like the number of bedrooms, square footage of the home, and location of the home. These things usually drive up the cost.

However, having an epoxy coating on your garage floor may be more likely to impress buyers and help make the sale faster.

Think of it this way, if the garage looks this good then what does the rest of the house look like?

This may pique their interest and drive more curiosity to the buyers and make the sale faster in the end.

Can You Epoxy Your Garage Floor in the Winter

It is possible to epoxy a garage floor in the winter but I don’t suggest it. There are going to be a few problems with this.

Floor Temperature

The floor cannot be too cold when it comes to applying epoxy to concrete. Typically you don’t want to go any lower than 50 to 55 degrees. Any colder and the epoxy may not bond correctly to the floor.

The only way you could do this is if your garage is temperature-controlled and you can keep it at a consistent temperature at all times. If you can’t then wait till you have more favorable weather.

Fumes

The second problem is the fumes the epoxy will give off. These fumes can be rather strong at times and are recommended that you have decent ventilation while doing this.

In most cases, this means you should have the garage doors open. If you live in a colder climate area then you may want to reevaluate this and wait till the temperatures are more favorable.

Are Epoxy Garage Floors Slippery

An epoxy garage floor can be slippery especially if you only apply just the epoxy and nothing else. This happens because the epoxy will fill in all the cracks and crevises creating a flat and smooth surface.

There are a couple of ways you can avoid this though.

Add a Clear Coat. If you decide to do this yourself you may want to add the clear coat. The Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield Premium Clear Coating comes with an antiskid powder that you can mix in with the clear coat that will give you more traction especially when the floor is wet.

Talk to a Professional. Your second option is to talk to a professional and see what they might be able to use as a solution. Often time they may have something similar. or even better.

Should You Paint or Epoxy Your Garage Floor

Painting a floor only covers the surface but it does not engrain itself into the surface as the epoxy will.

Over time the paint will wear and flake off since it does not bond to the concrete. Paint won’t make your concrete strong and it won’t prevent cracking like an epoxy will.

What is Better Than Epoxy for Garage Floors

Polycuramine is up to 20x stronger than epoxy and is used for more industrial floors but it can also be used on residential garage and shop floors as well.

The Rust-Oleum Rocksolid Polycuramine Garage Floor Coating is the best option if you plan to go this route.

Where to Buy Garage Floor Epoxy

Below is a list of the products I’ve mentioned in this article from Amazon. I am an affiliate of Amazon but you can also find these products at many of your local retailers as well.

Rock Solid RUST-OLEUM Concentrate Floor Primer – This primer is intended to be used if you already have a previous coating on the floor. This will save costs from having to grind off the previous coating. 1 gallon will do approximately 400 sq. ft.

Rust-Oleum Concrete Moisture Stop Fortifying Sealer – If you’re garage floor is sweating or retaining moisture then you want to put this down first after you clean your garage floor. This 1-gallon jug will do 200 square feet of space. This does not come with the floor epoxy kit.

Rust-Oleum Concrete Patch – If you have cracks or chips in your concrete this patch will help fill in those spots and give a smooth finished look. This does not come with the floor epoxy kit. Contains 24 oz.

Rust-Oleum Cleaner and Degreaser – This cleaner/degreaser is used to help get the floor clean. This does not come with the floor epoxy kit and is recommended to get the floor clean. This 1-gallon jug will do up to 200 square feet.

Rust-oleum Epoxyshield Professional Semi-Gloss Floor Coating Kit – This is the kit that contains the epoxy and etching solution. This is a 2-gallon kit and will do between 300 and 400 square foot space.

Rust-Oleum Clear EpoxyShield Premium Clear Coating – If you want to go the extra step to protect your epoxy-covered floor this clear coat solution will do just that. This 1-gallon jug will do up to 500 square feet on painted surfaces and 250 square feet on concrete surfaces.