Garage Floor Paint Vs Epoxy Coating: Which Should You Choose?
The difference between Garage Floor Paint vs Epoxy Coatings is largely marketing. The names are meant to blend the concept of “Do It Yourself” (DIY) installment and painting with Professional Grade Epoxy Coating. Most people tend to interchange the names and use them as the same but they are quite different. These are one of the most commonly confusing industry terms. We can also term it “Garage Floor paint vs Epoxy” or “Garage Floor Epoxy vs Paint.
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What is Epoxy Paint (Garage Floor Paint)?
So, what is epoxy paint? Garage Floor paint (epoxy or not) is paint that is applied to a surface, or concrete floor, for an added layer of protection and durability. Similar to painting a wall at your home or business, paint is just paint.
“Epoxy Garage Floor paint” is also commonly referred to as “Epoxy Floor paint” or “Epoxy Paint” but the truth is, they are way too different when it comes to their properties. Epoxy floor paint is the term customers began to demand through their buying power. They are also termed “Epoxy paint for concrete” or “Epoxy Based Paint”.
The paint industry began to comply with the many web and home improvement store searches by having the product name “epoxy floor paint” easily locatable. They started to sell normal paint as “Epoxy paint for concrete floor”. A floor paint may or may not even have epoxy in them.
Epoxy Floor paint(Garage Floor Paint) is typically made of latex acrylic, however, a tiny quantity of epoxy may be added to the mix depending on the product. When the epoxy is present, the paint binds better to the concrete surface and the surface becomes more durable.
When the epoxy isn’t added to the paint recipe, it scrapes and cracks with time, especially in high-traffic areas. Staining is a problem with epoxy paint, but not with epoxy coatings. So, this is all about what epoxy paint is.
Epoxy Coating
Epoxy Floor coatings are made up of two parts: a polyamine hardener and an epoxy resin. Unlike epoxy paint, which comes in one portion and is ready to use, a skilled installer should first combine the two ingredients before applying the coating. The resulting plastic is hard and resistant to environmental degradation such as air, water, soil, or chemicals, as well as wear and strain.
Marketers often tend to add the term “Epoxy” to normal garage floor paint because of the popularity of Epoxy coatings. Unlike, floor paints, epoxy is highly durable and can withstand heavy foot traffic. Epoxy Floor coatings provide chemical resistance, heat resistance, and spill and stain resistance whereas epoxy paint doesn’t provide any.
Individuals who hope to recreate the stellar appearance of industrial, professional quality Epoxy Coating on their own, by applying paint, will usually be disappointed in the result. Many people purchase such paints falsely thinking they will be as effective.
Different Types of Epoxy Coatings
There are various types of Epoxy Coatings on the market. They are:
- Self-dispersing Epoxy Flooring
- Self-leveling Epoxy Flooring
- Mortar Coating Floor Epoxy
- Gravel Coating Floor Epoxy
- Terrazzo Coating Floor Epoxy
- Antistatic Coating Floor Epoxy
- Vapor Barrier Epoxy Coating
- Epoxy Flaked Floor Coatings
- Quartz Epoxy Floors
- 100% Solids Epoxy
- Waterborne Epoxy
- Solvent-Based Epoxy
Garage Floor Paint vs Epoxy Coating: Is It Better to Paint or Epoxy Garage Floor
There are a lot of differences between Garage floor paint and Epoxy Coating despite having a few similarities. This has created mass confusion among the general public. Here, we are going to point out the differences between Garage floor paint and Epoxy Coatings based on various factors:
Epoxy Garage Floor Paint Vs Epoxy Coating: Installation Process
The installation process between these two is very different. The epoxy paint can be easily installed on your concrete garage floor without any prior experience or expertise. It is just the same as applying paint on a wall but just the same on the floor. You will only need some basic tools such as a paintbrush and paint rollers to get the job done. Even without expertise, you can pull off a pretty decent outcome.
Whereas on the other hand, The installation of Epoxy coating is a rather complicated process. It has to be carried out by a team of experts with complicated tools and precision. The process usually lasts for 2-3 days including the curing time. It involves cleaning, concrete floor prepping, applying epoxy coatings, letting it dry and other steps. Many people try to DIY Epoxy garage floor on their own but do not get the desired results. So, it is recommended to get help from a professional epoxy flooring company. So, this is the difference between painting garage floor vs epoxy coating a garage floor.
Epoxy Garage Floor Paint Vs Epoxy Coating: Durability
Between painting a garage floor and epoxy coating, epoxy floor coating is the clear winner regarding durability. Epoxy coatings are famous for their durability. Epoxy coatings are made up of epoxy resin and hardener which makes them super strong and durable. They are designed for situations and surroundings that receive excessive foot traffic and have to withstand immense loads and shocks. Hence, they must have super durability and strength. Garage floor with Epoxy coatings, if properly maintained, can last up to 15-20 years.
Whereas, Epoxy floor paint on the other hand is just simply a paint and does not offer much durability. Paint is designed for walls that do not have to face foot traffic but when it is applied on the floors, it cannot withstand such traffic and hence gives up. Just in a short time, paint starts to peel off and wear out. It isn’t strong and offers no durability. Hence, Epoxy coating is the best option for garage floors when you consider durability.
Epoxy Garage Floor Paint Vs Epoxy Coating: Cost
There is also a difference in installation cost between epoxy paint vs epoxy coating. Epoxy floor paints are considerably cheaper than Epoxy coating. The paint comes on a very small budget and you can easily apply it yourself so it can be installed and used at a very low cost. Whereas on the other hand, Epoxy coatings are expensive compared to epoxy paint. And since you cannot really install it yourself, you will need to hire an epoxy flooring company or flooring contractors to get the job done which is only going to add up the cost.
But if you consider other factors such as maintenance costs, durability, re-installations, and other factors: Epoxy coatings are a cheaper investment than epoxy floor paint. With Epoxy coatings, you can apply it once and be stress-free for the next decade or two. But with garage floor paint, you will need to re-paint them very frequently which ultimately makes them more expensive. So, Epoxy coatings may seem expensive at first but it is more like a long-term investment that provides value for money.
Epoxy Garage Floor Paint Vs Epoxy Coating: Resistance
When it comes to resistance, there is a vast difference between garage floor paint and epoxy coating. One of the main benefits of epoxy coatings is that they are super resistant. They are made from resin and hardeners and are non-porous substances that make them resistant to water. They are also resistant to stains, heat, UV, Sunlight, and shocks.
On the other hand, epoxy paint is resistant to stains. Some waterproof paints are resistant to stain and stains can be easily wiped off the surface with some wet cloth. Paints are also resistant to UV and sunlight. The paint doesn’t do very well with heat and shocks. Exposure to heat leads to peeling off of paint.
Epoxy Garage Floor Paint Vs Epoxy Coating: Curing/Drying time
Between painting a garage floor and epoxy coating, paints dry quickly. They usually take a few hours to properly dry and can be walkable within around 5-6 hours. So, we can say it’s a pretty easy installation and a quick dry time.
Epoxy floor coatings on the other hand do not dry like paint, they cure. It undergoes a reaction and the curing time is rather long compared to the drying time of the paint. Epoxy coatings take up to 2-3 days for them to cure properly for people to be able to walk on them. And it takes even longer(around 6-7 days) for it to cure properly to be able to drive on top of them. The drying of Epoxy coatings takes place in generally 3 steps. The steps are the Liquid stage, the Gel stage, and finally the Solid stage. Hence, epoxy coatings aren’t as quick to be able to be used.
Also Read: Epoxy vs Polyurethane Floor Coating
Conclusion: Epoxy Coating Is Better Than Garage Floor Paint
So overall, we can come to a conclusion that the epoxy coating is a better option than epoxy garage floor paint(epoxy floor paint) because of its durability, resistance, its life span, and its value for money.
Consider Epoxy Floor Coating (Garage Floor Epoxy) as a process rather than a product. A high-quality epoxy flooring requires a multilayered application procedure that takes three days and is functional after seven days. Professionally developed and fitted, it guarantees a tried and proven, appealing, and detailed look!
This is due to its step-by-step procedure and the fact that it is one of the best methods to increase the value of your property, renovate, and rebuild your garage or area. It is also utilitarian in nature. Because it is not paint, it is resistant to spills, dampness, and heavy industrial materials.
Genuine epoxy floor coating is a remedy that does not dry like paint but hardens to form a lot more lasting flooring fixture. Epoxy flooring can be resin colored or placed as a clear coating. Because the thickness of the flooring affects its endurance, Best Coast Epoxy employs 100 percent solids.
I have shown you the clear differences between Garage Floor Paint vs Epoxy Coatings. Now, I hope you know which to choose between epoxy paint and epoxy coating. Contact us today to speak to our professional team about an epoxy coating in your space.
Frequently Asked Questions
The key difference between epoxy and regular paint is that when epoxy is involved, the paint adheres more better to the concrete surface, making it more durable. A normal acrylic paint without epoxy can peel and flake with time, especially in high-traffic areas.
It is not necessary to remove existing paint from a concrete floor before applying epoxy paints. As a result, painting the floor is much easier and safer than painting plain concrete. Instead of employing acid to etch the surface, a simple sanding will be enough.
Alkali is present in concrete and may be pulled to the surface by water. The alkali leaves a crystalline material called efflorescence as the water evaporates, which presses against the paint coat and causes peeling.
Genuine epoxy coatings are used in professional epoxy coating kits. They preserve your floors for longer since they’re generally many times thicker than DIY shop kits. They’re also more durable, lasting up to four times longer than paints in certain circumstances.
Epoxy Paint comes on a low budget and can be easily applied without any help from professionals. It dries very quickly and can be walkable on the painted surface within 5-6 hours.
Epoxy Coating is a better option than floor paint because of its durability, resistance, its life span, and its value for money.
Epoxy paint is cheaper than epoxy coating. However, the durability of epoxy paint is lower than that of epoxy coating.
No, garage floor paint doesn’t last longer than epoxy floor coating. Epoxy floor coating lasts up to 15-20 years, whereas epoxy paint lasts 5-10 years.
Author
Ryan Pepple
My name is Ryan Pepple and I am the founder/president of Best Coast Epoxy Coatings Inc. I do all the residential jobs myself and use a crew to complete commercial jobs. You can call the number mentioned on the site to talk to me.
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Author
Ryan Pepple
My name is Ryan Pepple and I am the founder/president of Best Coast Epoxy Coatings Inc. I do all the residential jobs myself and use a crew to complete commercial jobs. You can call the number mentioned on the site to talk to me.