Frequently Asked Questions

Using HomeGuide's national installed range of $4 to $10 per square foot, 1,500 square feet works out to about $6,000 to $15,000. A polyaspartic system at $5 to $12 per square foot would be about $7,500 to $18,000. Old coatings, crack repair and moisture work add to that, so we give a written price after seeing the floor.

At HomeGuide's $4 to $10 per square foot, 2,000 square feet comes to roughly $8,000 to $20,000. Floors that size are usually basements, shops or commercial spaces, and they vary a lot with slab condition and how heavy the use is. A commercial 100% solids system can run $12 or more per square foot according to HomeAdvisor.

Epoxy needs a dry, well-prepared slab, and it peels when moisture or oil is trapped underneath. Standard epoxy can take up to a week to fully cure, can yellow in sunlight without a UV-stable topcoat, and is slippery when wet unless flake or grit is added. Each of these is handled by prep and system choice, which is why we look at the slab first.

For a garage that takes road brine every winter, a well-bonded coating keeps salt out of the concrete and makes cleanup a squeegee job. It is not worth doing over a slab with active water coming through or a heaved section. We will tell you if that is your situation.

Sometimes. Every resin has a minimum slab and air temperature, and an unheated garage in January is often below it. We check the slab, may heat the space, and often choose a polyaspartic system for cold-season work. If conditions are not right, we schedule for a warmer stretch.

Usually the bond failed. Most kits rely on acid etching, which does not remove old sealers or weak, salt-damaged concrete, and thin water-based coatings may need recoating every 3 to 5 years according to HomeGuide. Hot tires then lift the film. Diamond grinding and a thicker system fix the underlying problem.

No. Wisconsin's Department of Health Services says about 1 in 10 homes in the state has high radon, which usually enters through the foundation. Sealing cracks and coating the slab is not a mitigation system. Test first with a $10 to $30 kit; if you need mitigation, it is easier to install before the floor is finished.

HomeGuide's national range for a 400 to 576 square foot garage is about $1,600 to $5,800 for epoxy and $2,000 to $6,900 for polyaspartic. Removing an old coating, repairing salt scaling and choosing full flake push the number up. We give you a written price after seeing the slab.

HomeGuide lists solid (100% solids) epoxy at 10 to 20 years and water-based coatings at 3 to 5 years. Prep, topcoat choice and how the floor is cared for in winter make the biggest difference.

A smooth gloss coating can be slick when wet. Full flake floors have built-in texture, and on solid-color floors we add an anti-slip aggregate to the topcoat.

No. Paint and old kit coatings are ground off first, because a new coating is only as strong as whatever it sits on. If a layer is already peeling, everything under it is suspect.

Yes, in most cases. The chips leave a slight texture, and we can add fine aggregate to the clear coat for more grip. A very thick, smooth topcoat reduces texture, so we set that balance with you.

Mid-tone blends of gray, tan and brown hide road grit and dried brine well. High-contrast black and white blends look crisp but show salt film sooner.

HomeGuide lists decorative flakes and custom colors as adding about $0.50 to $2.00 per square foot. On a two-car garage, that can mean a few hundred to roughly a thousand dollars over a solid color.

Only by putting a new base coat down to hold them. If the existing coating is well bonded, it can be sanded and recoated; if it is peeling, it has to come off.

It cures faster, handles UV better and is more flexible, according to HomeGuide's comparison. Epoxy builds more thickness per coat and costs a little less. Many floors use both: an epoxy base with a polyaspartic topcoat.

It tolerates a much wider temperature range than epoxy, which is why we use it for cold-season work. The slab still has to be dry and free of frost, so we check conditions and may heat the space first.

Bob Vila's guide says vehicles can usually return after about 24 hours. We confirm the time for your product and slab temperature.

It sets very fast, so it has to be mixed in small batches and spread within minutes. Mistakes cure in place. That short working time is why HomeGuide lists it as not DIY-friendly.

Often yes, if the dampness is vapor and not running water. We test the slab and use a moisture-tolerant primer where readings call for it. If water is coming in, the leak has to be fixed first.

HomeGuide lists $4 to $10 per square foot installed and about $1,200 to $20,000 for basements from 300 to 2,000 square feet. Moisture work, paint removal and repairs add to that.

The coating does not change the slab temperature much. It does seal dust and make rugs and mats easier to keep clean. Many people put area rugs in seating areas.

Yes. Wisconsin's health department estimates about 1 in 10 homes has high radon. It is easier to add a mitigation system before the floor is finished.

Bob Vila and This Old House both list metallic epoxy at about $5 to $12 per square foot. Moisture primers, repairs and complex designs move the total.

They are smooth and can be slick when wet. We add fine anti-slip aggregate to the topcoat in garages, entries and anywhere water is likely.

You choose the colors and the technique. The exact pattern forms by hand as the coating is worked, so each floor is unique and will differ from any sample.

It can be, with a UV-stable polyaspartic topcoat and slip grit. A flake floor hides winter grit and scratches better, so we talk through both.

HomeAdvisor lists commercial 100% solids coatings at about $12 or more per square foot, with high-traffic coatings adding 20% to 30%. Slab condition and phasing change the number.

Yes, with the right system. Forklift floors need a thick 100% solids coating over well-prepared concrete, and joints along the travel routes need to be repaired so wheels do not chip the edges.

Usually. We can work in sections, over weekends, or use fast-cure topcoats so areas return to service sooner. The plan is set in writing before we start.

Yes, if the slab is sound. Pole-building floors are often rough or cracked, so they need full grinding and repair first. The coating makes cleanup of chips and oil much easier.