That’s pretty standard for a garage, so don’t feel too bad about yourself, but there’s solutions for that nowadays so you may want to jump on board.
Most concrete garage floors start deteriorating within a few years and just get worse. Epoxy flooring actually fixes this rather than covering it temporarily.
Companies like PM Industries specialise in epoxy floor coatings and honestly, once you see a properly done epoxy floor compared to bare concrete, hard to go back.
You may think concrete is the hardest material you can use but its actually porous and vulnerable.
Moisture, chemicals, abrasion, they all take their toll and concrete keeps degrading. Epoxy creates a protective layer way more durable than the concrete underneath.
Why garage floors fall apart
Don’t get me wrong concrete is really hard, and you definitely don’t want a piece of it flying at your head. However, it has its weaknesses. Its porous, which means liquids soak in. Oil, chemicals, water, they all penetrate and cause damage from inside. That’s why you get those dark stains never coming out and why cracks spread.
The tiny little holes all over it absorbs things, so if you have an oil spill then best believe its going to get sucked right up and remind you about it every day.
The cycles of temperature also places stress onto it. It gets hot during the day and cold at night. The changes in temperature cause the floor to expand and contract over and over. It eventually develops cracks. Once you’ve got cracks water gets in and they keep spreading.
Vehicle weight concentrates loads on small tyre patches. Driving in and out, turning, parking creates stress points.
Moisture from underneath’s sneaky. No proper barrier under the slab means ground moisture wicks up through concrete.
What epoxy actually is
Epoxy floor coatings are two part resin system that bonds to concrete and creates hard protective surface.
Key thing is proper epoxy needs proper concrete prep. You cant just roll it over dirty oily cracked concrete. The surface has to be clean and ready for proper bonding. This prep’s actually more important than the epoxy itself.
Epoxy floors can be clear, coloured or have decorative flake or metallic finishes. Clear shows concrete underneath but protects it. If you choose coloured it tends to hide imperfections better.
Flake systems also have coloured chips throughout the epoxy to add texture and patterns. Metallic flakes look classy and expensive and look great in hotels or fancy showrooms.
Why it matters
Epoxy flooring is super durable. It can last 10-20 years in garages, sometimes longer. It can handle vehicle traffic, dropped tools, chemical spills, all the garage abuse.
Chemical resistance means oil, brake fluid, antifreeze don’t stain or damage like they do concrete. Spills sit on top, wipe them up, no permanent damage. So if you love working on cars and seem to always have a car project, then this makes perfect sense for you.
Cleaning is underrated. You may be used to cleaning concrete, but epoxy is very different. And much easier. Epoxy just needs sweeping and occasional mopping. Dirt doesn’t grind in, oil washes off, no more concrete dust constantly. Garage actually stays cleaner with way less effort.
You may not use your garage for cars, but rather a home gym or a space you genuinely use for hobbies or activities. That means the appearance actually matters to you.
Even basic epoxy makes garage look way more finished. If you’re using garage as workshop, home gym or just want it decent, epoxy transforms the space. Some decorative finishes look genuinely impressive.
Moisture barrier properties help prevent moisture issues. Epoxy floors seal in the surface of concrete which stops the moisture from underneath causing issues too.
Installation process
Prepping the concrete is arguable just as important as the pour. Concrete needs grinding or shot blasting to remove existing coatings, contamination, create right surface profile. This ends up causing big mess in itself, it makes heaps of noise and dust, plus takes about a day or two.
Repairing cracks and leveling after grinding is next. The cracks get filled with epoxy so they don’t get any bigger, expansion joints get filled or left depending.
Damaged areas need cutting out and patching. Skip this and problems show through or cause adhesion failures.
Cleaning and drying has to be thorough. You need to ensure the surface is clean and dry before any pouring.
Primer application gives epoxy something to bond to which helps with minor porosity issues. Its generally not always needed but its recommended especially if your concrete is older or has more marks.
Main epoxy application is the quick bit relatively. Mix resin and hardener, roll on, work into surface, maintain wet edge so you don’t get lines. Depending on system might be one thick coat or multiple thinner ones.
Then you can add in your personal touches like flakes and metallic details.
Topcoat or sealer goes over epoxy for extra protection and final finish. Can be same epoxy, polyurethane, or specialty sealer. This top layer takes actual wear so good topcoat extends overall life.
Making the call
If garage floor’s deteriorating, stained, cracked, looking rough, epoxy coating’s probably best long-term solution. Initial cost’s significant but spread over 10-15 years it’s reasonable, and improved usability and appearance worth something.
If garage is mainly storage and you’re not bothered by appearance, maybe just seal concrete and live with it. Epoxy’s benefits shine when you actually use the space regularly and or care what the space looks like.
Ask about warranty, most professional installations come with warranty period. And if the installer knows you’re ready to follow up if something isn’t up to your standard, chances are that they might take extra care when doing your pour so they avoid coming back.
For workshops or if you actually use garage for working on vehicles, epoxy makes even more sense as you’re always in there and need something durable and chemical resistance. Chemical resistance and easy cleaning save so much hassle.