Earlier, we published an article on the differences of surface preparation by a professional floor coatings company vs. a Do-It-Yourself homeowner, painter, or general contractor. In this article, STRONGHOLD FLOORS will expand on the differences between professional and DIY floor coatings with respect to the materials and subsequent maintenance.
The Materials
Many paints and epoxies are available for garage floors, but they won't hold up under the wear and tear of hot tires and chemicals that are bound to test the durability of your coatings. The coatings found in DIY epoxy paint kits are actually quite inferior to the products used by professional coatings installers, like STRONGHOLD FLOORS.
See 5 Things to Consider Before You DIY Concrete Floor Coatings for more information on DIY coatings.
Professionals use a coating system that is made from industrial grade, high solids epoxies, chemical resistant urethanes, polyaspartics, and polyurea. Conversely, the substance found in a DIY epoxy paint kit is more like a fortified latex paint. It just won't hold up over time to the general wear and tear experienced in a residential garage.
Read What Makes a Professional Garage Floor Coating Last? to learn more on why professional garage floor coatings are so durable.
The garage floor coatings STRONGHOLD FLOORS applies in your home are true, industrial-strength epoxy (for the first layer) and polyaspartic polyurethane (for the top coat) – not paint that’s been fortified with epoxy resin. Our garage coatings are the same coatings we’ve used in airplane hangars, heavy trucking facilities, and fire stations. If it can hold up to those heavy vehicles, it can certainly handle anything you drive on it.
Coatings Layers
A professional coating system will feature multiple layers. The first layer – the “base coat” – is designed for high adhesion to the concrete and may also be the binder for decorative chips or quartz (which provides additional anti-skid protection).
The second layer – the “top coat” – is a clear coating. It's formulated for UV stability, abrasion resistance, and high chemical resistance. This special hybrid urethane coating provides tremendous protection against scratches, chips, and stains. It keeps the coating looking good year after year, ensuring that it doesn't discolor from exposure to direct sunlight, weather, and chemicals.
Maintenance Required
Unless you never use your garage floor, your DIY garage floor coating will chip and peel. This means year after year you’ll spend a weekend patching your garage floor paint.
Unfortunately, the patching actually compounds the potential for problems down the road. Reapplying a coating on top of existing DIY coatings will only increase the probability of chipping or peeling again, because the top-most layer won't stick as well as the layer applied directly on top of the concrete.
In additional to maintenance problems, DIY coatings will never look as good as professional floor coatings.
The bottom line is this: a DIY epoxy paint kit will never adhere to the concrete like a professional epoxy coating. The product will only coat the top, just like any paint would. The maintenance of DIY coatings is a tireless, endless cycle.
Meanwhile, because a professional coating is properly prepared, is built on a strong epoxy, and has a scratch-resistant clear coat, it's going to last. It will hold up well against normal vehicle traffic and use. Sweeping stones and other road debris on a regular basis will greatly extend the life and sheen of your coating system. In fact, the only “call back” you may want to consider is rejuvenating the shine and protection by applying a new clear top coat every 12 to 15 years.
Read the complete comparison chart below to compare and contrast DIY floor coatings against our professionally installed coatings. If you think you're ready to begin your floor coatings project, start by requesting a free quote today!
DIY Garage Floor Coating Kit vs. STRONGHOLD FLOORS' Garage Coatings
As President & Business Development Manager of STRONGHOLD FLOORS, Mike works with his teams and sales partners in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, providing both great coatings and coatings education to the residential & commercial public.
