Joseph making sure every inch of the floor is perfect.
This week we had the privilege of working on a garage in Wilmington, North Carolina. The customer opted for an epoxy-chip flooring system, a fairly popular option for garage floors.
Epoxy is generally considered to be one of the best flooring options for garages, and there are lots of reasons for this. First, let’s be clear: epoxy is very different from paint garage floor finishes. While paint is usually a latex acrylic product, epoxy is a type of resin made by combining one part epoxide resin with one part polyamine hardener. It’s the chemical reaction that happens when these products are combined that helps make epoxy much more durable than regular paint or epoxy garage paint. And we mean MUCH more durable.
Epoxy systems are resilient against chemicals, surface scratches, staining, impacts, and will last for years without chipping or eroding away, even in garages. This makes epoxy ideal for all of the tire wear, fluid spillage, hardware storage, teenage-damage that garage floors can typically experience. It is also moisture resistant, making this an excellent pick for areas with lots of snow and rain, and especially good for the beachside house we installed this epoxy system in.
Epoxy floor coatings is a relatively thick coating. This contributes to durability, of course, but also is key if you happen to be refinishing an older concrete slab. Because of the thickness, minor imperfections and flaws within the concrete can typically be covered without having to shell out extra cash for repairs. This also helps to minimize dust production that can sometimes happen over years with an exposed concrete floor.
Some customers do have concerns about how slip-resistant epoxy flooring is. While epoxy itself is rather slip-resistant, there are things that can be done to increase the floor’s grip. This is where the “chip” part of “epoxy chip flooring” comes into play. The chips are typically colored paint chips that can be made from a variety of materials. They help to add character and style to the floor (the chips are available in practically every color or color-combination), but they also contribute greatly to making the floor more slip-resistant by increasing the amount of texture in the floor. We’ve installed this type of floor in commercial kitchens and other high-traffic areas that need to be durable and non-slip, so don’t think of this flooring system as being limited to just a garage. But know that you can always go for an epoxy flooring without the chip system should you so choose.
It only took us about 2 days to complete this entire floor, from surface prep to finishing touches. We were able to get into the garage before the shelving was installed, which was a huge help for the ease of us moving around the space. It also helped that there was a view of the sunrise over the water from the entrance of the garage, so we were treated to some stunning views while we worked.