3 Best Garage Floor Coating Systems

The inside of an empty home garage.
  • 8-12 hours
  • Beginner
  • 150-600

More and more people want to improve the looks of their garage by using a garage floor coating system. There are more than a few types to choose from, but this article will look at some of the more popular ones.

1. Epoxy Garage Floor Treatment

Epoxy garage floor treatments provide a finished look to your garage as well as giving resistance to oil stains. Epoxy floors allow water to bead so spills can be wiped up much like they are on your kitchen counters. Adding color to the epoxy paint will help in hiding imperfections in the floor, and anti-skid additives provide better traction when driving on it with wet tires.

Epoxy treatments require a lot of prep work. Any concrete stains or sealers will need to be stripped off before you can apply the epoxy paint. If the prep work is not done properly, the epoxy treatment will not adhere correctly and will flake off and chip.

The epoxy must be applied on a very dry day with no chance of rain or dampness and with temperatures between 50 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Epoxy painting the garage floor is a time-consuming process as well. Each step in the preparation process can take 12 to 24 hours to complete before the next step can begin.

2. Garage Floor Tiles

Garage floor tiles are a much easier option than the epoxy paint. The tiles require no floor preparation or adhesives and no special skills are needed.

Garage floor tiles also come in a variety of colors and styles. These tiles can last for up to 30 years, and some solid tiles can hold as much as 60,000 pounds. They install with just a rubber mallet and can be cut with any power saw, and they lock together to form a watertight seal to guard against damage to the garage subfloor.

3. Rollout Garage Mats

These rollout garage mats are extremely easy to install; they literally just roll out onto your garage floor. They come in a variety of sizes and can be cut for a custom wall-to-wall fit.

They also come in many colors and patterns to further customize the look of your garage and are manufactured from polyvinyl material. Some garage floor mats can last as long as 10 years before replacement is necessary.

Each garage floor coating system has its merits and faults. The epoxy paint system is by far the most popular and also the least expensive, but it is also the most time-consuming and very unforgiving if the garage floor surface is not prepared properly. Also, not every garage floor is compatible with the epoxy paint.

The garage tiles and garage mats are similar in function and style; however, the garage tile system is the most durable of the three. These two systems require no special floor preparation other than a thorough sweeping to remove any debris that would prevent a smooth installation.

As with all home improvement projects, this choice is up to each homeowner and their personal taste and preference.