Epoxy versus Polyaspartic Garage Flooring
When it comes to choosing a topcoat for your garage flooring, it can get confusing pretty quickly. With many different formulas available on the market, choosing the one right for you can take some time. The two most popular topcoats that people tend to use are polyaspartic and Epoxy. We are here to explain the difference between polyaspartic and Epoxy topcoats for your Garage Floor Coatings in Fort Myers, Florida. While both are viable options, this is a quick summary of the pros and cons of each topcoat.
While Epoxy topcoats have always been popular due to its low cost and effectiveness on concrete floors. it is not as stable in the long run. Epoxy topcoats offer a thick coating on your flooring however, it requires at least two layers to be effective. Polyaspartic, technically named polyaspartic aliphatic polyurea or PAP for short, offers an excellent anti-scratch and anti-abrasion coating for your garage floor that is applied in one single coat and that is enough to be efficient in covering your floor.
The market interest in polyaspartic coatings has started to grow extremely fast in the last few years, as its formula has proven to be much more effective and durable. While they are the more expensive option, the cost is justified.
Polyaspartic topcoats are UV stable so the topcoat doesn’t yellow in direct sunlight, it is waterproof and very resistant to peels and cracks in different temperatures. Additionally, will any chemical spills, oil drips from the car, and driveway salt don’t affect the composition of the coating. The major benefit of polyaspartic coating is the relatively low-down time it has for installing. You are able to install, apply and set the topcoat within 4-5 hours, and you are ready to use your garage.
Epoxy topcoats, on the other hand, have a very long setting time compared to Polyaspartic. It can take 4-5 days to fully set, and you won’t be able to use your garage or park your car until you are sure it is fully dry. This is besides the fact that Epoxy can’t handle changes in climate effectively and the composition can change in extreme temperatures and cannot be applied in below-freezing temperatures. In direct sunlight, epoxy can start to yellow and is not as UV stable.
Though epoxy is less expensive in most cases, it’s not the best choice as a topcoat for a typical garage floor unless you are on a tight budget. At Modern Garage we use Polyaspartic Topcoat for our customers’ garage flooring for the best quality and durability. The benefit of having polyaspartic coating is long-term cost efficiency and durability. If you are considering applying a topcoat to your garage flooring, at Modern Garage we offer 3D design consultations to provide you with the best solutions for your home garage.
To schedule your free in-home garage consultation, give Modern Garage in Southwest Florida a call at (941) 260-8785.