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Is it better to tackle a garage floor coating or hire a professional contractor. Obviously, it will be cheaper to tackle the project yourself but is it the best option long terms?

Let’s look at the pros and cons.

Garage Floor Epoxy Coating Quality

• Professional coatings adhere better and will not peel long term.
• No fading.
• Imperfections will not show
• The floor dries within a day up to a week for home made kist
• Improved shine
• More color options. Visit this Jacksonville garage floor coating contractor to see a wide arrange of colors and flakes.

Garage floor kits are about  30 percent  solid and the rest is water. Water-based coatings damage because the coat is thinner than professional grade.  Professional epoxy contains 90% to 100% solid content making the coating much more stable and long lasting..

Preparation

Kits use an acid wash solution. A professional does not use an acid wash. The floor is inspected, cracks are filled, and concrete is diamond grinded. This prep guarantees coating adhesion.

DIY DIFFICULTY

The DIY difficulty is  how comfortable you are with working with chemicals, painting the floor and possibly renting and buying the tools and equipment. Time is really the biggest factor.  Cleaning out of the garage, prepping , and applying each coat take hours of labor time and long periods of waiting for the coating to dry. This project may last up to a week. Lack of experience preparing the concrete can also make the result less than attractive and possible having to rework the floor.

Cost

Cost vary widely by the job and area of the country but in general a professional flooring contractor will charge an average of $3,000 to $5,000 depending on the measurements of the garage. A two car garage kit can cost from $100 to $150 but including all the materials you may pay between $250 to $500 for the first application. If you’re planning on trying to match contractor-grade quality you may need to spend $150 re-coating your floor each year. 

DURABILITY

It is unlikely that your DIY epoxy garage floor coating will last for more than a couple years without cracking, flaking, peeling or yellowing.  An epoxy floor coating by a licensed contractor should  last a lifetime without ever peeling, flaking, or yellowing.

DIY or Professional?

The obvious advantage of doing the project yourself is cost. If you have the time, skill, patience and knowledge, this may be the best path. However, the coating may not look as good and will certainly not last as long as a professional installation. If you do not have the budget to spend on a garage floor coating, using a DIY epoxy kit from a big box home center is probably better than leaving the concrete unprotected.  However, if you have the money available and are more concerned with the look and finish and especially the durability, then hiring a professional garage floor coating specialist may be the best route for you. Long term, this may be your best bet since some pros will guarantee your coating for life and at the least, you can expect the coating to last at least 15 years. Or up to 10 times longer than a DIY system.