Epoxy vs Acrylic Overlay flooring

[hb4lthr]

Hi All,
I am renovating my 31' X 36' garage and am considering going with either an epoxy or acrylic overlay floor. I have no desire to do this myself and am in the process on getting quotes for each.

My initial understanding of the differences between the two are with regards to surface prep. I believe epoxy involves surface grinding of the concrete with application of the epoxy and flakes afterwards followed by a sealer. One company I obtained quotes from only does the epoxy method and warrants their product for life. They do not believe in the acrylic overlay method as it does not bond as securely to the surface as epoxy. He also mentioned that the majority of DIYers use this method. He also mentioned that the reason epoxy is superior, is because the acrylic only uses acid to etch the floor as opposed to the surface grinding used in epoxy. This in his opinion greatly enhances the bonding to the original floor.

Another company I received a quote from uses both and he recommended the acrylic overlay process. His quote for the epoxy is significantly higher than the first guys.

Ultimately, I am looking for the most durable option that will be stain and slip resistant. Any ideas or inputs will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Shea]

Ultimately, I am looking for the most durable option that will be stain and slip resistant.

Based on that statement I would recommend that you go with an epoxy flooring system with an anti-slip additive added to the top coat. I suggest you read this article here about the benefits of epoxy flooring for a garage. It should answer a lot of your questions.

An acrylic floor coating does require maintenance every few years depending on how active your garage is. While it is much less expensive, it will not provide the same protection or durability as epoxy.

 

[hb4lthr]

Shea,
Thank you so much for the prompt reply. I was also leaning towards the epoxy

Jim

 

[hb4lthr]

This morning I had another company come out to provide a quote on an epoxy floor. I had contacted them because they had done an epoxy floor for one of my wife's friends. When they came out I asked them to describe their process. He stated that they would be using acid to etch the floor and then applying the epoxy. This is counter to what I have been hearing from other flooring specialists. My understanding is if you do epoxy, then it requires the grinding. Acid etching is used in the acid overlay process. This company is a cleaning services company and I do not believe this service is their specialty.

Has anyone else heard of doing the epoxy process with only acid etching to prep the surface?

 

[bdamico]

If you spend some time reading previous posts or doing a couple of easy searches, you will be much more informed in your quote process. You may even come up with some ideas for flooring you haven't considered

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/search.php?searchid=18154904

As to epoxy, it doesn't sound like you're considering all the right issues. What brands are they using? What is this sealer you speak of on top of the epoxy? Is it a clear epoxy? Is it something else? Do you know why the quotes are different in pricing? Do you know what products they are using? How thick they are applying it? Are they flaking? How much? Crack repair? Control joints? If you spend a little time reading, you will be able to understand these issues better and ask more informed questions to the installers and have a better basis for comparison.

 

[Shea]

You may want to read this article about how to choose a floor coating contractor. It will give you a better idea how to go about the process. You don't have to follow everything word for word, but use the information to get a better idea of who you hire to do the work.

 

[EpoxyCoat2]

When they came out I asked them to describe their process. He stated that they would be using acid to etch the floor and then applying the epoxy. This is counter to what I have been hearing from other flooring specialists. My understanding is if you do epoxy, then it requires the grinding. Acid etching is used in the acid overlay process. This company is a cleaning services company and I do not believe this service is their specialty.

Has anyone else heard of doing the epoxy process with only acid etching to prep the surface?

Diamond grinding is the preferred preparation method, when applying epoxy coating. If you do not have a sealer on your floor, you can acid etch your floor to create a rough profile that the epoxy will bond to.

 

[hb4lthr]

All,
Thanks for the additional information.

Jim