Polyurea Rough vs. Epoxy?

[Imatk]

Decided to finally get my garage floor done and one guy has a 100% solid epoxy that appears to be smoother than the other company that uses a poly coating that appears to be a bit rougher with the flakes kind of creating a "bumpy smooth" texture.

I was leaning toward the epoxy, but the guy doesn't diamond grind the whole floor, just the areas where the tires touch and he acid etches the rest.

I do a lot of work on my cars in the garage so I'm worried about drops of tools, parts, metal in general on the flooring and thinking that the other company that grinds the whole floor is probably the better call.

BUT I'm on my back on this floor a lot so I don't want a rough texture.

Anyone have any opinions on the best course of action here?

Thanks!

 

[Shea]

My red flag goes up anytime I hear about a floor coating company or contractor that acid etches. The fact that they will only grind where tires park on the coating is confirmation that they are aware that grinding provides better adhesion. Are they using an epoxy primer first? If not, I would stay away for sure.

This article can help you with information about choosing floor coating contractors.
https://allgaragefloors.com/choosing-floor-coating-contractor/

Keep in mind that you do not have to opt for color flakes if you don't want them. It's a popular choice to opt out for people who work a lot on vehicles. It's not because of a texture difference, but because it's easier to find dropped nuts, bolts, screws and etc. They tend to get lost in the background of floors with lots of flakes. The trade off is that flakes tend to hide the irregularities in the concrete surface where as no flakes can highlight some irregularities.

 

[Imatk]

Yeah he said that grinding the whole floor was "too invasive" for a residential property.

Thanks for your advice. I think I'll go with the one that grinds the entire floor.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Shea is right. Time to find another installer.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Armorpoxy]

Run from the first guy!

 

[Garage Flooring]

Run from the first guy!

Shea is right. Time to find another installer.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

My red flag goes up anytime I hear about a floor coating company or contractor that acid etches. The fact that they will only grind where tires park on the coating is confirmation that they are aware that grinding provides better adhesion. Are they using an epoxy primer first? If not, I would stay away for sure.

This article can help you with information about choosing floor coating contractors.
https://allgaragefloors.com/choosing-floor-coating-contractor/

Keep in mind that you do not have to opt for color flakes if you don't want them. It's a popular choice to opt out for people who work a lot on vehicles. It's not because of a texture difference, but because it's easier to find dropped nuts, bolts, screws and etc. They tend to get lost in the background of floors with lots of flakes. The trade off is that flakes tend to hide the irregularities in the concrete surface where as no flakes can highlight some irregularities.

There is some wise caution here from some wise people.

 

[Xyorde]

All epoxies oxidize if not protected. For lasting finish I would put galvanizing first, industrial epoxy properly applied then powder coat. Note also Ureathane finishes are nice and durable but will not take submersion in water for long periods unlike epoxy. I have seen rust run under epoxy and also powder coat. The item must not have any sharp edges since that becomes the thinnest location and is the weak point in the coating.