polyurethane vs polyaspartic?

[hal1]

So I'm going the professional route and he offers the choice of polyurethane or polyaspartic. He has a lifetime warranty on both. His email to me says that the polyaspartic floor is thicker, it dries faster, it will have more shine to keep from fading and or yellowing and it is better for chemical resistance. Other than fade & shine I don't know that I'd see the other benefits. And even then, my garage gets next to no direct sunlight.

The cost between the 2 for my 400 sf is $1196 vs $1516. He does do the grinding prep method - I don't know if that's a reasonable reasonable price but I'm not going to shop on price, but rather on referrals, reputation, and personal inspections of jobs he has going on - he offered to have me stop by a number of jobs he has going on almost every day. As a side note, he's about 6 weeks out and I like doing business with people who are busy, not available in 3 days. - usually if they're busy there's a good reason. (not the point of this post, just sayin') -

I don't want to cheap out, but I don't want to spend more than necessary either. I don't have heavy equipment or heavy wear needs in my garage. Do you think I would see a benefit in the polyaspartic 2 years from now?

Oh, and I really don't want to do this myself, especially after reading the thread about roller marks. - nothing personal.

Edit: I just noticed that the company, IronDrive, is a franchise. Though that doesn't mean they're not good.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

If you use the right product roller marks are not an issue. Lol.

Once cured there is not a huge difference if he is offering the same flooring system. PAP is the premium of the two, so I say go Pap.


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[hal1]

He offers both, don't you know if he's over simplifying it but here's his descriptions. I thought these prices were low, but he gets great reviews, and he always has jobs going on and has invited me to stop by any of them

STANDARD POLYURETHANE FULL CHIP floor (Not Partial) = 2.99 Sq Ft. This is a fantastic floor with Lifetime Warranty. This comes with the base coat, then the FULL CHIPS, then the chip sealer and then a 100% Solid Polyurethane Topcoat

SUPREME POLYASPARTIC FULL CHIP floor (Not Partial) = 3.79 Sq Ft The Supreme is simply the bomb, This floor is thicker, it dries faster, it will have more shine to keep from fading and or yellowing and it is better for chemical resistance. This floor is the Mercedes Benz; This floor will have the base coat, the FULL CHIPS, then the chip sealer then the topcoat of POLYASPARTIC.

 

[packpride85]

I assume this is something you only plan on doing once so I'd go with the top of the line option.

 

[hal1]

the main selling point seems to be less fading, better long-term shine, and more resistant to harsher Chemical - which isn't really an issue for me. I don't mind spending $300 for better, but like I said, I also don't want to spend more than necessary either.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

The poly should not fade or yellow, as long as it is 100% aliphatic. Aromatics will fade and yellow.

Also... the poly does not like to be thick, so if he his squeegeeing and back-rolling poly, it's not really meant for that.

The pap can be laid thicker and therefore that is an advantage.

If he is not using a squeegee and back-rolling, only rolling on either of the two, then request a double coat as nothing worse than a dry flake job.

 

[hal1]

thanks! I wish you were here in Phoenix to oversee the job. Does his pricing seem about right? I never want to pay too much, paying too little can be just as bad. . and remember, he is grinding.

 

[hal1]

I'm somewhat repeating some of my OP, just want to double check here that the Polyaspartic is not a waste of my money...

I found someone who seems reputable. As I mentioned in my post he is charging $1196 for the Polyuresthane and $1516 for the polyaspartic for my 400sf. - both those prices seem reasonable, and even a little low. He grinds for prep, not acid.

He says that the Polyurethane will fade, and shine in a diminish in afew years, and that even when new the polyaspartic will have more shine. Is this correct?

I don't mind paying more if there is a visual difference in the 2. - your thoughts?

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

I'm somewhat repeating some of my OP, just want to double check here that the Polyaspartic is not a waste of my money...

I found someone who seems reputable. As I mentioned in my post he is charging $1196 for the Polyuresthane and $1516 for the polyaspartic for my 400sf. - both those prices seem reasonable, and even a little low. He grinds for prep, not acid.

He says that the Polyurethane will fade, and shine in a diminish in afew years, and that even when new the polyaspartic will have more shine. Is this correct?

I don't mind paying more if there is a visual difference in the 2. - your thoughts?

Hal: Good aliphatic urethane will not yellow/fade. Aromatic is the cheap stuff. Stay away from aromatic.

I would go with the PAP. As good as the urethane is, the polyaspartic edges it out in clarity, durability and application thickness (can be applied thicker).

Good luck.

 

[hal1]

Hal: Good aliphatic urethane will not yellow/fade. Aromatic is the cheap stuff. Stay away from aromatic.

I would go with the PAP. As good as the urethane is, the polyaspartic edges it out in clarity, durability and application thickness (can be applied thicker).

Good luck.

Thanks again for reiterating what you told me. I compare it to buying a 60" vs 55" TV. - no one ever said "I should have got the smaller one"

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Hal1: Good point!!

 

[thegarageguy]

Those numbers are very, very cheap. An epoxy-poly chip floor would be just as thick if not thicker than the full PAP chip floor. It sounds like the contractor is pushing you towards the more expensive route which may or may not be necessary.

As Scotty stated, a good epoxy-poly flake system will not fade and yellow, unless your garage is facing the sun during sunrise or sun down. If that is the case, the PAP all the way.

BTW, this thicker or thinner system is pure BS....it's all dependant on what tools are being used to apply it. If both are being rolled out with a 3/8" nap roller, then they'll both be approx. the same thickness. In order to get thicker bases we use gauge rakes and notched squeegees. That is the true way to determine or apply material thicknesses.

 

[hal1]

As Scotty stated, a good epoxy-poly flake system will not fade and yellow, unless your garage is facing the sun during sunrise or sun down. If that is the case, the PAP all the way

According to this company, Irondrive, the fading issue isn't the Sun directly, but rather the heat, in Phoenix here its regularly a 110 to 115 degrees in the summer. he also says that the PAP will have more initial shine also. with either product he offers a lifetime guarantee. he has shown me his schedule and I am free to go visit any of the jobs he is working on, or has recently completed., this makes me feel a little bit more comfortable with him, along with his overall presentation. There also a member here who has posted positive review of his work.

it's odd that the only thing that has me even slightly worried is his low price.

 

[benwah]

According to this company, Irondrive, the fading issue isn't the Sun directly, but rather the heat, in Phoenix here its regularly a 110 to 115 degrees in the summer.

I have never heard of or seen ambient temperatures making a polyurethane fade. I see these installed all day long in exterior environments and that is not the case. You may start seeing issues in the 250-300 degree range, but you will never experience that.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Heat? That's a new one on me. We have high heat here in FLORIDA and it's not changing anything.


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[27carter]

I had PAP done on two locations this past winter and am very happy with it. My price was closer to 5/sf, so what you are being offered is a good price and with a lifetime warranty you should be in good shape. I would just double check his references.

 

[thegarageguy]

Epoxies and polyurethanes do fine in desert heat......check w/ Arizona Polymers

 

[thegarageguy]

so, just for frame of reference, quality PAP runs approx $100 per gallon. To do a 400 sqft space, we typically apply it as primer at about 200 sqft per gallon, the base at 100 sqft per gallon and 2 top coats, 1st at 100 sqft per gallon to cover chips and the 2nd at 200 sqft as top coat with texture.

That's 12 gallons or $1200 in PAP, not including my chips or my concrete grinding.....

Tell me again how they are doing it for $1500?

 

[benwah]

just for frame of reference, quality PAP runs approx $100 per gallon

Tell me again how they are doing it for $1500?

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

I suspect the "seal" coat is epoxy and then they are following up with urethane or pap.

 

[hal1]

I mis-spoke. He didn't mention heat, just that the polyuerthane would fade.

 

[hal1]

I suspect the "seal" coat is epoxy and then they are following up with urethane or pap.

I'm thinking it is just a difference in the top layer. Is that what you're referring to? He has given me the names/addresses of 3 jobs near me that he's doing in the next week, so he's open for me to see the work, but obviously this doesn't show me the 5 year result. I have talked to a couple people that he's worked with.

IronDrive seems to have been a poster a couple years ago. I think I'll peruse his posts.

Here's one of his happy customers. I'll see what $1500 gets me. Hopefully it will be at least a somewhat better than average job.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=101324

 

[hal1]

I'm going to look at a couple of his jobs. Since they'll still be fresh I'll be limited as to what I can inspect. But are there any basic things I should look at when I'm there?

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

I didn't realize this was "IronDrive" from the forum. He was a benefit to this forum and I don't think he would do anything but a good job for you.

 

[hal1]

I didn't realize this was "IronDrive" from the forum. He was a benefit to this forum and I don't think he would do anything but a good job for you.

*BIG SIGH* Thanks. Great to hear.

 

[benwah]

I thought that maybe including the color deck would help, but it did not. The florescent lights throw the colors off. Please ignore color deck.

Here is an example of one of our polyurethane's. This was left Southern exposed 24/7/365 in Apache Junction, AZ for 5 full years. Occasionally wiped down after a rain/dust storm combo. This is a dark color that has a Light Reflective Value of 8%. The other panel of the same color has maybe seen a few hours of UV exposure, being transported in vehicles for review from customers, architects, spec writers, etc.

Unless the product he uses is absolute shite (doesn't *seem* that way), you're not going to see UV fading from either for many, many, many, many, many, many years.

 

[Shea]

Awesome test plates Benwah!