Often referred to as color flakes, color chips, or epoxy paint chips, these little explosions of color can help create some beautiful custom garage floor coatings with just a little creativity. Besides some distinct advantages to using them, they also tend to create a lot of questions about color combinations, floor coverage rates, the size of the flakes, and how to apply them.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in June, 2013. We have updated it for accuracy and to reflect current trends.
In order to avoid some of the typical confusion that occurs with this topic, we discuss what color flakes are made of and answer some of the more common questions that you may have. In addition, we specify when you may not want to use color flakes at all.
What are Vinyl Color Flakes
Known in the industry as decorative vinyl color flakes, they are actually polymer paint aggregates made up of a combination of acrylic and vinyl resins. This combination creates a thin flake that is 4 – 5 mils in thickness. They are U.V. stable and are available in over 150 custom colors. They can even be custom color matched.
The shape of the flake is random and is available in sizes from 1” in diameter all the way down to 1/32”. The 1/4” flake is the most common size used in garage floor coatings.
Colors are blended together to create a particular look and then applied at a coverage rate that is determined by you. Typical coverage rates are light, medium, heavy, and full refusal.
Full refusal is when you apply the color flakes until the entire floor is covered and they will not stick anymore. One advantage to full refusal color flakes is that you can custom design your garage floor to almost any color combination you like.
As a tip, it’s always wise to err on the side of caution and get a little more flakes than what you think you may need when purchasing them.
One thing to keep in mind when determining your color choices is the base color coat of your floor. Grays and tans are the most common base floor colors, but you can do off whites and other colors as well. If you are doing a garage floor to full refusal, it’s still important to keep the base color coat in the same color tone range as the color flakes.
- Light coverage – requires .002 lbs per sf.
- Medium coverage – requires .01 lbs per sf.
- Heavy coverage – requires .04 lbs per sf.
- Full coverage – requires .15 lbs per sf.
Keep in mind these industry numbers are approximate and results can vary with application. We always recommend having extra on hand in case you run short.
Besides the obvious advantages of custom color combinations, color flakes also provide some sound deadening qualities and hide sub-surface imperfections in your concrete depending on how much flakes are applied. This means spider cracks and concrete patch work are less likely to show through the epoxy coating when using a heavy application.
In addition, vinyl color flakes are also flexible and strong. When applied to full refusal, they will add a minimum of 5 mils of thickness to your floor, improving both the durability and impact resistance of the surface.
Lastly, unlike epoxy they are U.V. stable. If you apply them to full refusal on an epoxy coating and then clear coat with a U.V. stable polyurea or polyurethene, you will never experience ambering (yellow tint) from exposure to direct or strong indirect sunlight.
There are some examples where you may not want to use color flakes. If your garage is used primarily for working on cars or other projects that may involve smaller parts such as nuts, screws, springs, cotter pins and etc, a coating without flakes is the preferred option.
The reason for this is that all those flakes tend to camouflage and hide these small parts. When dropped on the floor, you can spend quite a bit of time hunting the part down among the background of flakes. A garage floor coating with no flakes provides a solid color that makes it easy to find small parts.
Torginol is one of the leading manufacturers and distributors of color flakes. They can be purchased directly or through most garage floor coating companies and vendors. They offer an overwhelming selection of colors and sizes to choose from. Our recommendation is to view their Signature Collection to get a good idea of what color combination you may like.
Most of their selections are a three or four color blend. This has proven to be the optimal number of colors that provide the best combinations that are pleasing to the eye. With so many combinations to choose from, it’s generally easiest to choose a predetermined blend. However, you can experiment with your own custom color blends if you like.
Torginol actually has very cool custom color designer. Just click on the garage floor image you like and then click “Color Flakes”. You can then choose to design your own blend on the right. They even offer the option to upload your own image of your garage floor to experiment with.
When doing your own blend, we recommend picking a dark color and then a light color to start with. Black and white is a good example. Pick a medium color for the third or forth option and then experiment with the blend ratios.
Just remember that flakes blend well when looking at them from a height of 5′ – 6′ instead of less than 2′ from your computer monitor or cell phone.
How to Apply Vinyl Color Flakes
When applying a garage floor coating yourself, the color flakes are always applied immediately after the application of the base color coat of your epoxy coating. You want to start application within 10 minutes of the final back roll while the coating is still soft and tacky. This allows the flakes to slightly sink into the coating in order to achieve a good bond.
Once the flakes have been applied, it’s very important to apply a clear top coat. The top coat is what locks in the color flakes and protects the color coat. A thinner top coat will provide some texture to a heavily flaked garage floor while a thicker top coat will create a smoother surface without as much texture.
One thing to keep in mind: though you may have some surface texture from a thinner top coat, it will not increase the anti-slip properties much more than what a smooth surface provides.
Additionally, home improvement store DIY garage floor kits only provide enough color flakes for a light coverage rate. This is because they do not include a clear top coat in their kits. Anything more than a light coverage results in flakes peeling up in high traffic areas when a clear coat is not used. If you want more flakes, you will need to purchase them separately along with the proper clear coat.
Color flakes being applied to full refusal – Photo courtesy of Supreme Crete
The most common question that people ask is; “What is the best method for applying color flakes”?
The most effective method is to place them in an empty bucket and then grab a small hand full at a time and toss them high into the air like you are feeding chickens. They should be close to bouncing off the ceiling. This allows for the flakes to disperse much better as they arc up into the air and then land back down on the coating in a nice and even dispersal.
The best way to practice your particular coverage rate is to toss them onto your clean concrete floor before you apply the epoxy. Do a small section to get the hang of it and then sweep them back up.
If doing your garage in sections, we highly recommend dividing your flakes up into equal amounts for each section. This will prevent over application of the first sections without enough left over for the remaining sections.
Do not toss the flakes directly at the floor! This will create dense areas of flakes that spread out in a “V” shaped pattern and are very hard to correct for.
If you are applying the flakes to full refusal, use a slightly modified method of not tossing them as high, but with larger handfuls of chips. You can work rather fast this way making sure you cover the entire floor.
If applying flakes to full refusal, you will need to remove all loose flakes that did not adhere to the floor. You should have quite a bit that were not able to reach the coating to stick. If you don’t, there will be problems with bare spots. Once done, sweep and then vacuum up the loose flakes. After that you will need to scrape the surface to break off flakes that are clumping in piles or sticking straight up in the air.
The easiest way to do this is to tape a 10” steel drywall taping knife to the end of an extension pole used for rolling. Keep the angle fairly shallow and push the scraper like you are sweeping a floor. You will not scrape the coating if enough flakes were applied. Once you are done, sweep again and then use a shop vac over the surface.
Because the surface is rough and irregular, the shop vac does a good job of pulling up any remaining loose color flakes. We even recommend using the plastic floor attachment of the shop vac as a final scraping tool as you go. Don’t fret about getting every last color flake. What you don’t get will become part of the top coat.
If not applying flakes to full refusal, you will still need to lightly scrape the flakes in order to break off any that are sticking up in the air at funny angles.
We like using a 10″ plastic drywall taping knife instead of a metal one like the full flake floors. In addition, apply a strip of duct tape across the edge as extra precaution to prevent scratching since the epoxy will not have fully cured yet.
Once the flakes have been scraped and cleaned up, you are now ready to apply the clear coat.
Now that you know how to use color flakes for an epoxy floor, have fun choosing your colors and the desired affect that you want. Whether you are applying your garage floor coating yourself or hiring a contractor to do it, you can feel confident in knowing that you chose the right color flakes and coverage rates for your taste.
Tom says
I had no idea there were so many choices of colors available. I always assumed it was the same few colors. This has made me rethink how I want to do my garage.
Roxanna says
we have an outside bathroom that a contractor was putting an epoxy floor in.
He never finished the job,so now we have a floor that’s half done. He got as far as the paint chips,my question is,can you please tell me how I can restore the floor to just the concrete? Thank you.
Shea says
Hi Roxanna. If you want to get back to the bare concrete you will need to grind the epoxy off the floor. The easiest way would be with a smaller hand grinder. A stripper will not work.
ann huntress says
Is there a different material used for walls or can I use the same process? I don’t like the look of splatter paint, but think this “paint chip” coating is what I am envisioning.
Shea says
Hi Ann. Epoxy can’t be applied to walls unless they are concrete or wood, but we aren’t sure about color flakes to be honest. They are about 3x thicker than latex paint and no one makes a latex clear. We aren’t sure how you would get them to stick well.
E.O says
Hello will I need to be wearing spiked shoes when i collecting the loose flakes? Thanks
Shea says
No, spiked shoes are not necessary when collecting the loose flake. They come in handy however when applying the epoxy as they will allow you to walk out on the wet surface.
E.O says
Thanks So Much
Jason says
I am not happy with the uniformity of the color flake application on my epoxy base. I used the color flakes that came with the kit and also bought additional boxes of the same type of color flakes from the same company (in case I ran out). Unfortunately the kit flakes were more like powder, well not that bad… and the additional flakes were more like corn flakes. Is it possible to add additional color flakes on top of the wet clear coat and then put another clear coat on top of that once it has cured?
Shea says
Hi Jason. Yes, you can do exactly that. Remember to toss the flakes high in the air when applying them. This will give you a much more even looking dispersal pattern.
Jason says
Great! Thanks for the insight!
Amanda Kugatow says
Question: I have just finished applying my base color & the paint chips. However, I think I got very carried away with the chips. So before I put on the top coat, what are my options?
I already tried to brush off some chips, but they’re pretty good & stuck at this point.
Should I just paint over with a second coat of base color & then reapply the chips at a way lesser coverage?
Would that end badly?
Shea says
Hello Amanda. You can do either. Depending on how thick the color coat is, the shape of the chips may telegraph through a little bit just so you know.
Amanda Kugatow says
Ok. I used a pretty thin coat of base color…so I’ll just go over it & use alot less chips.
Any advice on how long i should wait before putting on this second coat? 24 hours enough?
Thanks for the help!
Shea says
You didn’t state what kind of epoxy or which brand you are using Amanda. The recoat window should be stated in the instructions. Generally speaking, most epoxy needs to sit a minimum of 8-12 hours before recoat and no more than 24. It is ready to go when you can press your thumb to it and not leave a print.
Erik says
I have a number of exposed cast iron waste pipes in my garage that run along the length of the floor along one wall, I realize it will be a little trickier to get the coating even on a curved surface, but can I apply epoxy flakes to the the pipes? My plan is to do it it over two weekends. Weekend (1) slide cardboard under the pipes and apply epoxy and flakes to the pipes as instructed. Weekend (2) do the floors as instructed. Second question, can the epoxy and flakes be applied to other items? Metal boxes, metal stool legs etc.
Shea says
Hi Erik. As long as you have freshly applied epoxy present you can apply color flakes to anything. They just stick to the tacky epoxy coating. Keep in mind that after the epoxy cures you may need to go over the pipes first with a stiff bristled brush or snag free rag to wipe off the flakes that didn’t stick or break off the ones that are sticking up through the surface of the epoxy.
Mary luhrs says
I have used the Valspar epoxy over a painted outdoor driveway and patio.I was told one coat would cover and now am told it is not for outdoors.is there another product I can use over this or should I put a second coat of same product over it.this was the garage floor coating 2×stronger adhesion.thanks mary.
Shea says
Hi Mary. Epoxy is not designed for outdoors for a few reasons. The most common is that it will amber (turn yellow) when exposed to sunlight and U.V. rays. It can also be slippery when wet and would need an anti-slip additive added to the final coat to provide traction. A 1-Part epoxy paint would be a better choice. They are latex based and most will not yellow like a true 2-Part epoxy does.
Chris says
Can I use chips from different epoxy manufacturer. I ‘d like to use the glow in the dark chips from “originalcolorchips” and use all armor epoxy.
Chris
Shea says
Yes, you can Chris.
Donna Appel says
I have a concrete patio and I’m getting ready to repaint the patio with Rust-Oleum Restore 4X. Can I sprinkle some flakes over this??
Shea says
Yes you can Donna. Just keep in mind you cannot seal in the color flakes with a clear coat when using this product if that is what you were thinking.
Jamie says
We are having our pool area concrete gronded down and having 100 flakes put down with a polymer base (not by myself) as we are hiring someone to do it. Question is how will this not be slick? And will I have texture? We was looking at doing 5 colors in grays and a little white. Any suggestion on color mix so it will not be hot?
Shea says
Hello Jaimie. Light colors and grays are always good around a pool deck as they tend to reflect the heat of the sun’s rays better than darker colors. We would defer to the pool contractor, however, as they have the best experience in terms of what works best. Ask if they are using an anti-slip additive in the final coat. If they are, it should provide the grip you are looking for with a wet deck and bare feet.
Jeff Heller says
Can these be used with a 1 step concrete paint or will they just fall off without some type of top coat/sealer finish.
This is on a covered fairly well protected outdoor patio in the NE US.
Wanting to use:
BEHR Premium Model # 90201 Internet # 100113293 Store SKU # 396523 1-gal. #902 Slate Gray 1-Part Epoxy Concrete and Garage Floor Paint
Thanks –
Shea says
Hi Jeff. Yes, you can apply color flakes to the top of the Behr product. A light coverage is best. You will loose some flakes from traffic and cleaning, but if they get applied soon after application of the paint, the majority will stick.
Amanda says
Is this the same product that gorilla garage says is lifetime warrenty? Is it slick if wet, as we are putting around our pool? What is the lifespan of it when applied outside exposed to the elements
Shea says
Hello Amanda. Color flakes are used in a variety of decorative concrete coatings. They hold their color when exposed to the sun, however, they need to have a clear coat applied over them to protect them from wear. They are encapsulated within the clear coat and thus do not determine whether your coating is slick or not. Gorilla Garage offers a lifetime warranty on the type of coatings they provide, not the color flakes exclusively.
Howard Hinkelmann says
Can this be used over a tile shower floor. The grout is discolored and cracking in places. The grout lines are 1/8″ wide.
Shea says
Hello Howard. Color flakes are designed to be implemented as a cosmetic option in epoxy floor coatings. They are not a grout filler.
Josie says
I would like to use the paint chips in my living room is it ok to use them on wood? what kind of top finish would you use?
Shea says
If you want to use them on wood Josie it would require two coats of clear epoxy. The first coat is required to apply the color flakes into and the second coat is required to encapsulate them. It would require roughing up the wood by sanding in order for the epoxy to adhere to it.
Constadinos says
I have gongrate in my garden and I want to paint it they told not use epoxy paint just paint for gongrate and am thinking if the flakes can be stick in not epoxy paint. ..thanks
Shea says
Color flakes will work for standard paint as well Constadinos. Just keep in mind that some of the flakes will not stick as well and can come up since paint is not as thick as epoxy. When using paint, you can’t cover the flakes with a clear coat either since regular paint will not accept clear coats.
Shay says
Hi Shea,
Similar to a previous poster, I just applied Rust-Oleum Professional 2-Part Epoxy and applied flakes moderately as I went. The instructions stated that one coat would be sufficient, but I’m not happy with a single coat as I can see concrete veins through the first coat. Can I apply a second coat over the first coat and flakes as long as I clean the loose layer of flakes off?
Thanks.
Shea says
Yes you can Shay. Just make sure you apply the second coat within the recoat window or you will have to rough up the surface before doing so.
Amber says
We are using epoxy shield by rust-oleum 1 part for our basement floor. We will be using chips as well. Will appling the top coat give the floor a smooth finish? With this being the basement floor we are looking for a finish that can be mopped and doesn’t collect dirt and pet hair.
Shea says
Hello Amber. Acrylic paints and 1-Part paints are not designed for top coats. It is still a paint and technically not a coating. This article can explain it further. Most clear top coats are solvent based and will soften the acrylic paint. They are designed for actual 2-Part epoxy coatings which are much more durable. Since you want a smooth finish, we recommend not applying the color flakes since you can’t add a clear over them. Dirt and pet hair especially will tend to cling to the edges of the paint chips. If you want a clear coat, then we suggest going with an actual coating. RockSolid Polycuramine would be a good candidate since it has very low VOC’s and they offer a clear coat as well.
Jeanine M Witten says
I just used the Rust oelum 2 coat epoxy and chips, and I am not happy with the amount of chips I put down (too sparse). Can I put down a second coat of epoxy and use more chips??? What is the recoat time table???
Shea says
Hi Jeanine. Yes, you can do that! Rust-Oleum states the recoat window is 72 hours. Anything past that and you would need to rough up the surface with 100 grit sandpaper first.
barbara says
barb.hindmarch@yahoo.com
I have to make a decision about having my garage floor painted. The contractor I have spoken with says this is what I need to do the project. My two big concerns are coverage with the color flakes and when don will it be slippery.
This is what he told me in a proposal:
Project Agenda:
1. Prep floor for epoxy coating. Most important for bonding of topcoat.
2. Double Broadcast vinyl chips for decorative finish. Gray or Tan. Approx 20×20
My biggest fear is will the floor be slippery with the flakes??
Thanks very much.
Shea says
Hi Barbara. If the flakes are being covered with a clear top coat then they will have no bearing on the floor being slippery or not. The top coat is what will determine that. A heavily flaked floor does tend to have a bit more irregular surface and isn’t as smooth as a floor will light to zero flakes, depending on the thickness of the top coat. If being slippery is a prime concern, make sure that they use an anti-slip additive on the final coat.
Tamara says
We have a room that has been treated with a vinyl chip system (Abatron) in “Bone” shade. After cleaning and buffing the flooring, there are some small patches that have worn away and/or look very light in coverage. What would be the best way to repair these “patches” and areas?
Shea says
It can be difficult trying to patch a coated floor Tamara. It can depend on how much vinyl color flake was used, whether or not a clear coat was applied, and etc. We suggest contacting Abatron to see if they offer touch up kits. Generally what is required is to rough up the effected areas with 80-100 grit sandpaper. You then apply the color coat to that area followed by vinyl flakes. If you have a clear coat, it will need to be applied 12-24 hours after the color coat. The problem is that repaired areas, including clear coat, always look much shinier than the surrounding areas. Floors with real heavy vinyl chips are less noticeable.
Roderick says
Hello, I just finished painting my garage floor. Using all Behr products, I cleaned and etched the floor, used one coat of concrete and garage paint (1 part epoxy) and last (24 hours later) wet look sealer. The result looks OK, but I’m thinking flakes would make the job look even better. Is it still possible to add flakes after the wet seal has been applied and dried?
Shea says
Hello Roderick. Unfortunately it’s too late to apply color flakes. They need to be applied to the paint while it is still wet. The Wet Look sealer will not hold the flakes like the paint does. Your only option would be to sand the sealer off down to the paint and then apply a new coat of paint to toss the color flakes into.
Roderick says
Bummer, thanks!
Roderick says
Hello Shea,
So I have sanded the sealer off. I will add another coat of paint. On the first layer, I did use a primer. Would you recommend adding another layer of primer prior to the second coat of paint?
Shea says
No, it’s not necessary Roderick.
Roderick says
Hello Shea….I’m satisfied with the results of the job done on garage floor. The problem is from my driveway, I’m tracking a lot of white residue into garage. I believe this is from the etching done in the garage prior to applying epoxy and rinsed it all out from garage into driveway. I thought with time I would no longer see this. Any suggestions on what I can used to stop this and clear the residue from driveway? You can even see it with foot traces on garage when walking on driveway into garage because I used a dark colored epoxy.
Shea says
It sounds like the fine particulates of the acid etch were deposited onto the driveway Roderick. One way to help avoid this is to wet down the driveway before you rinse the garage floor. What you need to to do is take a pressure washer to your driveway. Pressure wash it first with a solution of degreaser and then follow that up with a couple rinses. We have an article about pressure washing here. Once you do get it removed, just keep in mind that darker epoxy colors (especially black) will show the dust and dirt much more than the lighter colors.
Luke Smith says
I had no idea that you could take vinyl color flakes and coat a concrete surface like a garage floor with them! I can imagine how something as colorful as the brown, white and black blend you have picture here could really add a touch of flare to your property. I will have to look into having a contractor give me a quote for a texture coating like this.
Marcia says
I applied my epoxy base color and spread my chips (by hand). I waited for the floor to dry and started to sweep up the excess. There are alot of spots that the chips did not stick to. Any idea why? How do I fix it.
I am using a color base (gray) with colored chips. I do not want to reapply the base as it will cover up all the chips I already put on. I plan on using a clear sealer for the top coats. Can I lay the sealer and add the flakes to the parts that need it. Then wait for it to dry, scrape and sweep/vacuum off the excess. Then apply another coat of sealer ?
Shea says
Hello Marcia. It sounds like you waited too long to apply the color flakes. If the epoxy has a chance to start setting up (curing), the colored paint chips will not sink in and adhere properly. Your plan to fix the issue is spot on, however. Just be sure to apply the color flakes as soon as possible after applying the clear coat.
Adam says
Hello Shea, I applied the epoxy and my color chips didn’t stick as well as I thought they would. Is there a way to put a sealer over the chips or a way to get the chips to stick down better without reapplying the paint on the concrete floor? I fear that if I vacuum the room, half the chips will come off. Thoughts? Sealer recommendations?
Shea says
Hello Adam. It sounds like you didn’t get the color flakes applied soon enough. They need to sink into the coating to take hold before it starts setting up. This is one of the reasons we recommend applying a clear coat. Unfortunately there is not much you can do now without redoing the coating. Applying a clear coat at this point would require roughing up the surface with 100 grit sandpaper. If your color flakes are loosely attached, this will most likely remove too many of them. You can either make do with what you have or rough up the surface, apply a new color coat with color flakes, and then apply a proper clear coat to lock them in.
Adam says
Thanks for the feedback Shea!
Shea says
You are welcome Adam.