There is an abundance of confusion today from homeowners looking to apply and epoxy coating to their garage floor. Should it be epoxy paint or an epoxy coating? Is there a difference? If so, which is best? The easiest way to figure this out is to learn the difference between paint, epoxy paint, and epoxy coatings, in order to eliminate all the confusion and be able to make an informed decision.
The first misnomer that we want to address is that an epoxy coating is not paint. Garage floor paint is a latex acrylic product. Many of the well-known paint manufactures do offer paint with a small amount of epoxy in the mix and refer to them as 1-Part epoxy paint. This allows for better adhesion and durability than standard acrylic paint, but it is not an epoxy product.
The term “epoxy paint” came about when epoxy manufactures took notice of the terminology that people were using when searching for epoxy coatings. The DIY public was intermixing the term “paint” with “coating”. So a marketing decision was made and many well known DIY epoxy flooring manufacturers that you see in home improvement centers decided to brand their products as “epoxy paint” since that is what consumers seemed to be calling it.
As a result, it has only made things more confusing for the consumer. Chances are that when you see something advertised as epoxy paint for your garage, it could be acrylic paint or it could be an epoxy coating. This has led to many people buying a paint for their garage floor when what they thought they were purchasing was an epoxy coating.
What is an epoxy floor coating?
Epoxy is a two component product consisting of one part epoxy resin and one part polyamine hardener. You are required to mix the two parts together prior to application. After mixing you are limited by time and temperature as to how long you have to apply it. With colored epoxies it is the resin that is tinted to give the epoxy color. If it’s not tinted, then it goes on as a clear coating.
Epoxy coatings cure and do not dry like paint does. Unlike paint, the mixing of the two components starts a reactive process that creates cross-linking of the components while it cures. This cross-linking provides a very hard and durable surface that seals the concrete and is resistant to staining, abrasion, and chemicals. The amount of resistance and performance of the coating is usually determined by the quality and solids content of the epoxy.
The ease of application and thickness of the epoxy is also dependent on the volume of solids content. This is always displayed as a percentage. In other words, 100% solids epoxy means that you have 100% of the product on the floor after it cures. 50% solids mean that you will have 50% of the product remaining on the floor after it has cured. The reason for this is that the carrier agents (water or solvents) which are used in the lower solids product evaporate out as the epoxy cures.
As an example, a 100% solids epoxy applied with a roller has an approximate wet film thickness (WFT) of 10 mils. Once it cures, the dry film thickness (DFT) remains at 10 mils. A 50% solids epoxy will have a wet film thickness of approximately 6 mils. Once it cures, the coating is reduced to a dry film thickness of 3 mils.
100% solids epoxy is harder to work with during application because of the thicker viscosity and limited time to apply it. Epoxy with a lesser solids content has less viscosity and is easier to apply.
Many of the inexpensive “DIY” epoxy paint kits that you can buy at the local home improvement centers and online have as little as 48% solids. This means that it is easier to apply as well as cheaper to buy because the solids content is much lower along with the quality. It goes on the floor almost as easy as paint does.
In fact, easy application it is one of the primary marketing points that makes these kits so popular to purchase. They can be applied to your garage floor more easily compared to the more premium epoxy coat systems.
Keep in mind that this also means you have much less of it on the garage floor resulting in a much thinner coat. This affects the performance and durability of the coating when compared to epoxy brands with a higher solids content.
Does this mean that these epoxy paint kits are bad? No, it just means that you are getting what you pay for. Many of these kits cost under $70 and cover up to 250ft². Two kits will cover a typical two-car garage. They are usually available in either grey or beige with a semi-gloss finish and include a small bag of paint chips to add if you like.
The more expensive kits tend to be marketed as epoxy coatings, though there are some exceptions. They come in multiple colors, have a higher solids content, and result in a thicker, more durable surface that lasts years longer.
When ever in doubt about what you are purchasing, always review the TDS sheets. These will detail exactly what type of product you are purchasing as well as other very important information regarding application and durability.
So don’t fall for the epoxy marketing name game when deciding on what you want to apply to your garage floor. As you can see, epoxy paint and epoxy coating generally mean the same thing. They are both an epoxy coating. Do your research first, as this will help you to understand the type of epoxy you are purchasing and what kind of results to expect.
I originally coated my garage floor with a 2 part epoxy (I don’t know if it was water or solvent base) 10 years ago. I’ve abused it by welding a lot but it held up! It is beginning to show wear can I recoat with epoxy and what prep must be done?
Hello Ronald. Yes, you can prep for a recoat if the epoxy is sound. It requires roughing up the surface with 120-150 grit sandpaper, vacuum, and then wipe with denatured alcohol. We have more about the process in this article here.
A hot water unit was moved since I used an epoxy floor coating in the garage (12 months ago). I am wanting to paint just that 42cm diameter circle of concrete. The rest of the floor is in great condition. Are there any patch up kits or will I buy an epoxy paint just to make do until I redo the entire floor further down the track.
Hello Lindy. Unfortunately you don’t state what product was used, so I can’t answer the question. Manufacturers of the typical DIY epoxy kits that you purchase from home improvement centers do not offer touch up kits. If it was a quality commercial product from a concrete coating vendor, then one may be available. A point to be aware of is that coatings do not blend well together like regular paint does. The overlap marks will make it obvious where a new coating was applied over the old. If you used color flakes, they can help to camouflage it a bit. You might be better off color matching the coating with a concrete paint if you plan on redoing the floor sometime in the future.
Thanks for your response Shea. I think it was Rustoleum Rocksolid which I applied. I will take your advice and match with concrete paint and redo the whole lot sometime in the future. Unfortunately I used up all the colour flakes.
My basement may be coated with a 2 part epoxy, how can I tell for sure?
Hello Bill. Apply a tablespoon of acetone or mineral spirits to inconspicuous area of the floor. Let it set for a minute or two and then rub it dry vigorously with a clean rag. If it’s paint, the surface may soften and a lot of the color will come up on the rag. If it’s epoxy, it might discolor the rag slightly and degloss the area, but that is it.
I pulled the carpet up in one of my bed rooms last year. I bought my epoxy from Epoxy Masters. I watch the video and also watch some videos on the internet. It looked too easy to do. I tried their product for the first time in my life. I applied two coats. It was really that easy to do. It came out awesome. Looks like something you would see in a magazine. Two part epoxy is the only way to go.
I painted with latex, and the car pulled up the paint, I sanded those spots and used a primer and painted again with latex, and now the store advised using a sealer (is this correct?) also if so should I use those decorative chips in the sealer to prevent slipping and falling? (the store advised me of what to use and do but not sure if all of this is correct, or should I just buy a rug and the heck with it?
Hi Rebecca. The problem is that latex paint does not hold up at all when it comes to hot tires. It doesn’t matter what you apply over it, it’s still the weak link and will still pull up if you put a clear acrylic coating over it. Decorative color flakes are cosmetic only and will not enhance slip resistance. It you apply a clear acrylic coating over the paint you can mix in an anti-slip additive to vastly improve wet performance. Like we stated though, it will not improve the performance of the latex paint and those areas will still pull up.
What would you recommend for a clear top coat on an acrylic stain (tan with flakes) that is on a concrete garage floor? Don’t have any info on the acrylic stain or who the manufacturer is.
Hi Robert. If the stain is an acrylic, then it’s actually a thin coating. This article explains more. The only clear you can put on an acrylic base is another acrylic. It’s also important to determine if the base acrylic stain is water-based or solvent-based. You can apply a water-based acrylic on top of both water or solvent-based acrylics, but you can’t place a solvent-based acrylic on a water-based acrylic. The solvents will tend to soften the water-based acrylic and make a color mess.
Thanks – you have been very helpful
Hi Shea,
I’m not sure if you’re still answering questions because it’s been a few years since the last post but I’ll try anyway.
I was thinking of using epoxy floor covering on the plywood on the upper level of my garage because we’re turning that space into a small living area for my mother when she visits. With the other work going on, we thought we’d postpone spending $ on hardwood flooring right now. My question has 2 parts 1. would the more viscous epoxy floor covering do an ok job filling in the small lines between the boards and 2. would it yellow from the sunlight coming in from the windows? I know it’s ambers when it’s in direct sun but not sure how sensitive it is if say, we lay down area rugs and the sun travels across the room throughout the day.
Thanks for a great article by the way!
Hi Victoria. Epoxy can be applied to wood flooring as long as the floor does not flex much. Epoxy is a very hard substance that does not flex. If the floor flexes, then the epoxy will crack. Unless you are using 100% solids epoxy, it will not fill the tight gaps between the boards and create a smooth finish. As epoxy cures, the water or solvents that act as a carrier for the solids will evaporate away. When it does this, the wet film thickness decreases and any holes, voids, and etc., that were filled will be exposed to some degree. It’s similar to how paint reacts on a wall when you paint over a hole that was not patched. Yes, it will amber if exposed to direct sunlight – even through windows. You will need to sand the wood with 60 grit sandpaper before application.