The best garage floor coating kits, also known as epoxy paint kits, are not what you may think. If you were expecting a comparison of Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield, Quikrete, Valspar, RockSolid, or some other kit you’ve seen at your local home improvement store, then you may be in for a surprise.
The best garage floor coating kits that are easiest to apply, long lasting, and offer the best protection, are the newer single-part moisture cured polyurea coatings.
Not familiar with polyurea garage floor coatings? No worries, the majority of other people aren’t either. Consumers who want to apply a DIY coating to their garage floor are commonly familiar with the term “garage floor coating kit”, “epoxy paint kit”, and etc. When they are using these terms, they are generally thinking about epoxy coatings and the above mentioned products.
Why? The reason is simple. These types of kits have been marketed and promoted for many years by the large companies that manufacture them. Rust-Oleum is a good example. These are the typical DIY garage floor coatings that are designed to be applied in one coat with the optional decorative color flakes to toss on top.
They are generally packaged in an eye catching box which includes the coating, a small bag of color flakes, and an ECO friendly etch/cleaner solution as well. It’s not everything you need to get the job done, but they like to use the word “kit” to sound all-inclusive for marketing purposes.
Prevalent in the home improvement centers and hardware stores where they are seen on a regular basis, this is all the average consumer is aware of in terms of coating choices in many cases.
The problem with most of these garage floor epoxy products, however, is that they are on the low end of the scale in terms of quality, durability, and performance when compared to the vast majority of garage floor coatings available. We suggest reading this article here to understand more of what to expect with these types of coatings.
Now that you know the history of these epoxy paint kits, let’s discuss what makes the newer single-part polyurea garage floor kits so much better.
What is a polyurea coating anyway?
Put simply, polyurea is a subset of polyurethane. It is a coating that seals and exhibits excellent chemical, stain, and abrasion resistance. The high elongation rate that polyurea provides makes for a flexible (relatively speaking) surface. Coatings that flex provide very high abrasion and scratch resistance. This is one of the reasons why polyurethane and polyurea is a much better top coat than epoxy for most environments.
Polyurea is actually fairly new for a coating. It was commercially developed in the 1990’s and was most known in the industry as a spray-on coating for bed liners, pipe linings, water tanks, pool coatings, and etc. When mixed with a catalyst in a sprayer it can cure in as little as 5 seconds. It can also be applied in extreme cold and warm temperature conditions.
It was later developed as a 2-part polyurea polyaspartic roll-on concrete floor coating. It has become very popular with many garage floor installation companies. The cure rates of less than two hours can provide a 1 day return to service for a complete garage floor coating system. This can be an advantage when selling this type of coating over a standard epoxy garage floor system that requires a minimum of three days to cure before full return to service.
The high solids 2-part formulas used for these garage floor coatings is expensive, however, and requires experienced installers to apply properly due to the short working time (pot life) of only 20-25 minutes. This is why it has not been popular for DIY application – that is until recently.
Why single-part polyurea coatings are better than epoxy paint kits
One particular formulation that has been introduced to the floor coating industry in recent years is single-part moisture cured polyurea. Most polyurea formulas require mixing of a part-A resin and part-B catalyst – just as epoxy does.
Single-part polyurea, on the other hand, does not require mixing of two components. Instead, the catalyst it reacts to is moisture in the air. The reaction happens after it has been applied and this is what induces the curing process.
Single-part polyurea is a commercial quality garage floor coating that is the easiest of all coating to apply – period.
With the addition of solvents in these formulations, manufacturers have created an extremely durable polyurea garage floor coating that does not require mixing of A and B components, has unlimited pot life, and can easily be applied to concrete.
Many of the mistakes from DIY epoxy coating applications generate from improper mixing of the A and B components. The anxiety of this mixing process is a common deterrence that causes some people to shy away from installing epoxy in their garage.
RockSolid has tried to eliminate mixing mistakes with the introduction of burst pouches to mix A and B components, but problems still exist. The single-part polyurea coating completely eliminates this step and greatly reduces the chances of DIY installation error.
To be more concise; Single-part polyurea is a commercial quality garage floor coating that is the easiest of all coatings to apply – period.
Furthermore, the typical epoxy coating and garage floor coating kits as mentioned before is no match to the superior durability, chemical resistance, scratch resistance, and abrasion resistance of single-part polyurea coatings.
As an example, commercial quality coatings provide a list of ratings based on testing. You can find these ratings as well as other pertinent figures in the Technical Data Sheets. This is what allows consumers to compare and evaluate how coatings will perform. Abrasion resistance and chemical resistance are two standard tests that can provide very good information.
The example below is a chemical resistance chart that lists how a particular product will react to a variety of liquid chemicals including acids and solvents.
You can’t find this kind of information for your typical epoxy paint kits by Rust-Oleum, Valspar, H&C ShieldCrete, RockSolid, and etc. It’s not listed. Instead, they use very vague terminology such as “anti-peel protection”, “2x stronger than concrete”, “hot tire resistant formulation”, “long lasting results”, and etc. They do not provide any testing data to back up these claims.
To their credit, RockSolid actually provides an abrasion resistance rating, but they do not provide chemical resistance data. The rating they provide for abrasion resistance is 40mg. This is how much material is lost during 1000 cycles for a CS-17 abrasion wheel test. The lower the abrasion numbers the better. To compare, many single-part polyureas test at only a 12mg loss.
Important to note is that each mg unit of loss is exponential. For example, a coating with a 4mg loss compared to a coating with an 8mg loss would last 3 times as long in terms of wear under the same conditions – not 2 times as long as most would assume. Now, can you imagine how much better a 12mg loss coating performs to a 40mg loss coating when it comes to wear and abuse?
Additionally, polyurea is U.V. stable whereas epoxy is not. This means that your coating will not amber (yellow tint) over time when exposed to sunlight. This is a typical complaint about epoxy paint kits.
Coating thickness is another issue. Most epoxy garage floor kits have a dry film thickness of only 2-3 mils when applied at the standard coverage rates. Thin coatings such as these can sometimes create cosmetic issues with the color looking inconsistent (blotchy) due to the coating being absorbed at different rates into the concrete.
Single-part polyureas on the other hand have a 4-5 mil dry film thickness. The thicker coating makes for a more durable surface and is less prone to color inconsistencies.
Benefits of single-part polyurea coatings
- No mixing of A and B components
- Long working times so you don’t feel rushed
- Recoat times as little as 2 hours versus 10-12 hours
- No primer required
- Can be applied in very low temperatures – most epoxy kits require a minimum of 60°F
- Over 50% thicker coating than standard epoxy kits
- Long lasting – 10 years or more versus 2-5 years for standard epoxy kits
- No hot tire lift – water based epoxy kits will get hot tire lift
- 100% U.V. stable for no yellowing – epoxy kits will turn yellow over time
- 100% more flexible than epoxy for superior scratch resistance
- Higher gloss ratings than most epoxy kits – maintains gloss longer
- High chemical and abrasion resistance – data not available for epoxy kits
- Excellent protection against road salts and deicing fluids
- Can be used as a clear sealer over bare concrete or stained concrete
- Available in both gallon and quart sizes to modify for any square footage
Single-part polyurea coatings can be used as a one coat stand-alone system, with or without color flakes, just as the standard epoxy paint kits are. You also have the option of adding a clear top coat of polyurea for a two coat system. This can allow for a full color flake floor of your choosing to get a real custom look.
Another advantage is that single-part polyurea is available in gallon and quart sizes. This allows you to order only what you need for your square footage to avoid over spending. Most garage floor coating kits only allow for purchases of 250ft² at a time. If you have a 550ft² garage floor for example, you would need to purchase three kits. There is no way you could stretch out two kits for the 550ft² without cosmetic and performance issues.
Concrete preparation is the same with single-part polyurea as it is with any other epoxy coating kit. You need to etch or grind the concrete to create the correct surface profile. This will open up the pores of the concrete at the surface in order for the coating to penetrate and achieve a mechanical bond.
One characteristic of single-part polyurea you need to be aware of is that it is solvent based. There will be some light fumes during application. Most of the smell from the fumes dissipates within a few hours as the solvent evaporates out of the coating. As with any solvent born coating, it’s not uncommon if it takes a few days for the smell to completely diminish, but it will go away in short time.
Polyurea coatings can also be more slippery when wet compared to epoxy. The curing process produces a tightly cross-linked structure that smooths out almost like glass. This is one of the reasons it cleans up so easily and is very difficult to stain. If you live in a wet climate or worry about the floor being slippery, we would suggest adding an anti-slip additive to the final coat.
Additionally, they are not the best choice if you have a concrete surface with numerous hairline cracks and/or surface irregularities either. Though thicker than their epoxy paint counter parts, they still are not thick enough to fill in such surfaces. A high solids or 100% solids epoxy is a superior candidate since they are better at self-leveling with a dry film thickness of 9-10 mils and higher.
Lastly, some single-part polyureas are packaged in clear only and require that you mix in a pigment pack for the color you choose. This is not the same as mixing 2 components together, however. You just pour in the pigment pack and mix with a paint stick. This does not activate the coating, nor does it mean you have to start immediately applying it after you mix in the color packs.
Where to purchase polyurea garage floor coating kits
One of the best advantages to purchasing a single-part polyurea is that they are currently only available from vendors who specialize in concrete coatings. These are the same companies that professional installers buy product from.
Unlike home improvement centers, these vendors are experienced in garage floor coating application and are extremely knowledgeable. They want you to be successful with your project. Customer service is excellent in most cases and they can answer any questions that you have about product and application.
They are also very good at making sure you understand what you are purchasing and if the product you are interested in is the best choice for you or not. We highly recommend contacting these vendors with any questions you may have before making a purchase.
These vendors are not national brand companies with brick and mortar stores that you can walk into. Product is ordered online via their websites and then shipped directly to you. Most of these companies ship for free as well. Though the product doesn’t come in a neatly packaged box with nice artwork and graphics, they can provide everything you need in true kit form for a successful application.
To our knowledge, Legacy Industrial was one of the first vendors to offer a single-part polyurea in a DIY application. Called Nohr-S, we were so impressed with the coating that we did an article about it here.
Sometime afterwards, ArmorPoxy made their SPGX polyurea available to the public as well. One of our readers in Chicago applied it to his garage floor and we did an article about the process here.
The latest to offer a polyurea coating in kit form is Garage Flooring LLC. Customer service is excellent and they would be more than happy to help you out and answer your questions.
you would have to purchase and go through the process of reapplying an average of four water based epoxy paint kits over the life of just one single-part polyurea coating.
Cost per square foot for a single-part polyurea coating averages about twice that of the lowest priced, water based epoxy garage floor kits. RockSolid polycuramine and the solvent based Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield Professional coatings are priced approximately midway between.
1 gallon covers approximately 250ft², same as most epoxy paint kits. SPGX by ArmorPoxy covers 300-400ft² per gallon, but the additional square footage is reflected in their price point.
Though the initial cost of single-part polyurea garage floor coating is higher than the typical epoxy paint kits, they are a much better value when you carry that expense out over the many years of use. For example, you would have to purchase and go through the process of reapplying an average of four water based epoxy paint kits over the life of just one single-part polyurea coating.
Are polyurea garage flooring kits the best of all garage floor coatings?
One important question that people want to know is how single-part polyurea coatings compare to other garage floor coating systems available. Is it better than epoxy? Is it better than polyurethane? Is this the best garage floor coating I can apply?
A single-part polyurea coating garage floor kit and/or system is the best choice for those that want a professional looking, commercial quality coating that is the easiest to install and at a reasonable price point.
They deliver excellent performance and long life for the typical residential garage that will see light duty automotive repair, medium to heavy traffic, inclement weather conditions, and other hobby/home improvement projects that are performed in the garage.
Application is easier than the epoxy paint kits and they will not experience the potential peeling, hot tire lift, color fade, and wear over 2-5 years that is typical of such kits.
However, in terms of ultimate performance and durability, nothing really outshines a hybrid system that consists of an epoxy primer, a high solids epoxy color coat, and one or two coats of a high performance polyurethane or polyurea top coat. We discuss the best garage floor coating systems here.
Final thoughts
Needless to say we are impressed with this product. Hands down, single-part polyurea is the easiest of all coatings to apply while still performing to commercial quality standards. It delivers excellent protection and performance at a very reasonable price point.
The large companies that provide inexpensive epoxy paint garage floor kits have been relying on relatively older epoxy coating formulas for years. We would not be surprised if one of them doesn’t come out with their own version of this polyurea in the near future. It would eliminate many of the complaints about their products.
Until then, the biggest problem that single-part polyurea will face is lack of exposure to the general public. The smaller companies that sell the higher performing garage floor coatings do not have the budget for the type of national advertising that is required.
Though it’s not the cheapest garage floor coating, for the value it’s one of the best DIY garage floor coatings available that you can purchase in kit form.
Good article filled with important info. One question, does the garage floor have to be free of old paint? The
Yes, Stan. If it’s paint and not a coating, a single-part polyurea will soften the paint and it will not adhere well.
How does the single polyuria sealed floor age? Doe it look the same for 10+ yrs?
What would be a bad application?
What is the key to the best quality outcome to be aware of?
It it toxic to smell during application, ….and for how long after?
Where can I go to find out color options and flakes?
What is the typical cost to have a professional do the labor?
What is typical cost for the solution to cover a normal 2 car garage …approximately?
Hi Leslie. The newer single-part polyurea garage floor coatings will last 10 years or more when installed correctly with a minimum of two coats. Most bad applications are due to poor concrete preparation. They will produce a smell during application and for approximately 12-24 hours afterwards. The smell dissipates rapidly after that. You can’t really go anywhere to view color flakes if that is what you are asking. However, we suggest reading this article here. There is a link in the article that takes you to a color flake blending tool by Torginol. Professional floor coating installers generally don’t use single-part polyurea coatings since they don’t cure fast enough for a one day turn-around. They typically use 2-part polyurea and polyaspartic coatings that will cure in a few hours. Cost starts around $5.50 – $6.00 per square foot for professional installation for that type of coating. A DIY single-part polyurea installation can run as little as .50 cents to $1.50 per square foot depending on product selection and how many coats are applied. We highly recommend contacting the vendor before you make a purchase in order to discuss options, concerns, and to ask questions. The vendors are extremely knowledgeable and great source of information. We do not recommend soliciting advice from home improvement centers.
Shea..i have a strong chip finished epoxy floor now that I am happy with other than the yellowing. Floor has been down approx 8 years with no sign of cracking of delaminating. To fix the yellowing could I apply this single application with new or different color chips and two top coats and expect good long term results? I live in snowy country so salt and water would be issue. I know i would have to sand existing floor to prep..do you think it would stay down and not peal in time?
Hi Kerk. If you have a coating that’s been down for 8 years (including winter weather) and it shows no physical signs of wear, then it will be just fine as a base coat for a new coating. You will just need to rough up the surface with 100-120 grit sandpaper before applying a new coating. This article explains how to prep an old coating for a new one. The newer single-part polyurea coatings are extremely durable and will not yellow from U.V. light. You can do just as described and get excellent results.
If the concrete underneath the single-part polyurea application cracks over time, creating cracks in the surface. Will I be able to sand/grind and repair and blend with this material?
Hi Shane. The single-part polyurea coating is not a crack filler. If your concrete cracks you will want to use the appropriate concrete crack filler, some of which are polyurea. Once the repairs are made you can coat over with the same floor coating. Keep in mind, however, that coatings do not blend when applied over old coatings like paint on a wall for example. The new coating stands out where it overlaps the old.
We have some alternative projects that require UV ,Stain and scratch resistance-Is there a number to call to get further technical assistance?Thanks
Hello Tim. We don’t have a tech line since we are an informational website only. However, you can email us at [email protected] and we will let you know if we can help or not.
What is the best way to spread the color flakes to get them dispersed evenly?
Hi Gary. Divide the volume of chips up into equall amounts for each section of your floor. This ensures that you won’t run short or apply too much to one area. Put each amount into a small pail and then take small handfuls or large pinches and toss them high in the air. They will disperse nicely as they fall to the ground if you toss them high enough.
I was wondering if these coatings are appropriate for fresh concrete in a bathroom environment?
Concrete must be allowed to cure for a minimum of 30 days before using a coating. How do you intend on using the coating?
I have numerous chips in my flooring, is there a small repair kit available?
What type of flooring is it exactly, Ron? What brand and etc.
The article mentions that “We would not be surprised if one of [the large companies] doesn’t come out with their own version of this polyurea in the near future. Have you had an opportunity to review Rustoleum FastKote, selling for $170-180 on Amazon. It appears to be single part polyuria. Your thoughts and comments would be appreciated.
Hello Kurt. The Rust-Oleum FastKote is a similar product in terms of formulation (single-part polyurea) and easy application. It is high gloss with good chemical resistance. However, it has very poor abrasion resistance compared to the products we mention in the article. If you look at the technical data sheets, when comparing the FastKote to AWF2K by Garage Flooring LLC for example, the FastKote has an abrasion rating of 43 mg loss while the AWF2K is 12 mg loss. Important to note is that each mg of loss is exponential. To give an example, a coating with a 4 mg loss compared to a coating with a 8 mg loss would last 3 times as long in terms of wear under the same conditions. Not twice as long as one would assume based on the numbers. The abrasion rating is very important in determining how well the floor will resist wear.
Hello Shea. Thank you for your prompt and very informative reply. I’m hunting for a coating for my brand new 22 x 16 garage floor. This is a 3rd garage just added, and the concrete was poured a month ago. I will use this garage as a “shop” with power tools mounted on tables with rubber caster wheels. There may be a small car in their occasionally, but it is primarily a wood-working shop. Minimally, I’m looking for a coating that will resist staining and clean up easily (mostly sawdust). The coating need not last forever; at least a few years would be good. As I “broke the bank” on the garage, I’m hoping to find something reasonably priced for the coating. I am a DIY kind of guy, but have no experience with coating a garage floor. With all of that in mind, may I ask for your wisdom/advice on coating? Thank you again for your help.
If they are in your budget, the single-part polyurea coatings in this article are actually less expensive per gallon than the Rust-Oleum FastKote. They will wear longer and will stand up very well to the type of environment that you described. Expect two coats to last close to 10 years unless subjected to heavy abuse. They are very stain resistant and like most other coatings they will clean up easily. One thing to keep in mind is that sawdust on coatings can get slippery. You may want to apply an anti-slip grit into the final coat.
Shea, thanks for the great advice! I will provide feedback in the future on how the coating turns out
I noticed that the Legacy product when applied comes with a primer. There then 3 coats. The primer, the polyurea with pigment and then the clear polyurea. The other two companies do not have a separate primer. Can u tell me why this is? I am going to be coating a new garage floor shortly. Thank you in advance.
Hi Peter. The Nohr-S garage floor coating system can be applied without the primer coat if you desire. What the primer coat does, however, is create a thicker coating and it ensures that you will get excellent color and consistency with just one color coat since it will not be absorbed by the concrete. When you don’t use a primer, areas of the concrete that are more porous will absorb more of the coating. This can create thin areas which can have a matte and sometimes translucent look. When this happens you need to apply another color coat.
Shea, l appreciate your help.
Peter
If I can add, a primer also reduces potential bubbles caused by a very porous surface. Any coating project, epoxy, polyurea, etc… benefits greatly from a primer.
Shea. Do you think the single part polyurea material would work on a plywood garage floor. If not, do you have any suggestions?
Bud
Hello Bud. It will adhere to wood if it is sanded first with 60 grit sandpaper, however, it will not bridge any gaps in the wood and provide a seamless look if that is what you are looking to accomplish. Also, polyurea is much more flexible than epoxy, but it it can crack if it flexes too much. You will want to make sure that there is not too much flex in the floor where the cars sit.
hey Shea,unfortunately we have just purchased 3 kits of the rust epox garage and was wondering what heavy clear coat can be suitable to enhance durability
Hello Bonnie. Rust-Oleum actually makes a couple epoxy clear coats. This one here is a 100% solids that has received good reviews.
I’m in the Philadelphia PA area, can you recommend a dealer/vendor in my area? Would this be a good coating for an automotive detail shop?
Hello Joshua. Yes, this could be a great coating for an automotive detail shop. If the floors will be getting wet, you may want to apply an anti-slip additive to the final coat. The nearest vendor to you that we are aware of that sells polyurea would be ArmorPoxy. They are located in New Jersey. You can find their information here. Just give them a call and tell them what you are looking for.
My expansion joints were poured using metal between them. The metal is not showing thru. But the concrete laying on top of the metal has chipped away in a lot of spots. Joints are less then 1/4 inch wide and 1/4 in deep. The floor is a few months old and never painted. Because of expansion joints I would need to fill with something flexible but paintable. Do you have any recommendations for a filler for expansions joints? I would like to have a smooth floor is possible. There will not be automobiles on the floor. Its a garage\woodshop. I was looking at using SW Rexthene I as one option. Two tinted coats, flakes, then two clear top coats. I am open to any suggestions.
Hello R. It sounds like you have a keyway joint which effectively creates a tongue and groove effect between two slabs. The recommended procedure for filling such a joint is to chase it with a crack chasing wheel to the top of the keyway. They generally lay 1/4″ to 3/8″ under the surface. This will effectively remove all the loose and weak concrete over the keyway and provide a nice “V” shape to apply your filler. We have an article about how to fill joints here, including recommended product. Once the joint is filled, you will need to grind it flush once it has cured.
FYI, polyurethane (urethane for short) generally cannot be applied to bare concrete and expect excellent adhesion. It generally requires the application of epoxy or an epoxy primer first. We recommend checking with Sherwin Williams. The data sheets for Rexthane 1 state that testing was done with the Rexthane applied over ArmorSeal 1000 HS epoxy. Also, polyurethane goes on very thin and does not make for a good build coat. A combination of ArmorSeal 1000 HS epoxy and Rexthane 1 polyurethane would make for a good coating for what you want to use it for. The single-part polyurea products that we cover in this article are easier to apply and even more durable, but may be slightly more expensive.
Very interested but my current garage floor is painted; gray latex. Some flaking but minimal, and otherwise in good shape. I assume the paint must be removed. True? And given a Yes, how can I best remove the old paint? I assume this needs to be done if I want polyurea or any epoxy. Thanks.
Hello Chris. Yes, if you want to apply a polyurea coating you will first need to remove the latex paint. There are a couple of reasons for this. The first is that polyurea will make the latex paint soft and it will bleed into the polyurea. Second, polyurea adheres to concrete much better than latex paint. If you were able to apply polyurea over the latex, the entire coating would peel up as easy as latex can since the latex is the base coat that is adhered to the concrete. The best way to remove it is to grind it off. This not only removes the old paint, it will prep the concrete at the same time for the polyurea or epoxy.
Hi Shea, I’m looking for advice on a DIY project. I have an exterior above grade concrete deck that is used for pedestrian traffic, patio furniture etc. but no vehicular traffic. It gets a lot of direct sunlight. I need to waterproof the deck but I also want something that is aesthetically pleasing. I’ve gotten a lot of mixed info on what products would and would not work. I thought I had decided on an epoxy base, with full vinyl chip and a polyurea top coat with anti slip additive but I don’t want high gloss and I’ve been told by some sellers that this product is not intended for outdoor use. What would you recommend?
Hello Richard. We recommend that you contact and talk with a couple companies that offer just what you describe for outdoor use and non vehicular traffic. The first would be Legacy Industrial. Ask for Scotty. Sometimes you have to leave a message. The second company is ArmorPoxy. They actually have other outdoor options as well. Both of these companies ship for free and their customer service is good.
Hi Shea, we just finished our new garage floor using legacy Nohr S with primer. We also decided to diamond grind instead of etching.
We have decided to add another coat in a specific area. Our question is this:
we need to ” degloss/ solvent wipe the surface first since the 12 hour period is past. If we do not want to use a “solvent” is there another method you would recommend to degloss the surface first.
Thx
Hi Peter. Deglossing of the surface requires roughing it up with 120 grit sandpaper. This process deglosses the surface and provides a rough enough texture to provide mechanical adhesion to the coating instead of the chemical adhesion you get when recoating within the correct time frame. You wipe the surface with denatured alcohol afterwards to help remove any remaining dust from the sanding. It also helps to degloss any small depressions or irregularities that the sanding didn’t get. The solvent wipe is not absolutely necessary, but it ensures the best outcome. Denatured alcohol actually evaporates very fast and does not leave a smell behind afterwards. If you have any further concerns, we recommend that you give Legacy Industrial a call and ask for Scotty. He would be more than happy to assist you.