Polyaspartic Top Coat – Why it is better for your garage epoxy floor.1716710700
Polyaspartic Top Coat – Why it is Better For Your Garage Floor Than Epoxy
Epoxy and polyaspartic floor coatings are both incredibly durable flooring materials that protect garage floors from water, chemicals, impact, heat, and staining. Both are 2-component systems and require precise measuring and mixing to ensure a perfect mix.
Epoxy has been around for some time and is a popular choice for concrete floor protection. However, polyaspartic has recently emerged as a superior option with some amazing advantages over epoxy.
Longer Lasting Bond
Epoxy coatings can have a difficult time bonding to concrete floors. The materials need to be mixed and applied at exactly the right time in order to properly form a strong, long-lasting bond with your concrete floor. Any hiccups in the process can cause the epoxy to dry and harden before you get around to applying it. This is known as a "pot life" and it's why professional flooring contractors are typically used to install these types of coatings.
Polyaspartic has a much shorter pot life, which means you can apply it to your garage floor much quicker than epoxy. This also allows you to resume foot traffic a lot faster after a job is completed. Epoxy can take up to a week for the curing process, which can put your garage out of commission during that period.
Another big advantage of polyaspartic is that it's extremely resistant to UV rays. This helps prevent the floor from yellowing or discoloring over time. Epoxy, on the other hand, can become yellow or lose its color over time if exposed to UV rays.
One downside to using a polyaspartic top coat is that it doesn't hold up as well against battery acid, which is a concern for some homeowners who plan on working on their cars in their garage. However, this is a minor con and most homeowners don't need their garage to be resistant to battery acid anyways.
More Durable
Compared to epoxy floor coating, polyaspartic is more durable. Abrasions and scuff marks will not be as visible, so your garage floor will look better for longer. The material is also less prone to moisture damage. Epoxy can lose its bond with concrete when exposed to too much moisture, causing the coating to peel off. Polyaspartic does not suffer from this issue, as the material bonds well to concrete even when damp.
In addition to being more resistant to abrasions, polyaspartic can also resist corrosion and chemicals. This makes it a good choice for high-traffic areas, such as commercial kitchens and industrial complexes. It is also a great choice for a garage, as it can withstand heavy vehicles and regular battery acid spills.
Another advantage of polyaspartic is that it does not require a long curing time. This makes it more convenient for the installers and clients alike, as they can use the space sooner. The epoxy process takes more time to dry, as the material needs to reach a certain temperature “sweet spot” before it can fully cure.
Polyaspartic also has fewer VOCs than traditional epoxy options, making it a more environmentally friendly option for your garage floor coating. This means fewer emissions during installation and a healthier environment for anyone working in your garage. Whether you use your garage for parking vehicles or as a workshop, a new garage floor coating can transform the space into something functional and visually stunning.
Less Expensive
The polyurea and polyaspartic resins used to make this coating are highly resistant to heat, humidity and chemicals. As a result, it’s more durable than epoxy and able to handle the heavy foot traffic and equipment that often go along with having a garage floor coated.
Unlike epoxy, which can take up to a week for your garage floor to fully cure after it is applied, a polyaspartic coat cures much faster. This means that you can resume normal traffic on your garage floor as soon as an hour after it is applied.
It also doesn’t release harmful chemical fumes like epoxy does during and after application. This makes it a safe choice for homeowners to apply themselves, even with minimal experience.
While the durability and long-lasting bond of a polyaspartic coat make it an excellent option for any garage flooring project, these qualities also mean that it is more expensive than epoxy. As such, it isn’t ideal for a homeowner who wants to completely refinish their garage floor on a tight budget.
In addition, a polyaspartic coat will not properly bond to concrete that gives off moisture. For this reason, it is a better choice for industrial or commercial projects that require a strong, durable and long-lasting floor. In these instances, a moisture barrier must be installed under the coating to prevent delamination and peeling.
Easy to Apply
Unlike epoxy, which requires multiple steps and has a short “pot life” of about eighteen to twenty minutes before it starts to dry in the bucket, polyaspartic is much easier to work with. This is because it does not need to be stirred as often and it doesn’t harden in the bucket. Instead, it stays liquid enough for manual application.
This allows for a quick turnaround project and helps to minimize the amount of time that your garage floor needs to be out of commission. Mark Anderson from Epoxy Flooring Burnaby commented that Polyaspartic also does not require the use of hazardous solvents or produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that contribute to air pollution and have a long-lasting odor.
Aside from the ease of application, it also dries quickly. This can be a good thing, but it also means that you need to be careful not to over-apply it or miss spots, as this can cause streaks and unevenness in the coating.
Another downside is that it is not as strong as epoxy and may not be resistant to battery acid. Mechanics should be aware of this before they choose this option for their garage floors. It is still a very durable and attractive flooring choice, however. This is because it offers plenty of style options when it comes to color, finish and mix-ins. This makes it possible to create a look that is truly unique and customized to your garage space.
Polyaspartic Top Coat – Why it is Better For Your Garage Floor Than Epoxy Epoxy and polyaspartic floor coatings are both incredibly durable flooring materials that protect garage floors from water, chemicals, impact, heat, and staining. Both are 2-component systems and require precise measuring and mixing to ensure a perfect mix. Epoxy has been around…