Your garage floor is riddled with imperfections, oil stains, and dirt. Now, you’re ready to take it to a level of cleanliness and shine it’s never seen so that it can become your new workshop.
Smart thinking. Turning garages into flex spaces, like workshops, has been a growing trend since the COVID-19 pandemic. And it’s one of the smartest ways to elevate your home’s value.
However, if you’re thinking about embarking on a do-it-yourself (DIY) polyaspartic floor coating project, think again. The cost savings of doing a DIY project with this type of flooring likely won’t justify the challenges that come with applying this type of floor yourself.
Here’s a rundown of why installing this kind of flooring yourself isn’t worth the trouble.
Let’s dig in!
Polyaspartic Floor Coating DIY Project Bonding Issues
One of the biggest problems with a DIY polyaspartic flooring project is that if your garage’s concrete has high moisture levels and you don’t realize this, the polyaspartic coating won’t bond to your floor.
When a polyaspartic coating touches your concrete floor, it will bond to the floor while searching for any moisture. If the coating makes contact with moisture, it will stop bonding to your concrete floor.
Instead, the coating will sit atop your concrete floor, just like epoxy or paint. As a result, the coating won’t cure, be as durable, or be as long-lasting.
For this reason, if your concrete’s moisture level is too high, you may have to place a strong moisture barrier on the floor before applying a base polyaspartic floor coat. This extra step will help to ensure that the polyaspartic coating bonds to your concrete floor and cures.
A professional polyaspartic coating installer can test your floor’s moisture level and apply a moisture barrier, if needed to ensure a successful project for you.
Mixing Issues
Another reason to avoid doing a polyaspartic floor coating DIY project is that if you don’t mix the polyaspartic coating properly, your project will fail.
Let’s say the coating mixture ratio isn’t correct. The coating may partially evaporate while it is curing. This will make your coating thinner and less durable, therefore shortening its life.
Unfortunately, mixing the coating properly can be challenging if you don’t have experience in this area and don’t follow the instructions exactly. For this reason, it’s best to leave this job to a professional.
Fading Issues
Yet another reason to steer clear of a floor coating DIY project is that if you don’t choose the right coating option, it won’t be ultraviolet resistant. As a result, it will fade with time.
Some homeowners make the mistake of applying a certain coating product, then later realize that they chose a non-ultraviolet-resistant version. To avoid this issue, you must double-check that you’re utilizing an ultraviolet-resistant coating.
A professional polyaspartic floor coating installer can assure you that the product they’re using is ultraviolet resistant.
Air Bubble Issues
Polyaspartic concrete coatings can also present bubble issues if you try to apply these coatings yourself. Specifically, bubbles might develop in your coating mixture if you mix it too quickly.
The top coat and base of a polyaspartic coating are created by combining at least two solutions at a specified ratio. A special blending tool is used to complete this task.
If you mix the coating at an unnecessarily high speed, air bubbles will start to develop in the mix. These bubbles may then be transferred to your concrete floor when you apply the coating mix to the floor.
When the polyaspartic coating dries, these bubbles will end up drying into it. Over time, the bubbles may pop, and this might cause your coating to peel off and chip with ease.
Unfortunately, it can be challenging for DIYers to know what speed their polyaspartic floor coatings should be mixed at. Again, this is why hiring a professional to do the mixing is a wise move.
Curing Issues
Finally, when you apply a polyaspartic floor coating to your concrete floor, the coating might not cure if you don’t follow the proper steps.
A polyaspartic coating has a 24-hour cure time. However, you can usually walk on the coating just six hours after it’s been applied. You can then place heavy items or park on the coating after the 24-hour period.
However, if you mix your coating at the incorrect ratio, as mentioned earlier, the coating might end up being gummy, and this gumminess won’t go away.
You can use your finger or thumb to test whether your polyaspartic floor coating is cured. If you push your finger or thumb on the coat and it moves due to the weight applied, then it’s not cured.
In this situation, you would have to hire a professional to redo your coating job. This will only cost you more time and money than if you had hired a professional to complete the job from the start.
How We Can Help with Your Garage Floor
A polyaspartic floor coating DIY project can present several challenges including concrete coating bonding and mixing issues. An improperly applied coating might ultimately never cure.
Fortunately, at Garage Force, we have years of experience with installing polyaspartic floor coatings, so you don’t have to struggle through this process yourself. Our systems provide a finished, custom look while also making garages more functional.
Get in touch with us to learn more about our concrete coatings, and schedule an appointment today!
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