Why You Shouldn’t DIY Your Garage Floor

The trend of do-it-yourself (DIY) projects has swept across various aspects of home improvement, with epoxy garage floors climbing the ranks as one of the more popular ventures. At first glance, applying an epoxy coating to your garage floor by yourself might seem like an appealing, cost-effective solution. However, this practice is not devoid of challenges and pitfalls.

Keep reading for four reasons you shouldn’t DIY your garage floor — and why you should go with the pros at Ohio Garage Interiors for a high-quality polyaspartic garage floor coating system.

Reason #1: There Are Right Supplies and Equipment

Achieving a durable and visually appealing finish requires more than just the epoxy product itself. Proper surface preparation is critical and often demands professional-grade grinders or shot blasters. Additionally, high-quality rollers, brushes and squeegees specifically designed for epoxy applications guarantee a smooth, even coat.

Reason #2: Epoxy Mistakes Happen

An epoxy garage floor requires proper preparation, application and curing time for a durable, long-lasting finish. These processes are doable, but it’s easy to make mistakes that can lead to a substandard result.

Floor Preparation

Adequate preparation involves thorough cleaning, repairing cracks and chips and sometimes even grinding to free the floor surface from oils, dust and debris. Skipping or rushing this crucial step causes flaking, peeling, or bubbling.

Concrete Drying

Failing to allow the concrete to dry thoroughly before applying epoxy can have disastrous outcomes. Moisture trapped beneath the epoxy layer can cause bubbling and peeling, compromising the integrity and appearance of the floor.

Epoxy Stretching

Stretching the epoxy too thin over the garage floor to save on material costs undermines the strength and durability of the finished surface. The epoxy layer becomes prone to early wear, cracks and peeling, ultimately failing to provide the robust protection a garage floor needs.

Epoxy Mixing

Epoxy has a resin and a hardener that forms a durable bond when mixed in the correct proportions. If you fail to blend these components thoroughly, the chemical reaction becomes uneven, leading to sections of the flooring that are not fully cured.

Temperature and Humidity Levels

Epoxy resin has optimal curing conditions. Applying epoxy in an environment that’s too cold can slow the curing, while high temperatures can cause it to cure too quickly. Similarly, high humidity can introduce moisture into the epoxy, preventing it from adhering properly to the concrete.

Reason #3: DIY Projects Are More Expensive in the Long Run

All the mistakes above can result in a failed epoxy garage floor, making homeowners either live with an unsightly surface or incur additional costs to fix the problem.

A flawed epoxy surface can compromise the safety of the garage. Peeling and cracked floors can become tripping hazards and make cleaning and maintaining difficult. Furthermore, the underperforming epoxy coating fails to protect the concrete from oil, chemicals and moisture, potentially damaging the garage floor structure.

As such, fixing the problem is the only solution. Unlike investing in a professional installation, which guarantees proper installation the first time, DIY epoxy projects can cost more in the long run.

Reason #4: Professionals Use Superior Materials

DIY garage floors only offer limited options in terms of materials, whereas professional companies like OGI have a broader range to choose from and recommend the most suitable garage floor options.

For instance, a polyaspartic coating system offers superior benefits over standard epoxy, including the following:

• Quick Curing Time: Polyaspartic coatings cure rapidly and our two-day installation process allows you to get back to regular life quickly.
• Durability: These coatings are highly durable, resisting wear and tear from heavy traffic, impacts and chemical spills.
• UV Resistance: Unlike some epoxy coatings, polyaspartic coatings aren’t prone to yellowing over time when exposed to sunlight.
• Temperature Flexibility: Polyaspartic coatings can be applied in various temperatures, making them suitable for installation without affecting the curing process or the outcome.
• Low Maintenance: Polyaspartic floors are very easy to clean, requiring less maintenance than traditional flooring options.

Get Superior Results with Ohio Garage Interiors

While DIY epoxy garage floors present many appealing benefits, the drawbacks outweigh the positives. At Ohio Garage Interior, we help homeowners achieve the garage of their dreams with a wide range of high-quality materials and professional installation.

As Ohio’s leader in polyaspartic garage flooring, we offer top-notch solutions that enhance your garage floor’s beauty, functionality and durability. Contact us today to learn more about our services and transform your garage into a space you can be proud of!