The Truth About Epoxy Garage Floors
(And What We Use Instead)

Are you searching for an epoxy garage floor? It is a search that thousands of American homeowners make every single day. You want to turn that dusty, stained concrete slab into a clean, beautiful, and usable space. For decades, the only option you probably heard about was epoxy.
However, at Floortek, Coatings are here to tell you the truth: most people who get a traditional epoxy garage floor end up deeply disappointed, often in just a year or two. This disappointment is not just a feeling; it's a reality that many homeowners face.
At Floortek, we've seen it all. Our business is built on fixing the failures that cheap epoxy systems leave behind. You see peeling, yellowing, and stains, and you wonder what went wrong.
The problem wasn't you. It was the product.
You deserve a floor that actually lasts. That is why we do things differently. We utilize a modern polyaspartic coating system that is 10 times better than epoxy and can be installed in just one day. Our system is not just better, it's reliable, giving you the confidence that your floor will stand the test of time.
In this guide, we will walk you through the hidden problems of traditional epoxy garage floors and show you what a modern, permanent solution looks like.
Act now! For a limited time, we are offering a 30% discount on first-time installations. Get your Free Quote today.
The Hidden Problems of an Epoxy Garage Floor
When you see a shiny floor in a big-box store, it looks great. But the chemistry behind that shine is where the problems begin. An epoxy garage floor is based on old technology, and it has several critical flaws that sellers do not want you to know about.
1. "Hot Tire Pickup": The Peeling Nightmare
This is the number one complaint we hear. You drive your car on a hot day, park it in your garage, and a few hours later, you back out. But this time, a chunk of your new epoxy garage floor is stuck to your tires.
This is called "hot tire pickup."
Here is what happens:
Your car tires get hot from friction with the road.
The hot tires transfer heat to the epoxy, softening the chemical bonds.
The epoxy is a relatively weak, brittle plastic that just sits on top of the concrete.
The hot, sticky tire rubber grabs the weakened epoxy and peels it right off the floor.
It is a complete adhesion failure. This peeling is not just a possibility; it is a known problem for almost all traditional epoxy systems, especially in warmer climates across the United States. Your floor starts to look terrible, and the only fix is to grind it all off and start over.
Our polyaspartic system, on the other hand, is not epoxy. It is chemically designed to handle extreme heat and bonds inside the concrete. It becomes one with your floor, so hot tires are never a problem.
2. Yellowing and Fading from Sunlight
Does your garage have a window? Do you ever plan on leaving your garage door open? If you answered yes, an epoxy garage floor is a bad choice.
Epoxy is not UV stable. This means that when sunlight hits it, the epoxy's chemical structure breaks down. This process is called "ambering." Your floor, especially if it is a lighter color like white or gray, will slowly but surely turn a nasty, yellowish-brown color.
This is not a defect—it is just what epoxy does.
In sunny states like Florida, Texas, or Arizona, this yellowing can occur in as little as a year. Even in northern states, sunlight from a single window can create a yellow "patch" on your floor, making it appear old and dirty.
Our polyaspartic coatings are 100% UV stable. They contain special ingredients that act like a powerful sunscreen for your floor. You can leave your garage door open all day, every day, for years without any issues. The color you pick is the color it will stay. This is also why we are a top choice for a patio coating service, because our product can handle direct, year-round sun.
3. The "DIY Epoxy Garage Floor" Trap
We understand the urge to save money. You see a "DIY Epoxy Garage Floor Kit" at the hardware store and think, "I can do this." But these kits are the biggest problem of all.
These kits are not equivalent to professional products. They are often "epoxy paint," which is a type of paint that combines water-based or solvent-based paint with a small amount of epoxy added. It is not a Durable garage floor paint at all.
Worse yet, these kits tell you to prep your floor by "acid etching." This involves pouring a mix of acid and water on your concrete to "clean" it. This method is weak, dangerous, and a primary reason for coating failures. According to the U.S. General Services Administration, poor surface preparation is a primary cause of paint and coating failure.
The acid wash just lightly scratches the surface. It does not open the concrete's pores. When you roll on the thin layer of epoxy paint, it has nothing to hold onto. It is a temporary "skin" that will peel, flake, and fail, often within months. A cheap epoxy garage floor almost always ends up costing you more in the long run.
4. Long Curing Times and Strong Fumes
A professional epoxy garage floor installation is a significant hassle. It is a multi-day process.
Day 1: Prep and Prime.
Day 2: Basecoat.
Day 3: Topcoat.
Days 4-7: Wait.
You cannot walk on it for 24 to 48 hours. You cannot park your car on it for up to 7 days. All your "stuff" has to sit in your driveway for a week.
During this time, the epoxy is "curing," which means it is releasing potent chemical fumes called VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). These fumes can fill your garage and even seep into your home, causing headaches and unpleasant odors.
This is simply not a modern solution.
The Floortek Solution: Polyaspartic (10X Better Than Epoxy)
We examined all the issues with epoxy and recognized that a better solution was needed. We found it in polyaspartic coatings. This technology was first developed for heavy industrial use—on bridges and in factories—where failure was not an option. We have now perfected it for your home.
This is not an Epoxy garage floor. This is a Polyaspartic garage floor coating system, and it is superior in every single way.
The 1-Day Floor Coatings Advantage
Here is the most significant difference: our Floortek Coatings team installs your entire garage floor in one day.
7:00 AM: Our team arrives.
8:00 AM: We are diamond-grinding your floor (we will explain this in a minute).
12:00 PM: We are applying the basecoat and flake.
3:00 PM: We are applying the final clear topcoat.
6:00 PM: We are cleaned up and gone.
You can walk on your new floor just a few hours after we leave. You can park your car on it the very next day. We call it our 1-day floor coatings system. There is no week-long wait, no piles of garage items in your yard, and no strong fumes.
Built for All United States Climates
An epoxy garage floor is brittle. In the freezing winters of the Midwest or Northeast, that hard plastic shell can become brittle and crack as the concrete below it expands and contracts.
Our polyaspartic coating is different. It is powerful but also flexible. It can handle a temperature range from -30°F to 140°F.
For Hot Climates (South): It will never yellow from the sun or peel from hot tires.
For Cold Climates (North): It will not crack or become brittle in the cold. It also handles road salts and de-icing fluids with no problem.
This is the system you need, no matter where you live in the United States.
Our Process: How We Guarantee a Floor That Lasts
The secret to a floor that lasts forever is not just the product—it is the preparation. This is where we show our expertise and is a massive part of what makes About us proud of the work we do.
Our process is designed to mechanically fuse the coating to your concrete, creating a permanent bond.
Step 1: Diamond Grinding
We never use acid. We use industrial-grade concrete grinders equipped with diamond-studded blades. This machine grinds off the top layer of your concrete, removing any old coatings, stains, or sealers.
More importantly, this grinding process opens up the pores of your concrete. It creates a "profile," like fresh-cut wood, that is ready to absorb our basecoat. This step alone makes our floors 100 times more durable than any DIY epoxy garage floor kit. We use powerful HEPA-filter vacuums attached to our grinders, so this process is virtually dust-free. This is critical for safety, as grinding concrete can release silica dust, a hazard that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) strictly regulates. We handle it safely and professionally.
Step 2: Mending and Repair
After grinding, we inspect the entire floor. We fill any cracks, pits, or spalling concrete with a special mending compound that is flexible and strong, ensuring a smooth, flat final surface.
Step 3: The Wicking Polyaspartic Basecoat
This is where the magic happens. We apply our 100% solids polyaspartic basecoat. Since we have grounded the floor, this basecoat does not simply sit on top. It "wicks" down, or dives deep, into the open pores of the concrete. It grabs hold and, as it cures, becomes a permanent part of the concrete itself. This is what makes "hot tire pickup" impossible.
Step 4: Full-Chip Broadcast
While the basecoat is still wet, we broadcast a thick layer of vinyl flakes over the entire surface. This is what gives your floor its beautiful color and texture. We have hundreds of Colors and Flake Options for you to choose from. This flake layer also adds thickness and durability.
Step 5: The Indestructible Topcoat
After scraping and vacuuming the excess flakes, we apply the final, crystal-clear polyaspartic topcoat. This is the shield. It locks in the flakes and provides a surface that is incredibly easy to clean. Spills like oil, salt, or chemicals wipe right up. It is 100% UV stable, so it will never, ever yellow.
This five-step process is the key to our "Life-of-home warranty." We do it right, so we only have to do it once.
See the Floortek Difference for Yourself
Talk is cheap. We want you to see our work.
A standard epoxy garage floor looks good in photos, but it does not last. Our floors look just as good on Day 1 as they do on Day 5,000.
We invite you to look at our Gallery of real-world projects. You will see hundreds of homes, just like yours, where we have transformed a cracked, stained garage into a beautiful and functional space. You will see before-and-after photos of peeling epoxy floors that we have replaced, giving the homeowner the floor they deserved all along.
More Than Just Garage Floors
The reason our system is better than an epoxy garage floor is its versatility. You would never use epoxy on your patio—it would yellow and peel in months.
But our polyaspartic system is perfect for outdoor use. We use this same 1-day technology for:
Patio coating service: Create a beautiful, non-fading outdoor living space.
Pool decks coating service: A great-looking, textured surface around your pool.
Driveway Coating Service: Say goodbye to oil stains and cracked concrete.
Basement coating service: A clean, great-looking, and easy-to-maintain floor for your basement.
Whatever your concrete surface, we can protect and beautify it.
Your Questions About Garage Floors Answered
We receive a lot of questions, especially from people who have heard about a bare epoxy garage floor. Here are some honest answers.
1. What is better, an epoxy garage floor or polyaspartic?
A polyaspartic garage floor coating is better in every measurable way. It is 10X more durable, 100% UV stable (it will not yellow), and can be installed in one day. Epoxy is older, weaker, and takes up to a week to cure.
2. Why does my neighbor's epoxy garage floor peel?
It is almost certainly due to "hot tire pickup" or poor preparation. Most epoxy garage floor installers use a weak acid wash or fail to prepare the surface, resulting in epoxy that never forms a strong bond.
3. How long does an epoxy garage floor last?
A cheap DIY epoxy garage floor kit may last 6-12 months before it starts to fail. A professionally installed epoxy floor might last 3-5 years before it yellows and begins to peel. Our polyaspartic floors are designed to last for the life of your home.
4. Can you fix my peeling epoxy garage floor?
Yes. This is one of our specialties. We use our diamond grinders to remove the old, failed epoxy completely. We then prepare the fresh concrete underneath and install our polyaspartic system, providing you with a permanent solution.
5. Will a polyaspartic floor turn yellow like an epoxy garage floor?
No. Our Coating Products are 100% UV stable. They are chemically incapable of yellowing or "ambering" from sunlight.
6. What is the best coating for my garage floor?
A 100% solids, polyaspartic coating system is, without question, the Best concrete coating for garages. It offers the best blend of strength, chemical resistance, UV stability, and speed of installation.
7. Is a polyaspartic floor hard to clean?
It is the easiest floor you will ever clean. Because the surface is non-porous, it cannot be stained. Oil, mud, salt, and spills wipe right off with a paper towel or a simple mop.
8. What are the best types of concrete floor coatings for garage floors?
While epoxy is a standard choice, the best types of concrete floor coatings for garage floors are polyurea and polyaspartic. They are the modern, professional-grade choice.
9. How long does a Floortek 1-day floor take to install?
Just one day! We are in and out in about 8-10 hours. You can walk on it that evening and park your car on it the very next day.
10. What kind of warranty do you offer?
We offer a "Life-of-home warranty" on our residential floors. This warranty covers peeling, chipping, and yellowing. We stand behind our process and our product entirely.
Stop Researching "Epoxy." Get the Floor You Really Want.
Your search for an "epoxy garage floor" led you here for a reason. You are an informed homeowner who wants the best value for your home. The truth is, epoxy is not the best. It is just the oldest.
Do not pay for a floor that is guaranteed to fail. Please do not waste your money on a DIY kit that will have you on your hands and knees trying to fix it in a year.
Let us do it right the first time.
We are Floortek Coatings. We install permanent, beautiful, 1-day floors.
Your home deserves the best. Please take the next step and see how easy it is to get your perfect garage floor.
Get Your Free, No-Obligation Quote Today.
Our team is ready to help you. We will measure your space, show you color samples, and provide you with an exact price—all at no cost to you. And for a limited time, new installations get 30% off!
Call us now at 844-844-4164.
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Testimonials

We had both of our garages done and an outdoor concrete platform. The crew was courteous and professional. Everyone from Nancy our salesperson to Patrick, the manager, Logan and his crew were outstanding. Our floors look fantastic and we were very happy we chose this company.

I am very pleased with the quality of work FloorTek has done for me. The two employees that did the actual work were very courteous, worked hard, and explained everything they were doing. Thank you for a great job.

I was happy with the job Floortek did. Good customer communication and customer relationship. My old ugly porch was transformed and I love it. Nancy was very helpful throughout the process. Just know that rain may impact your schedule to make sure the products at highest quality during application.


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