Do I need to seal garage floor before epoxy?

Author: Carissa Swaniawski  |  Last update: Saturday, March 22, 2025

The sealer should be removed first by shot blasting. Previous coatings or paints should be removed before a new epoxy coating is applied. Any cracks or concrete spall should be filled and stabilized before a new epoxy coating is applied.

How do I prep my garage floor for epoxy?

You will need to clean everything as good as you can prior to applying epoxy. Use a rigid bristle scrub brush to clean oil spots. Pour concrete etcher (available at Home Depot) on each oil spot, let soak in, and then scrub. For paint drops, use a razor or orbital sander to get rid of them.

Do I need to prime my garage floor before epoxy?

In general, an epoxy floor should never be applied to a leveled floor without scarifying/shot blasting the floor to create a 5mil anchor profile for mechanical adhesion. This is done before priming, and yes priming is required for most types of epoxy.

What happens if you don't etch before epoxy?

The concrete floor will fail if the coating doesn't bond mechanically to the concrete floor, so the preparation is the most important part before applying any type of epoxy! So it is important that there is a solid bond between the concrete and epoxy coating so as not to end up with a failed epoxy garage floor.

Does a concrete garage floor need to be sealed?

The garage floors are exposed to a variety of dirt, chemicals, dog or cat urine, oil, paint, chalk, glue, and tire marks. Every garage concrete floor should be sealed to give the best protection to the garage and protect your investment in your home or business.

How to Repair and Prep Concrete Before Epoxy - Watch Before Applying Epoxy Coatings!

Should I seal my epoxy garage floor?

Sealing the garage floor helps enhance its aesthetics. Epoxy flooring, for example, dries to a really high gloss, making the floor look polished and shiny. If you have a colored concrete garage flooring, sealers can help keep the color from fading, flaking, or peeling off.

What happens if you don't seal concrete floors?

Oil spills, sun rays, and changes in the weather will all damage concrete floors if they are not protected with a sealer.

Should I grind my garage floor before epoxy?

Grinding a garage floor before applying an epoxy coating or paint can help to ensure a smooth, durable finish. It's essential to properly prepare the concrete surface before beginning the grinding process. This will make the epoxy coating or paint adhere properly and lasts for years to come.

When should you not use epoxy?

Next, we'll examine each of these reasons in more detail.
  1. Reason #1: You have an unsuitable climate for curing.
  2. Reason #2: Your workspace has poor ventilation.
  3. Reason #3: The epoxy would be in proximity to high heat.
  4. Reason #4: You want to use the surface for food prep.

How do you prep new concrete for epoxy?

Before applying the coating, new concrete must cure for 30 days. With a scraper, wire brush or stiff bristle brush, remove all dirt, wax, dust, mildew and loose or separating material. Scrub with a high-powered detergent in warm water to get rid of grease, waxes and oils.

Why is epoxy not sticking to garage floor?

The coating can't correctly adhere to concrete floors if something obstructs their application. Grease and oil on your floor will also cause the resin to set improperly, which leads to peeling. Have opened pores: If a surface is too smooth, epoxy can't adhere to it.

Is it easy to epoxy your own garage floor?

Epoxy applications are not difficult DIY projects and only require a weekend to complete. First, it is ideal to consider these things before beginning your project: Remove everything from your garage so the area is an open space. Use painter's tape and plastic to cover the lower wall areas around your project site.

How to tell if concrete is ready for epoxy?

Water on the underside of the plastic or a dark spot on the concrete is created from moisture. If no moisture exists, then you should be fine to apply your flake floor epoxy kit. If you do have moisture then you will want to do a calcium chloride test to see how much moisture you have.

Do you need to prime before epoxy garage floor?

Epoxying a garage floor typically requires a multi-step approach, including cleaning and degreasing your garage floor, mixing and applying an epoxy primer like Corotech® Moisture Tolerant Quick Set Epoxy Sealer, as well as mixing and applying a specialty top coat like INSL-X® Garage Guard® Semi-Gloss Waterborne Epoxy ( ...

How much does it cost to epoxy a 2 car garage floor?

Average Prices for Epoxy Garage Floors

When it comes to installing a high-quality epoxy floor in a two-car garage, the typical cost ranges from $4,000 to $5,500. These epoxy garage floor systems utilize materials not readily available to homeowners, including 100% solids epoxy, polyurethane, and polyaspartic coatings.

What is the downside of an epoxy garage floor?

Epoxy has poor flexibility, meaning it doesn't do well in drastic temperature changes where it must constantly expand and shrink. This will further affect the adhesion to the concrete surfaces and thus result in chipping or peeling.

What is the best temperature to epoxy a garage floor?

Most epoxy flooring products should be applied between 10 and 30°C which is about 50 to 86 Fahrenheit. Ideally, you want to be applying around 20 to 25 °C (68-77F) however, we never have ideal conditions as anyone who's involved in epoxy flooring will tell you.

Why is my epoxy still sticky after 24 hours?

As a general rule of thumb, your epoxy resin should feel well-cured after 24 hours. However, a complete cure and maximum hardness can take anywhere between 7-10 days, depending on the resin type. The most common reason for a tacky, under-cured project is inaccurately measuring your resin.

Is epoxy bad for concrete?

Epoxy is an excellent outdoor flooring option for those who want to make their residential concrete more durable and visually appealing. Besides being an affordable option and a practical choice for homeowners, it will also last for several years with proper care.

How thick should epoxy be on garage floor?

A thin epoxy floor is enough to keep low traffic floors looking great without a lot of maintenance. So if you're refinishing your garage floor, or if you're enclosing your garage to be part of your living space a thin epoxy floor with a thickness of 4-6 mils is an good choice.

Do I need to etch new concrete before epoxy?

If the concrete is new or does not have heavy oil contamination it still needs to be etched. The rougher the better. Thin build systems (waterborne epoxy) are best prepped by using a acid etching or diamond grinding. The key here is to open up the pores of the concrete so the epoxy has something to sink into.

Will concrete crack if not sealed?

Sealing concrete can indeed help prevent cracking, but you should note that not all sealants are equally effective. Sealants act as waterproofing agents, repelling water and protecting the porous surface of the concrete from liquids that can expand and contract, leading to cracks.

Is concrete sealer better than epoxy?

Epoxy coatings are more durable than concrete sealers and can resist chemicals, oil, and grease damage. Epoxy coatings are also applicable to creating decorative designs on your concrete surface. In addition, epoxy coatings apply to both new and old concrete.

Can I leave concrete unsealed?

Prevents Moisture Damage: Concrete floors can absorb moisture if left unsealed, leading to mold growth and potential structural damage. Sealing prevents moisture from seeping into the concrete, keeping it dry and protected.

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