Epoxy is an incredibly durable adhesive and coating, but it has significant drawbacks. Common reasons to avoid it include its lack of UV stability (leading to yellowing), poor flexibility causing it to become brittle over time, high toxicity and sensitization risks from fumes, and vulnerability to high heat and scratching.
Here at Garage Force, our patented polyurea garage floor coatings are about 20 times stronger than epoxy coatings. That is a huge difference in strength!
Epoxy coatings are tough and decorative, but they have notable drawbacks: they can be very slippery when wet, emit strong, toxic fumes during installation, and require a long curing time. Furthermore, they are prone to UV yellowing, cracking under pressure, and delaminating if applied over moisture.
Yes, you can epoxy over Oriented Strand Board (OSB), but it requires careful prep work to prevent issues like peeling, bubbling, or moisture damage. Because OSB is highly porous and prone to flexing, it isn't an ideal substrate for rigid epoxy coatings on its own, but it can be done successfully.
Yes, epoxy bonds exceptionally well to ceramic. It creates a strong, structural bond and is highly effective for repairing broken pottery, filling surface gaps, or gluing ceramic to other materials.
Epoxy generally does not stick to materials that are flexible, non-porous, or have low surface energy. Because epoxy relies on soaking into microscopic pores or creating a strong chemical bond, smooth or waxy surfaces cause it to simply peel off once cured.
Kintsugi roughly translates as 'joining with gold' (kin is 'gold' and tsugi is 'join'). It is a centuries-old Japanese repair technique which uses urushi (Japanese lacquer) dusted with powdered gold to restore broken ceramic and porcelain vessels.
Epoxy won't really soak into wood. It will seep into gaps if it is runny enough (depends on temp and such). You can let it harden and cure for a few hours and then sand down the excess to create a smooth surface. It shouldn't be used without proper ventilation and ideally a ventilator mask.
Epoxy coatings are non-porous and fully seal the concrete surface. Once applied, the floor becomes a solid, seamless layer that prevents water vapor from entering the space. With no gaps, seams, or grout lines, there's nowhere for mold to grow.
Cleaning Your Exterior Epoxy Floors
We suggest using Dawn dish soap, or a degreaser. We suggest using Simply Green or Purple Power. This will give you that bright lively look again, especially if your flooring has gathered dust and debris over the months or even years!
The "Professional" Epoxy Install (3-5 Years)
Even with perfect installation, the limitations of the epoxy chemistry itself will cause it to fail. We see these floors start to degrade around year 4 or 5. They may not peel as quickly as a DIY job, but they will chip, stain, and—most noticeably—turn yellow.
Acrylics are better suited for quick applications, UV stability, and projects where flexibility matters. Epoxies, on the other hand, dominate environments requiring strength, chemical resistance, and long-term durability.
The "strongest" epoxy depends on the material you are bonding and the environment it faces. For maximum tensile strength and durability in structural, automotive, or heavy-duty repairs, the top-performing two-part epoxy is J-B Weld Original Cold Weld.
What is "better" than epoxy depends entirely on your project. If you are coating a concrete floor, polyaspartic and polyurea outperform epoxy. If you are bonding materials together, cyanoacrylate (super glue) or polyurethane might be preferred.
Epoxy forms a much stronger bond overall. Once cured, it withstands tension, impact, vibration, and exposure to the elements. This makes epoxy ideal for projects requiring a durable, permanent fix, even in tough conditions. Super glue produces a quick bond that is more brittle.
This technique is called Kintsugi (金継ぎ) or Kintsukuroi (金繕い) and makes use of gold leaf and silver leaf to recompose the fragments of broken ceramic objects.
Wabi-sabi is an ancient Japanese philosophy and aesthetic that finds beauty in imperfection, impermanence, and simplicity. Instead of seeking flawless perfection, it encourages embracing the natural, flawed, and incomplete nature of life and objects.
The best way to fix broken ceramic is to use a slow-curing two-part epoxy or thick-gel super glue. First, clean the edges with rubbing alcohol. Apply a thin layer of glue to only one side, press the pieces together firmly, and secure them with tape while the adhesive cures for 24 hours.
Acetic acid can, over time, lightly soften or damage the surface of your epoxy finish, making it seem murkier or "cloudy". We recommend against using pure vinegar as a cleaning solution for epoxy resin surfaces.
Yes, you can apply epoxy over existing epoxy, provided the original surface is fully cured, structurally sound, and properly prepped. If the old epoxy is peeling, damaged, or poorly adhered, the new coat will fail.
ArtResin epoxy resin does not adhere well to plastic such as vinyl, acrylic, plastic stir sticks or spreaders, plastic sandwich/grocery bags, silicone molds, and the non-sticky side of shiny tape.
Properly prepping wood for epoxy ensures a strong bond and prevents common issues like bubbles, peeling, or wood staining. The process boils down to removing loose material, sanding, sealing, and cleaning.
5 Common Mistakes in Epoxy Applications (And How to Avoid Them)
Yes, you can epoxy over plywood. However, because wood naturally expands and contracts while epoxy cures rigid, you must take careful steps to prepare the surface. Proper preparation prevents the epoxy from cracking, bubbling, or delaminating over time.