Is it possible to make a garage safer, easier to clean, and easier on the eye? The reality is that garages don’t have to be dark and dingy spaces where old clothes, ornaments and junk gather dust surrounded by oil stains and clunkers. Installing polyurea and polyaspartic garage floor coatings creates an easy to clean surface that keeps the garage spic and span and makes it feel more like part of the home or business.
What is a Polyaspartic Coating?
“All polyaspartics are a polyurea, but not all polyureas are a polyaspartic”, as All Garage Floors explains. They also continue to to go on to explain that “this means that when you see a garage floor coating or kit being advertised as a polyurea, or a polyurea polyaspartic, it is really some formulation of a polyaspartic coating.”
A Polyaspartic garage floor coating is a slick science which is known for stopping stains, slips, and spills! It is epoxy coating that is sprayed or rolled directly onto concrete surfaces. The coating cures quickly and because it is UV and light stable it won’t yellow as the years go by. Polyurea and polyaspartic garage floor coatings are highly resistant to abrasions as well as chemical penetration which make them ideal for use in private residences and commercial garages.
The risks of slips and falls are an ever present hazard in garages and the composition of the coatings means that spills are easy to clean up. Moreover, many private and commercial clients choose to include aggregates such as aluminum oxide into the coating.
What are Polyurea Coatings?
Polyurea coatings are similar to poly and in that they combine a resin with a catalyst in order to initiate the curing process. They can be applied up to 6 millimeters thick and take one to two days to cure. They have some VOC’s and can release ranges between .1lb per gallon to 2.5lb per gallon. Unlike polyaspartic coatings which set up solid, polyurea coatings remain somewhat flexible and they will not crack or peel. While polyurea coatings do well under normal weather conditions, they can falter and fail when exposed to extreme temperature.
Floor coatings are not a one size fits all solution, and different needs and environmental conditions requires the use of the right coating. Polyurea coatings are installed quickly and set up solid as a rock, and is the most common material we tend to use in our projects. They are highly resistant to abrasions, resist chemical penetration, and have zero VOC emissions. Polyurea coatings can be applied up to 15 millimeters thick. These floor coatings do very well under our hot Arizona sun and have no problems with the sometimes chilly night
Epoxy Flooring vs Polyurea Flooring
There are many similarities between epoxy and polyurea. When they are formulated to be commercial grade, they will consist of a high solid to a 100% solids content. What this is a highly durable, typically a 2-component resin coating made for many applications. The lower the solid content and you can expect a shorter life span with adhesion and clean ability. When using these guidelines on resin content, the consumer/customer can expect quality. They are also similar in appearance. It would be very difficult to distinguish the difference in appearance from one to the other. The Polyurea coating greatest difference is its quick turnaround to service because of its quick cure formulation. Making it ideal for business or commercial applications to use the very next day. It also withstands UV light greater than an epoxy coating. Which makes it more suitable to outside applications. One big disadvantage to using a Polyurea coating over an epoxy is the price. A consumer can expect to pay as much as $1.00-1.50 more per square ft.
Polyurea Flooring is Easy to Install, Easy to Maintain but…
The hardest and longest part of the installation is the preparation. The concrete must be sanded to remove debris and contaminants as well as to open the pores within the concrete to accept the coating. Once this step is complete, it is necessary to fix cracks and joints. After the surface is prepped and the flaws fixed, the coating can be applied to the floor. The coating dries quickly and can be walked on within a few hours, and driven over in about a day.
As with all flooring, regular and routine maintenance is essential for extending the effective lifespan and overall appearance. For most polyurea and polyaspartic floors, this means regular sweeping and a thorough mopping every 3-4 months. This helps prevent the buildup of debris on the surface that can sand away the coating and diminish the appearance.
The higher the floor traffic, the more frequent the cleaning regimen required to keep the surface in pristine condition. However, even with the need for frequent cleanings, the chemical composition of the nonporous surface means that cleanup only takes minutes which saves considerable time and effort. Thus, whether you are a shopkeeper maximizing employee time on the clock, or a homeowner eager to make the next tee off, proper clean up isn’t something that will take a big chunk out of your day.
Durable and Versatile
Polyurea and polyaspartic garage floor coatings stand up to practically everything you or Mother Nature can throw at them whether it is installed indoors or outdoors. Neither rain, snow, or blazing sun will diminish the coating’s effectiveness. Whether installed on an industrial floor, within a commercial space, or in a home garage, the coating will provide a solid layer of protection for 10, 20, even 30 years with proper maintenance and care. The durability and versatility of the coating give you practically unlimited options for the use of the space. As your needs for the space evolve over time, the coating will be ready and willing to stand up to the new challenges your demands place upon it.
Protects Property & Adds Value
Polyurea and polyaspartic garage floor coatings are more than just an investment in saving time and creating a more visibly appealing space: they are an investment in protecting your property and enhancing its value. The coatings protect against permanent stains, tire marks and damage to the underlying concrete. This alleviates the need for costly cleanups and expensive repairs which relieves a considerable amount of pressure from your budget. When the time comes to sell the property, the coating is an asset that prospective buyers will appreciate and take note of as it shows that you have clearly taken care of the property and taken active steps to keep everything in the best possible condition.
The bottom line on polyurea and polyaspartic garage floor coatings is that they protect your floor, create an easily cleaned surface, and protect the value of your property. They are a solid investment that is worth every penny and we invite you to contact Dreamcoat Flooring at 480-818-9792 to learn more about the coatings we offer and to request a free in home estimate.
