Epoxy or Polyurea? Choosing the Best Concrete Floor Coating
Most concrete floors are just left bare. This works okay for the most part, but it certainly isn’t ideal. Bare concrete can be quite slippery under certain conditions, and it is prone to staining and even damage over time. If you actively use your garage or another concrete surface for a variety of purposes, upgrading the space with a concrete floor coating is an appealing option.
The two most common types of coating for concrete floors are epoxy and polyurea. Between those two, epoxy is the better known, and some people seem to think that it’s actually the only choice for this type of project.
At Lifetime Concrete Coatings, we specialize in applying polyurea coatings to concrete surfaces for customers throughout the Buffalo area. As you’ll see below, a polyurea coating is far superior to epoxy for a number of reasons and is the smart choice if you want a reliable, durable, attractive coating that will serve you well in the long run.
What is Polyurea Garage Floor Coating & Why Is It Superior?
Polyurea is an advanced coating material known for flexibility, strength, and rapid curing. We’ll talk more about epoxy later on this page to highlight some of the areas where it comes up short, but for now, let’s work through a list of the many advantages of going with polyurea.
A Chemical Bond
One of the primary advantages of this type of floor coating is the chemical bond that it forms with the concrete floor. Since it is chemically bonded with the underlying floor – and not just resting on top – this coating is ultra-durable and not prone to cracking or peeling.
A Tough Surface
Your polyurea concrete floor coating will be scratch and stain resistant. Even as you are bringing in salt from the roads or chemicals from the roads around Buffalo, the floor will be up to the challenge and will keep looking great.
A Single Day Project
Don’t worry about setting aside an extended time to have this upgrade completed on your property. Our application process takes just a single day and you’ll be up and running in no time.
UV Resistant
The sun can pour onto your concrete surface all it wants without damaging this type of flooring. The nature of your polyurea floor is such that it is UV resistant and won’t degrade when exposed directly to the sun’s rays.
The Downsides of Epoxy Garage Floor Coatings
It’s certainly clear by this point that we think you’ll be better served by a polyurea coating than epoxy. After all, we have chosen to build our business around installing these types of coatings because we believe so strongly in the performance and value that they deliver.
So, what’s so wrong with epoxy? For starters, it’s going to take a while until you can use your new epoxy floor, as it will take several days to cure. Assuming you are willing to wait that long, things might not look too bad once the floor is in place. To be sure, epoxy dries hard, and it will feel perfectly solid under your feet.
That’s going to change over time, however. While it is hard, epoxy is also quite brittle. That means it is going to crack and peel over time as it is used day after day. So, what might have looked like a great floor shortly after it was installed will soon look worn out and broken up.
There is also the issue of delamination to consider. Above, we talk about how a polyurea floor forms a chemical bond with the concrete and will not come apart. That’s not what happens with epoxy. There is no chemical bond, and it’s common for epoxy flooring to delaminate over time.
Finally, there is the issue of fading. With an epoxy floor, you won’t get the UV stability that comes with polyurea, so it is going to yellow and fade gradually. For example, if you like to have your garage door open on a nice day in the Erie County area, the sunlight that floods in is going to be slowly degrading the condition of your floor coating.
Polyurea vs. Epoxy: A Side-by-Side Comparison
We’ve already covered quite a bit of ground on this pPolyurea vs. Epoxy: A Side-by-Side Comparisonage outlining what is so attractive about polyurea flooring and why it stands above epoxy for concrete floor coatings. To make the differences as plain as day, we’ve created a table below for you to review:
|
Feature |
Polyurea |
Epoxy |
|
Durability |
4x stronger, flexible, won’t crack |
Hard but brittle, will crack over time |
|
Cure Time |
One-day installation |
3+ days to cure |
|
Bonding Strength |
Chemically fuses with concrete |
Sits on top, prone to peeling |
|
Weather Resistance |
UV stable, withstands extreme temperature |
Yellows and peels in sun and cold |
|
Warranty |
Lifetime guarantee |
Shorter lifespan and no lifetime warranty |
Why Polyurea is the Best Concrete Floor Coating for Buffalo Homes
What started out looking like a tricky debate between two appealing floor coating options now looks like a one-sided affair. Polyurea is the best option for coating your concrete floors in the Buffalo area, and it isn’t even close.
We would favor polyurea over epoxy in every location, but it’s an especially easy choice here in the Buffalo area given our harsh weather conditions. This flooring system will elongate up to 300%, meaning it will move with the concrete as it expands and contracts. That feature is critical with the ongoing freeze/thaw cycles we experience in this climate.
And, since you can have your new polyurea floor coating added in a single day, you won’t have to wait long or disrupt your usual schedule to make this upgrade. Simply schedule a time with Lifetime Concrete Coatings to have the work done, and you’ll be able to start using and enjoying your upgraded floor just a day later.
Get a Free Quote for Your Polyurea Garage Floor Coating
With an installation time of just a single day, this is a convenient, affordable upgrade to your concrete surface that could be completed before you know it.
Ready to get started? Give us a call at 716-418-8800 or fill out our form to request a free quote. We look forward to hearing from you soon!