Three Simple Reasons Why DIY Garage Coatings Just Don't Cut It
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There are few things in life sadder than an unfinished DIY project. You fret, you sweat, you watch YouTube videos that make it seem oh-so easy… and then you finally admit defeat and call a professional — who you just know is going to lecture you on what you did wrong.
All this can be avoided if you set yourself up for success by knowing which household projects are doable by the average homeowner and which require professional work. And, when it comes to coating your garage floor, it’s not even up for debate; if you want a professional finish, you need to hire professionals to install it.
Why Professional Installation Is the Way to Go
- Professional Prep Means Superior Durability When it comes to garage floor renewal, polyaspartic coatings are the best way to go. BUT, polyaspartic coatings can be difficult to install for the inexperienced. That’s because the key to a long-lasting garage floor coating is surface preparation. In fact, experts agree that about 80 percent of a successful polyaspartic garage floor coating installation comes down to superior surface preparation. So, for unbeatable durability, you want polyaspartic flooring — and that means you want professional installation.
- Lower Cost Over the Long Run Another reason you want to go with a professional installation is that, counterintuitively perhaps, it can actually cost less than DIY. Yes, you read that right. That’s because DIY floor coatings typically don’t last very long. And redoing them means having to re-purchase the materials and re-rent the tools. Once you've done that two or three (or more!) times over the course of your time at your home, you could likely have saved money by simply having a professional do it right the first time.
- Less Hassle This is also a big one, and it goes hand-in-hand with #2 above. Because, in addition to the costs adding up when you have to redo a garage floor coating installation, you have to deal with the hassle of hauling everything out of your garage, storing it and then putting it all back when you’re done. With a professional installation, you only have to do this once. (Assuming, of course, you go with a 100 percent polyaspartic floor coating. We can’t speak to the longevity of polyurethane or epoxy.)
The Preparation Process
So, what does “professional installation” actually mean? First, a professional floor-coating installation team will fill cracks and other damaged areas of the garage floor with a concrete sealer. Then they’ll grind the surface with an industrial grinder to scarify it in preparation for the initial coat of polyaspartic material. Next, they’ll sweep and mop it to get rid of any residual dust.
As mentioned earlier, poor surface preparation can lead to delamination, which means the coating will de-bond from the concrete beneath and peel and flake. And, unless you have the expertise and access to the professional tools and machinery needed to adequately prep the surface, the chance of eventual delamination is high.
Beyond surface prep, there’s the actual installation. Once the floor is prepped, the crew will lay down the first coat of polyaspartic material. Next, thousands of vinyl chips are dispersed using a “full-broadcast” method, giving the coating a granite-like look. There’s an art to a full-broadcast chip distribution. If done poorly, the finished surface will look strange. Once dried, the surface is prepped once again for the final clear coat. Too thin a top coat, and it won’t last. Too thick, and it will be slippery and potentially dangerous.
So, instead of pulling your hair out trying to coat your garage floor yourself (and likely having to redo it in a year or two when it begins to delaminate), why not relax and have a team of experienced professionals do it for you? Unless you’re a glutton for punishment, it really is the superior option.
Call 1.888.59.GARAGE for your free estimate today.