If you’re considering an epoxy and polyaspartic coating for your garage, the most important work happens before the coating is ever applied. Cracks, surface condition, and moisture inside the concrete all determine whether an epoxy floor coating performs for decades or starts failing far too soon. When preparation is done right, the coating can do its job exactly as intended.
Here are the three most critical steps for preparing garage concrete before install begins.
Step 1: Repair Cracks With Materials That Allow for Movement
Concrete cracking is unavoidable. There are two types of concrete: concrete that’s cracked, and concrete that’s going to crack. Whether a slab is new or many years old, expansion and contraction will occur.
Because concrete moves, cracks should never be repaired with rigid patching materials. Before coating garage concrete, cracks must be repaired using a flexible elastomeric filler. This allows the repair to move with the slab, helping mitigate inevitable shifting instead of transferring stress into the finished coating.
Step 2: Diamond Grinding for Proper Epoxy Floor Coating Adhesion
Surface preparation involves far more than cleaning. Sweeping, degreasing, or acid etching do not create the consistent surface profile required for long-term adhesion.
Professional installers use diamond grinding equipment to open the pores of the concrete and create the proper concrete surface profile. This mechanical preparation allows the epoxy coating to form a strong bond with the slab, significantly reducing the risk of peeling or delamination over time.
Step 3: Moisture Mitigation That Protects the Floor Below the Surface
All concrete contains moisture. Before applying epoxy floor coatings, installers should test moisture levels using calibrated meters. When readings are elevated, a slower-curing, moisture-mitigating epoxy primer is required to protect the bond between the concrete and the coating (never a quick-cure polyurea or polyaspartic).
Use of the slower-curing epoxy base coat is one reason professionally installed systems often require a 2-day installation instead of a rushed 1-day approach. Moisture mitigation protects the epoxy floor coating where most failures begin, below the surface.
See Your Epoxy Floor Coating Before Installation Day
If you’re planning an epoxy floor coating for your garage, proper concrete preparation should always come first. Forte Garage Floor Coating specializes in professional crack repair, diamond grinding, and moisture-mitigating systems designed for long-term performance.
You can also explore the Live Coatings Visualizer to see how different epoxy floor coating options could look in your actual garage before making a decision. Contact our team today to schedule a consultation and take the next step toward a garage floor built to last.