One-Day Garage Floor Coatings Are Failing Fast in Akron. Why?
In the rush to deliver a same-day garage floor transformation, some contractors are skipping steps that keep your floor intact for the long haul. The most common omission? Moisture mitigation. Without it, a coating might look great on day one but start to bubble, peel, or come loose within months.
Are the flakes used in your system decorative or functional?
The flakes in the flooring system serve multiple functional purposes beyond their aesthetic appeal. They significantly enhance slip resistance, especially in areas prone to moisture or spills, creating a safer environment for walking and driving. Additionally, the inclusion of flakes contributes to the overall durability, making the surface more resistant to wear and tear over time. When mica stone flakes are incorporated, the floorโs impact resistance and hardness are further enhanced, allowing it to withstand heavy impacts and abrasions.
Adding mica stone flakes not only boosts the floorโs strength but also elevates its visual appeal. Their reflective qualities give the surface a distinctive, attractive appearance. Ultimately, integrating mica flakes results in a resilient, virtually indestructible flooring solution that combines safety, durability, and aesthetic appeal.
Overall, the flakes combine both aesthetic and functional benefits, making them a versatile component in the coating system.
Are your coatings VOC-compliant and environmentally safe?
Yes, our garage floor coating products are ZERO VOC and 100% solids, making them environmentally safe and VOC-compliant. We focus on using eco-friendly products that meet all current regulations, ensuring a safe, sustainable, and high-quality solution for your garage or commercial space. Our zero VOC coatings provide excellent durability and performance without compromising environmental responsibility.
Do you offer a warranty against hydrostatic pressure?
Yes, we do. At GarageFloorCoating.com, we offer a lifetime warranty that includes protection against hydrostatic pressure and all other moisture-related issuesโsomething most โ1-dayโ coating companies specifically exclude.
Hydrostatic pressure, which occurs when moisture vapor pushes up through the concrete slab, is one of the leading causes of coating failure. Thatโs why we never skip moisture testing and always apply a moisture-mitigating epoxy primer as the foundation of every system. This critical step ensures proper adhesion and long-term durabilityโeven in high-moisture environments like residential garages.
Our coatings are built to last, and our warranty backs it up.
Whatโs Happening Beneath the Surface
Many โone-dayโ crews apply polyaspartic or polyurea coatings straight to bare concrete. These fast-cure coatings donโt have enough time to penetrate deep into the slab. Moisture vapor in the concrete gets trapped, creating a pressure cooker effect under the surface. That pressure eventually forces the coating to lift.
Itโs a shortcut that saves hours in labor, but it dramatically increases the odds of failure โ especially in residential garages, where upward vapor transmission is common.
What the Experts Recommend
Industry leaders like General Polymers (Sherwin-Williams), Corotech (Benjamin Moore), Sika, Tnemec, BASF, Euclid Chemical, Stonhard (Division of RPM), and Eco-CorFlex Industrial Polymers agree on two non-negotiables:
- Test every slab for moisture before coating.
- Start with a 100% solids moisture vapor barrier epoxy primer before applying polyaspartic or polyurea topcoats.
Even ArmorPoxy and VersaFlex, who are actually manufacturers of these products, clearly state they are meant as top layers, not primers. Itโs the one-day installers who are cutting corners, skipping the manufacturerโs intent, and giving their customers a low-quality product.
Backed by Industry Standards
These recommendations arenโt just opinions. ASTM International, the American Concrete Institute (ACI), the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI), and AMPP (formerly SSPC and NACE) all outline similar best practices. ASTM F3010 specifically covers how to control moisture vapor beneath resinous coatings, and ignoring it can void warranties instantly.
Do you offer color and design customization?
At GarageFloorCoating.com, we offer extensive color and design customization to match your style, space, and vision.
Choose from a wide range of flake blends, metallics, solid colors, and our exclusive Mica Stone blends, a proprietary option only available through GarageFloorCoating.com. Whether youโre looking for something subtle and classic or bold and modern, our customizable design options let you create a floor thatโs uniquely yours.
Our goal isnโt just durability; itโs delivering a floor that looks as stunning as it performs.
How does diamond grinding improve coating adhesion?
We use 800 lbs Lavina diamond grinding equipment to properly prepare the concrete surface and ensure long-term adhesion of our multi-layer coating systems.
This process is critical because:
โ It creates an ideal surface profile โ Diamond grinding removes the smooth surface layer of concrete typically called the โCream Layerโ not only does it produce a textured finish (profile), by removing this natural protective concrete layer it
At GarageFloorCoating.com, proper surface preparation isnโt an afterthoughtโitโs the foundation of a beautiful, long-lasting floor.
How does GarageFloorCoating.com handle cracks in the concrete?
At GarageFloorCoating.com, our crack repair system goes far beyond cosmetic patching, itโs engineered for permanent structural reinforcement.
While most companies (especially โone-dayโ installers) use fast-setting fillers that shrink, crack, or fail over time, we take a comprehensive and advanced approach:
โ Deep-penetrating, moisture mitigating repair materials โ We use high-performance moisture mitigating urethane epoxy hybrid-based menders that chemically bond to the concrete permanently and prevent cracks from reappearing beneath the coating.
โ Crack stitching with carbon fiber โ For structural or recurring cracks, we implement a crack stitching repair system. This involves embedding multiple carbon fiber stitches directly into the concrete, dramatically increasing tensile strength and preventing future movement or separation.
โ Integrated into a full preparation system โ Our crack repairs are just one part of a broader surface preparation process that includes diamond grinding, moisture mitigating, and a multi-layer, full-broadcast coating system for unmatched durability.
In short, we donโt just fill cracksโwe stabilize them for life, using the same reinforcement techniques found in commercial and industrial concrete repair.
When you choose GarageFloorCoating.com, youโre choosing professional-grade repairs, not shortcuts.
How long does a full-chip epoxy garage floor coating last?
At GarageFloorCoating.com, our full-chip Moisture Mitigation Epoxy Polyasparticย floor coating systems are designed for maximum durability and longevity.
When properly installed with our multi-layer, moisture-mitigating system and maintained as recommended, your coating can last 30 years or more. ย Unlike โone-dayโ polyurea polyaspartic systems that skip critical moisture mitigation, our industrial-grade coatings include a 100% solids vapor barrier primer, full-broadcast chip application, and 2 100% solids polyaspartic topcoats, thus eliminating the possibility of peeling, staining, hot tire lift, and UV degradation.
In fact, weโre so confident in our systems that we offer a lifetime warranty against any type of peeling (aka delamination) even due to moisture-related issuesโsomething you simply wonโt find elsewhere.
Want it to last decades? Then skip the shortcuts. Go full chip. Go GarageFloorCoating.com.
Can garage floor coatings be installed in cold or humid climates?
Yes, at GarageFloorCoating.com, our coating systems are specially engineered to perform in a wide range of environments, including extreme heat, freezing temperatures, and high humidity. No matter the climate, our industrial-grade products deliver long-lasting durability and reliable performance year-round.
We use industrial-grade resins manufactured exclusively by Eco-CorFlex Industrial Polymers, which are formulated to cure properly even in challenging environmental conditions. Whether itโs high humidity or colder temperatures, our experienced installers adjust installation techniques and cure schedules to ensure a proper bond and long-lasting durability.
Unlike many โone-dayโ coating companies that rely on fast-curing polyaspartics vulnerable to moisture interference, we always start with a moisture-mitigating epoxy primer, allowing our coatings to perform reliably in garages across all regions and seasons.
No shortcuts. No seasonal limitations. Just beautiful, high-performance floorsโinstalled right the first time.
The Limits of โMoisture Warrantiesโ
Hereโs the fine print coming from one-day concrete coating companies that most people donโt see: direct-to-concrete polyaspartic or polyurea applications typically canโt handle more than 3โ4 lbs MVER per 1,000 sq ft per 24 hours (ASTM F1869) or about 75โ80% RH (ASTM F2170). In normal language: Real-world garages exceed those numbers all the time โ sometimes by a lot. Without a vapor barrier epoxy, failure is usually not a question of โifโ but โwhen.โ
Forteโs Approach
At Forte Garage Floor Coating, we follow a process thatโs built to last:
- Every floor is moisture-tested before installation.
- Every system starts with a true moisture vapor barrier epoxy primer capable of withstanding up to 100% RH and 20 lbs MVER or more.
- Our warranties actually cover moisture-related failures.
We donโt rush the prep work. We donโt skip the science. Our job is to elevate the garages or other concrete surfaces of homes and businesses in the area. Quality matters to us, and quality takes time. An extra day of installation for a floor that can last 20+ years instead of one or twoโฆ why not?
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