Differences Between Garage Floor Epoxies

By Guest Author: Pete Morgan Epoxies can be the solution you have longed for since your garage floor started to get dirty and oily. There are many options and you have to know the differences between garage floor epoxies before you take a pick. 3 Main Types of Epoxy The epoxies for garage floors can be divided into three types namely water based, solvent based and 100 percent solid epoxies. All of them are tough and come in two parts. You are the one to mix them prior to the application. You may find stores that sell one part solvent based epoxy coating but it is not actually epoxy. In fact, it is much closer to paint than epoxy coating. A 100 percent solid epoxy does not contain solvents. It is the best option especially when it comes to toughness. It will surely last long so it is very ideal on garage floors. After applying this type of epoxy, you should be able to see a very thick and hard but striking surface on your garage floor. Some things that you should remember. The 100 percent solid epoxies are expensive. You will spend roughly $250 if you will buy for a one-car garage. They are also harder to install but nonetheless can be applied as a DIY project. The solvent based epoxies are also a good choice. However, there are differences between garage floor epoxies and this one is not as tough as the 100 percent solid epoxy. Nevertheless, they are much cheaper and easier to apply. The downside is that they offer a thinner surface. They are most likely to last shorter than a 100 percent solid epoxy. Water-based epoxy is water soluble. It is very similar to solvent based epoxies except that it uses water as the main carrier. They are safer than the first two because they are less reactive. They can also be applied to various thickness or thinness. They are also the easiest to clean type of epoxy. Modern Epoxies Those are the basic types of epoxies. With the developments over the years, epoxies can also be grouped according to their special features. We can now find epoxies with self-leveling or self-dispersing capabilities. The self leveling epoxy coats are great for DIY projects. They are easy to install even if you are working on an old concrete garage floor. The surface comes out leveled and smooth without any effort. Decorative Epoxies for Garage A lot of people want decorative floors even in their garage. Luckily, there are decorative epoxies. Some can be mixed with colors. Others can have logos or decorative details. Great examples are the graveled epoxy or epoxy terrazzo. The only problem is that they are a bit more complex to install. Nonetheless, the graveled epoxy floor is great as it also helps prevent slips with its textured outcome while the epoxy terrazzo is easy to clean which is why it is highly preferred on places where there is high foot traffic such as entrances of public places. If you are looking for information on Garage Floor Epoxies, click on the link. Or you can visit http://www.cleansurfacepros.com/ for more information! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pete_Morgan Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7315702 Chattanooga Garage Shapeups installs top quality epoxy garage floors at great prices.

Choosing the Best Garage Floor by Its Ability to Withstand Damage

By Guest Author: Anthony J Davis

What do you use your garage for? Do you just park things on it, or do you actually get in there to work? Either way, you'll want some sort of epoxy garage floor coating or covering, but if you plan to be doing work, you'll want to get a lot more specific. After all, garage flooring is an investment, so you may as well get the right one!

Protection From Chemicals

If you are working in your garage, you will spill chemicals; that's just the way it is. Motor oil, of course, is the first thing to come to mind, but it's not alone. The manufacturers of most garage floor coatings and coverings seem to have thought of this, though, since pretty much all garage floors out there will deflect almost every type of chemical. However, if you would also like to manage the spilled chemicals, most mats and tiles actually channel the liquids, generally out of the garage. This is great because it makes a standard water hose into an awesome cleaning tool. Be careful that you don't pollute the ground, though, as the chemicals flow out of the garage. Contrary to popular belief, diluting dangerous chemicals does not make them any safer to the Earth.

Resisting Wear And Tear From Cars

This is an area where epoxy garage floor paint notoriously has issues. Cars go in garages, and cars tend to have hot tires when they've been going down the road, so the fact that epoxy paint has a reputation for peeling under hot tires is a heck of a stigma. There's even a term for it: hot tire pickup. Most paint manufacturers promise that, with newer blends, this is not an issue. However, practical experience does not always agree with these claims, although you can never be sure that those who complain applied the epoxy paint correctly. Neither garage floor tiles nor other garage floor coverings have this issue, although mats can bunch up under moving tires, especially during steering. Again, though, that's supposed to be a thing of the past.

Deflecting Other Physical Damage

Epoxy paint does not fare well here, either, due to chipping. When a dropped tool hits a garage floor mat, the result is usually a bouncing tool. However, if it hits paint, there will be a chip, and likely much cursing. Of course, an floor with epoxy paint is a lot stronger than a non-protected concrete garage floor, but anything solid is still going to be prone to this type of damage. Garage floor tile sometimes has the same problem, depending on the tiles' consistency, but unlike epoxy, you can merely exchange the affected tiles for new if needed.

Outlasting The Elements

Of course, the elements have a lot to do with exactly what the flooring will have to survive. As long as moisture doesn't get it first, epoxy will definitely do the best job protecting concrete. With that in mind, be sure to test your floor for moisture before you even order or buy your epoxy. Tiles do not do a lot to protect against the elements, except cause some heat retention, which is still a good thing in the winter months as that's when concrete often splits and cracks. Even less effective, but still better than nothing, would be a garage floor covering, such as a mat.

For more garage flooring information, check out Sweet Garage Floor. Learn all sorts of stuff about mats, tiles, stains, and epoxy paints and coatings.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_J_Davis Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3413945

Finally Great Looking Garage Floors With Polyurea and Epoxy Coatings

Polyurea flooring covering is installed in the Chattanooga area by Garage Shapeups. Garage Shapeups is the exclsuive dealer in the Chattanooga area for Monkey Bar Storage Products.

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Finally Great Looking Garage Floors With Polyurea and Epoxy Coatings

By Edward Winslow

Someone once said that "nobody looks down at the garage floor, they only drive in and drive out." That anonymous fellow was wrong! Today both home owners and commercial auto businesses are looking down at the garage floor. Cracked and uneven surfaces present health and accident hazards. Oil and dirt always find their way in and often require toxic chemicals and concentrated physical labor to clean it up. They also look terrible and can adversely affect a commercial work force and diminish the usability of residential garages. However, it doesn't have to be that way. Polyurea and epoxy floor coatings make garage floors something worth looking at.

The next time you see your local painting contractor ask them about polyurea and epoxy concrete floor coatings. They look great and outlast the old technology epoxy floor treatments. Garages naturally build up dirt and grime and unfinished or worn concrete is tough to maintain. Sometimes the only way to get rid of the grease is to use toxic cleaners, sometimes repeatedly. Modern floor treatments literally fuse into the porous concrete creating a tough, long lasting layer that is resistant to scuffs and scratches. Since dirt and grease don't attach to the smooth surface, it can be cleaned with just soap and water.

Polyureas and epoxies also seal the concrete so ground waters can't seep through. This reduces the amount of moisture in the air, which reduces rust on your tools and equipment. The surface is hard, but it's not slippery. A nonslip aggregate is added to the top layer and creates a COF, coefficient of friction that meets federal guidelines for commercial garages.

If you are planning on painting your garage doors and interior walls, consider coordinating your color scheme with the floor. Polyurea and epoxy floors can be tinted almost any color or have color chips or patterns added. Some commercial garages even have their logo added to the floor.

Take a good long look at your garage floor then call your painting contractor and explore your possibilities.

To view photos of epoxy floor coatings visit http://www.madstonefloors.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Edward_Winslow

Monkey Bar Storage & Garage Shapeups team together to bring the absolute best garage floor coating service in Chattanooga and Cleveland Tennessee. We have a local dealer that can help you make the wise investment in a garage floor coating that will last a lifetime.

Monkey Bars garage flooring is the best garage flooring solution in the Portland market today. We offer 3 layers of protection. (base coat, chips & clear coat)

• 10 year warranty
• Easy to clean (Oil, Dust, Spills)
• Seals concrete & covers cracks
• Protects floors & shines

If you live in in Chattanooga and Cleveland Tennessee, call 1-800-214-4311 to arrange a floor consulation and estimate. For more information visit http://www.MonkeyBarStorageAL.com or http://www.MonkeyBarStorage.com. We take great pride in offering homeowners a top quality floor that offers the greatest return for money. We are not the cheapest. We are simply the best. We are in the business of offering homeowners the very latest and highest quality storage and flooring products available.

Garage floor coatings come in textured finishes. No need to worry about flaking, chipping, or fading. We warranty our garage floors for 10 years.

Before Garage Floor Coating

After Garage Floor Coating

• Takes 1 to 2 days to apply and set
• 3 layers – base coat, chips & clear coat
• Water proof
• Lasting results with diamond grindin

A garage floor coating provides a seamless garage floor. We seal and patch cracks and holes in the concrete prior to application. This is great for preventing bug and dust buildup. Hose, mop, or sweep your garage in minutes.







Diamond Grinding vs Primers & Sealers, Acid Etching & Painting
What makes the difference in a good garage flooring job and a bad one? The answer is floor preparation technique. We take the time to do it right. We diamond grind your floor to insure that the coating we apply will adhere properly to insure durability and perfromance. This grinding takes time and hard work, but it is the only way that we can install a floor coating and back it with a 10 year warranty.

It’s the use of a diamond grinding machine to prep the garage concrete floor properly. With other methods like primers/sealers acid etching and paints, you’ll see chipping and flaking. Shortly after an application you’ll have to remove the inferior products and start over.

A diamond grinder is the only way to re-profile a garage floor to create a good foundation to adhere to. It does this by removing the wear layer and all chemical residues that cause garage floor coatings to fail.