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Polyaspartic vs. Epoxy Garage Floor Coating: What Will You Choose?

Updated: Mar 8


Epoxy garage floor coatings

So, you’ve probably been searching about epoxy garage floor coating and you came across another coating called polyaspartic.


Epoxy coating has been around for some time and has been a popular coating for making durable and beautiful floorings. Polyaspartic coatings are fairly new to epoxy flooring options but have quickly become the darlings of those who desire quick-dry floor coatings.


Epoxy garage floor coating and polyaspartic coating are both specialized coatings with wide applications in the commercial and industrial industries. The wide availability of these materials makes it easier for facility managers, maintenance and repair departments, industrial coating contractors, and homeowners to access various formulations from which to choose.


Even so, knowing which coating to choose for a particular application has a direct bearing on the coating’s ability to perform satisfactorily. Let’s examine each of these contenders and see their main differences.


Table of Contents: Polyaspartic Vs. Regular Epoxy


All About Epoxy Coating

Epoxies are made from resin polymer which is formed by combining bisphenol A and epichlorohydrin. Nowadays, you can see many variants of epoxy as scientists make adjustments to the mixture.


Epoxy coatings are mainly used for indoor industrial flooring, garage flooring, car repair shops, and showrooms prone to chemical leaks. Epoxy is a very strong and durable type of flooring.


Pros of epoxy garage floor coating

  • Cost-effective solution for flooring that is exposed to hard wear and tears

  • Creates a hard, beautiful finish

  • Decorative epoxy flake chips can be added to improve the design

  • Highly resistant to chemicals and adhesion

  • Long life (10-15+ years)

Cons of epoxy garage floor coating

  • Has less resistance to abrasion

  • Cannot be applied when the temperature is either too hot or too cold

  • Requires more than one day to three weeks to dry completely

  • May require additional coating as a shield against UV rays


What to Know About Polyaspartic Coating

Polyaspartic coating was first introduced in the 1990s. It is derived from combining aliphatic polyisocyanate and diamine. The resulting compound is then known as aliphatic poly ad urea, a unique material that is superior to traditional polyureas. To create different characteristics of polyaspartic coatings, scientists only need to adjust the amount of ester in the mixture.

Polyaspartic coatings can also be applied to garage flooring as a low-emission and quick-drying agent. When applied to a gray concrete floor, it produces a glossy finish. Decorative chips may be added to a still-wet topcoat to improve its design.


Advantages of polyaspartic coatings

  • Easier application and highly adaptable to all weather and temperature conditions

  • Glossy finish with stain-and-scratch-resistant properties

  • Cures to full strength in just 30 minutes to 1 hour

  • Colors and decorative chips are available

  • Low VOCs and odor

  • Less likely to bubble from outgassing

Cons of polyaspartic coatings

  • Requires professional application for best results

  • Requires automatic application due to the short pot life

  • It has a steeper price compared with the epoxy flooring formula

  • No resistance against battery acids

  • Can be slippery without top aggregates and chips


Which is Better: Epoxy or Polyaspartic Coating?

There is no hard and fast rule on which of the two coatings is better. Each coating comes with its benefits and drawbacks. But for garage floor coating, we would say that polyaspartic coatings perform the best. They are UV-protected and hold color better than standard epoxies. Other advantages include the resistance to tire markings and the ability to use it as a top coat over regular epoxies.


Get with a Top-Rated Epoxy Garage Floor Coating Company

Epoxy coating has brought tremendous advantages for both residential and commercial garage floors. The main reason why epoxy coatings are popularly used as garage floor coating is that they are extremely durable and long-lasting and simply beautify any type of flooring.


If you need help choosing a floor option, give us a call at 863-243-9508. Or, you can fill out our Contact Us form.


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