One Day vs. Two Day Garage Floors
If you’re considering a one-day garage floor in the Twin Cities, you’ll want to read this…
Is a One-Day or Two-Day Garage Floor Better?
There has been a recent surge in the number of companies in the Twin Cities offering one-day garage floor coating services. For sure, there is a convenience factor here and we get it. Thanks to a faster curing time and thinner application, one day garage floor companies offer the temptation of being able to move back into the garage within 24 hours.
For convenience purposes, the one-day garage floor coating wins. But is faster really better when it comes to refinishing garage floors? No.
If you’re comparing garage floor coating companies in the Twin Cities, think about this question:
If one-day garage floors were the best garage floor coatings available, why wouldn’t all of the garage floor coating contractors in the Twin Cities use them as their recommended system?
Disadvantages of One-Day Garage Floor Coatings
The reason we no longer use one-day garage floors at Great Garage Floors, is we are in the service industry. We’re not here to sell a product. Our #1 goal here is to provide both the best product (garage floor coating), backed by the best service in the Twin Cities. We stand behind what we sell, and one-day garage floors were not allowing us to provide the results our customers deserved.
First, it’s helpful to understand the nature of polyurea coatings. Polyurea is lower in viscosity (thinner) than the epoxy we use for our garage floor coating base coat. With polyurea, you’re getting a very thin coating of just 3-5 mils. Compare this to the 13-15 mils we put down with epoxy and you’re going to get a much more durable finish with our epoxy base coat versus a polyurea coating. It stands to reason that more material will give your concrete floor coating more strength and consequent durability.
Polyureas are not as tolerant to moisture and are more vulnerable to delamination (peeling away) or failure to adhere properly to your concrete garage floor than the traditional industrial-strength epoxy base coat we use on our garage floors. This was a significant factor in our decision to remove one-day garage floor coatings from our services.
Without a permanent bond to your concrete garage floor, any benefits of one garage floor coating system over another don’t matter. The fact is, industrial industrial epoxies have stood the test of time, and have established themselves as the premier polymer for direct concrete bonding. An industrial epoxy base coat continues to be the preferred choice for experienced commercial garage floor coating installation companies.
What About the Claim That Polyurea is 6x (or even 20x) Stronger Than Traditional Concrete Epoxy?
When considering the type of garage floor coating is best for you, the most important strength measurement is the bonding strength of the coating being used. When it comes to polymers, there is also compressive strength, flexural strength and tensile strength, but none of those strength traits matter if the bond with your concrete isn’t permanent. Our traditional epoxy base coat we use at Great Garage Floors has far superior adhesion to concrete than the polyurea base coat used by one-day garage flooring companies. We know this from our own experience.
At the end of the day, the garage floor coatings we install using our proven system with an industrial epoxy base coat, broadcast flakes, and polyaspartic urethane topcoat are far superior to any of the one-day garage floors that are available.
What Type of Floor Coating Do They Use in Airport Hangars and Warehouses?
The most widely used base coat in the most demanding environments is the same coating that we use at Great Garage Floors: Industrial-strength epoxy. With our polyaspartic urethane top coat, you’re getting the best possible garage floor coating.
Risks Associated With One-Day Garage Floor Coatings
Yes, a one-day garage floor looks like a convenient option when considering garage floor coatings in Minneapolis. It may also be trade-off between getting your garage floor done quickly and long-term durability and quality.
Insufficient Surface Preparation:
Due to the limited time available for the process, one-day garage coating services often don't provide thorough surface preparation. Inadequate surface preparation can lead to poor adhesion and compromised durability of the coating. Without proper cleaning, repairs, and delamination (known as peeling), the coating may fail prematurely, resulting in peeling, chipping, or flaking.
Insufficient Curing Time:
Garage floor coatings require adequate curing and drying time to achieve their full strength and durability. With one-day garage floor coating services, there may be limited time for each layer of the coating to cure properly before applying the next layer. This rushed timeline can result in a weaker and less resilient coating that is more susceptible to damage and wear.
Higher Risk of Premature Failure:
One-day garage floor coatings have a higher risk of premature failure. The lack of proper surface preparation, rushed application, and limited curing time can contribute to coating defects, reduced adhesion, and an overall shorter lifespan. This may result in the need for frequent repairs or recoating, adding to your expenses and inconvenience.
Reduced Attention to Detail:
With the time constraints of a one-day garage floor coating service, attention to detail may suffer. Intricate areas, such as edges, corners, or around obstacles, may not receive the same level of precision and care as in a more extended timeframe. This can result in visible imperfections or uneven application, compromising the overall aesthetics of your garage floor.
When it comes to garage floor coatings, taking the extra day with our 2-day service is a decision that pays off in the long run. With proper surface preparation, enhanced durability, tailored solutions, attention to detail, and long-term value, our 2-day garage floor coating service stands head and shoulders above one-day alternatives.