What Is Moisture-Vapor Transmission—and Why Should Michigan Homeowners Care?
When it comes to garage flooring, what’s happening beneath the surface can quietly dictate the lifespan of your entire coating system. Moisture-vapor transmission (MVT) is the natural process where water vapor moves upward through concrete from the soil below. And in Michigan—where humid summers, heavy rainfall, and groundwater are common—this process can accelerate unexpectedly.
Concrete slabs are porous by nature. That means they act like a sponge, soaking up moisture from below. This vapor can then push upward with surprising force, damaging garage floors that aren’t properly sealed. You might not see it immediately, but over time MVT leads to:
- Peeling or bubbling coatings
- White mineral deposits (efflorescence)
- Discoloration or stains
- Long-term delamination
Moisture doesn’t need to be visible to cause damage—it just needs a pathway. And untreated concrete provides one.
How GFC’s 2-Day Garage Flooring System Stops MVT at the Source
Garage Floor Coating of Michigan installs GFC’s exclusive 2-day garage flooring system, which includes a critical step other companies often skip: moisture mitigation through a high-performance epoxy base coat.
Unlike 1-day systems that rely solely on a polyurea or polyaspartic (a thinner, faster-curing material) as the base coat, GFC of Michigan begins with a 100%-solids, moisture-mitigating epoxy. (We save our polyaspartic as top coats only). The moisture-mitigating epoxy base coat penetrates deep into the concrete pores and cures into a dense, impermeable barrier that vapor can’t penetrate. Once fully cured overnight, two 100%-solids polyaspartic topcoats are added to deliver UV protection, abrasion, chemical and stain resistance…and beauty.
This layered approach gives Michigan garages the defense they need in a high-moisture climate.
GFC’s 2-day advantage:
- Epoxy base coat = true vapor barrier
- Dual polyaspartic topcoats = unmatched durability and gloss
- Time to cure = full chemical bonding and moisture block
Why 1-Day Systems Can’t Keep Up in Michigan’s Climate
Quick 1-day installations might seem appealing, but they come with serious trade-offs (speed over quality). These systems use a polyurea or polyaspartic for the base layer—a product that cures so quickly (especially in the presence of moisture) that it doesn’t soak into the concrete or form a reliable moisture barrier. In Michigan, where seasonal groundwater and snowmelt increase slab moisture, that’s a big risk.
1-day garage flooring systems can fail prematurely—not because of installation error, but because they simply aren’t built to stop MVT.
Get Moisture Protection That Lasts—Choose GFC Michigan
Garage Floor Coating of Michigan installs garage flooring systems that protect against Michigan’s biggest hidden threat: moisture-vapor transmission. If you’re investing in a garage upgrade, make sure it’s built to endure more than just foot traffic.
Call now for your free estimate and get a garage flooring system designed for Michigan’s real-world conditions—starting from the ground up.