If you’re planning to install an epoxy floor coating in your garage, the prep work underneath it is what determines whether it holds up through freeze-thaw cycles, road salt, and seasonal moisture. Cracks, improper surface prep, and moisture vapor are the most common reasons a garage floor coating fails early. Get the concrete right first, and the epoxy can perform the way it’s supposed to.
Here are three steps that make the difference.
Step 1: Repair Cracks With a Flexible Filler, Not a Rigid Patch
Concrete cracking is inevitable. Whether your slab is 30 days old or 30 years old, expansion and contraction will occur.
Because concrete moves, cracks should never be repaired with rigid materials. Before installing an epoxy floor coating, cracks must be repaired using a flexible elastomeric filler. This allows the repair to move with the slab, helping mitigate inevitable shifting instead of transferring stress into the finished coating.
Step 2: Diamond Grind the Concrete for Real Epoxy Floor Coating Adhesion
Sweeping and degreasing help, but they do not create the surface profile needed for long-term adhesion. Acid etching and buffing machines also fail to deliver consistent results.
Professional installers use diamond grinding equipment to open the pores of the concrete and create the proper surface profile. This mechanical preparation is what allows an epoxy floor coating to bond effectively and reduces the risk of peeling or delamination over time.
Step 3: Use Moisture Mitigation When the Concrete Needs It
All concrete contains moisture. Before applying coatings to garage concrete, installers should test moisture levels using calibrated meters. When readings are elevated (and they almost always are), a moisture-mitigating epoxy primer is required as the first (base) coat. It slowly and deeply penetrates the concrete forming a strong bond, acting as a thick moisture vapor barrier.
This is one reason higher-quality systems often require a 2-day installation instead of a rushed 1-day approach. Moisture mitigation protects the epoxy floor coating where many failures begin, below the surface.
Preview Your Epoxy Floor Coating Before Installation Day
If you’re considering an epoxy floor coating for your Michigan garage, proper preparation should always come first. Garage Floor Coating of Michigan specializes in professional crack repair, diamond grinding, and moisture-mitigating systems built for long-term performance.
You can also use the Live Coatings Visualizer to preview what an epoxy floor coating could look like in your actual garage. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and take the next step toward a garage floor that lasts.