How much does epoxy flooring cost in 2022, you ask?
Here at Epoxy Now, and the same is the case for most other epoxy flooring companies, we take into consideration several factors which determine our epoxy flooring pricing, but most people can expect prices in the same standard range.
Here’s what you should know about epoxy floor coating cost numbers and what can move your price up or down.
Average Epoxy Flooring Price
Most people will get an epoxy flooring cost per sq ft of between $8 and $12. The most significant variable in this cost is the type of epoxy coating you’re buying because labor is generally a fixed expense for the size of the area.
So, is epoxy flooring expensive? That depends on your point of view, but installing epoxy garage floors usually costs somewhere between $2500 and $5500, depending on size. That’s not an unreasonable cost for upgrading a house, but it’s not the cheapest solution you could use, either.
Now that you know the basic resin flooring cost, let’s look at what goes into calculating it and why the price can vary when you’re putting epoxy over concrete flooring.
What Is Epoxy?
Most people use the term epoxy to refer to two separate but distinct materials.
The first part, epoxy resin, is the main component of epoxy flooring materials. This resin is a collection of carbon atoms linked to other elements like nitrogen and oxygen. When contractors install epoxy flooring, they usually add a chemical hardener to the resin to encourage reactions that take it from a liquid to a solid.
The hardened material is also known as epoxy, even though its chemical structure is different. Modifying the ratios of atoms and molecules within the epoxy has a significant effect on its final strength and durability.
The easiest way to picture epoxy coating is by having all of the molecules start linking their arms once the hardening chemical shows up. They may have been free-floating before, but once they grab on to each other, they can withstand significant impacts.
Epoxy flooring is a durable material suitable for high-impact environments, including garages where you’re working with power tools and other construction supplies. However, it does have one notable weakness: sunlight.
Epoxy eventually disintegrates when exposed to sunlight thanks to UV radiation, so it’s not a good choice in garages with large windows. This won’t be a problem if you only open the garage door occasionally or have a small window without direct sunlight, but it’s better to consider a different material or block large windows if sunlight is an issue.
Epoxy Flooring Variations
Your epoxy floor installation cost can vary if you start looking at variations. These are different types of epoxy that offer specific advantages for certain buyers. Here are the most common variations your contractor may talk to you about.
Self-Dispersing Epoxy
Self-dispersing epoxy is a good choice if you need a garage floor that can hold up under heavy traffic or industrial work. This is a common choice among construction workers and people who are running businesses out of their garage. This is strong enough to withstand machines like trucks and forklifts.
A variant of self-dispersing epoxy uses a layer of quartz sand. Functionally, this has about the same durability as the regular version but adds anti-slip characteristics. This makes it particularly appealing if you expect to be working around liquids or oils that could otherwise become hazardous if they spill.
Self-Leveling Epoxy
While having slightly sloped garage floors can be desirable at times, most people prefer surfaces that are as flat as possible. Self-leveling epoxy supports this by filling in cracks and holes in the floor, making it particularly good for older houses and areas.
Without this type of epoxy, contractors usually need to fill in holes manually. That can significantly raise labor costs and increase the price of your epoxy garage floors.
Mortar Epoxy
This is the most durable option for epoxy flooring. Unlike some other choices, it’s not just the basic polymers and a hardener, though. The mortar variant also has additives, binders, and mineral fillers that installers can add in different ratios to meet the unique needs of each site.
Mortar epoxy offers outstanding durability, quick curing, and impressive chemical resistance. They also tend to resist stains and other fluids while avoiding sags and providing a non-slip surface to walk on. As if all of that wasn’t good enough, this option is available in many colors, too.
This is the premium choice for garage epoxy flooring and basement epoxy flooring, so it’s usually the most expensive option available. Most people don’t need flooring that’s quite this durable, though. Even busy home workshops rarely have the kind of traffic that requires mortar epoxy over another option.
Vapor Barrier Epoxy
Epoxy vapor barriers are a little different from the other options. This type of epoxy almost entirely stops the transmission of gases and liquid through it. That applies both ways, so liquid can’t come up from under the floor, either.
Vapor barrier epoxy is relatively affordable, but it’s not a final surface on its own. Instead, this is a good choice if you want to put something else on your concrete floor and need an extra layer to protect it. For example, some people add vapor barrier epoxy before installing hardwood, tiles, or even carpet inside the garage.
Antistatic Epoxy
Antistatic epoxy is a rare choice for garages, but installers can usually offer it on request. As the name suggests, this type of epoxy is useful for areas with sensitive electronics and other devices because it helps minimize static electricity.
This can be useful for operating medical equipment, using some laboratory supplies, or manufacturing certain types of electronic components.
Antistatic epoxy is on the higher end for solid epoxy costs, but you don’t need to worry about it. If you need a static-resistant environment, this is the only option. If you don’t need that environment, you won’t choose this option, so its price doesn’t matter.
Graveled Epoxy
Graveled epoxy is the most decorative option available. This is most common material for commercial epoxy flooring or retail epoxy flooring where companies may want to display logos, paths, or other information on the floor itself.
Like antistatic epoxy, this isn’t a common choice for most homes and garages. There’s rarely a need to pay the solid epoxy costs for stylish and artistic flooring unless you’re turning it into a showroom or otherwise using it for artistic purposes.
The important thing to understand about the epoxy price per square foot that you pay is that you do have options. When asking “How much does epoxy flooring cost?” the actual question is what qualities and traits you’re looking for. A basic vapor barrier is a different requirement than a flooring capable of standing up to the impacts of heavy industrial manufacturing.
Epoxy Paint
Epoxy paint, as installers explain, is usually a form of latex and acrylic that has some epoxy mixed in. Functionally, this means the epoxy is an additive that gives the basic paint more strength. This type of paint is durable, resists corrosion, and is easier to clean than other types of paint.
However, despite the name, installers don’t consider this a true form of epoxy. It’s still not as durable as the real thing, and the percent of epoxy involved is too low.
The one major advantage of epoxy paint is that it’s an easy do-it-yourself option. This makes it much cheaper than installing a genuine epoxy floor, and it’s a decent choice if you’re focusing more on the aesthetics of the area. However, no epoxy paint is as durable as a real epoxy floor, especially for heavily trafficked or industrial production environments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions people have about epoxy flooring and its costs.
How Long Do Epoxy Floors Last?
Heavy-duty epoxy flooring can last up to 30 years, especially if you have relatively minimal traffic through the area and no sunlight causing it to degrade. Most people can expect it to last 10-20 years for regular household use or a bit less for industrial garages that have additional traffic and impacts.
For comparison, even high-quality epoxy floors only last 2-3 years in many commercial environments. Most homes can expect a much longer lifespan because they don’t see anywhere near as much foot traffic.
What’s The Cost Breakdown For Installing Epoxy?
How much does epoxy flooring cost for each component, you ask? Whether you’re getting a metallic epoxy floor or something more basic, the materials themselves usually cost between $7 and $16 per square foot. That may not sound like a huge difference, but it adds up quickly for big projects.
The rest of the cost is mostly labor. The cost goes up significantly if you need people to clean the floor, fill in cracks, and otherwise prep the site. If you prep it yourself, you can reduce the labor costs.
Will Epoxy Floors Crack?
Epoxy is a durable flooring material, especially in garages, but it can crack if it’s not laid down correctly. This is why it’s best to get an expert’s evaluation of your garage and determine with a specific type of epoxy is the best choice. If all else fails, mortar epoxy should hold up without cracking until the end of its lifecycle.
How Long Does Epoxy Take To Dry?
Drying times vary somewhat, but most epoxy floors are dry enough to walk on twelve hours after installation. After a day, you can use them for lighter traffic, but most floors take a week to complete their hardening process. Try to avoid any heavy use until then.
Are You Considering Epoxy Flooring For Your Home Or Space?
If you’re searching online for “epoxy flooring near me” or you’re looking for a local epoxy flooring company in Brantford, Hamilton, Cambridge or throughout Southwestern Ontario, we invite you to contact our team here at Epoxy Now and request an estimate for Epoxy Flooring.
