Both concrete and epoxy are broadly used in the building industry. That’s not accidental. They both have many great qualities – advantages, if you will, that make them ideal for even heavy-duty industrial applications or garage floors. Before you start jumping up and down with joy, let us tell you that like all things, such materials have their downsides too.
So, if we wanted to make a premature assumption, we would say that both concrete and epoxy floors are great for your garage, as long as their disadvantages won’t bother you. If you made it so far as to bounce between epoxy and concrete floors for your garage, it is easy to assume that you like both. Now, the question is which material will also meet your durability, maintenance, and cost expectation too! Should we see?
Concrete vs Epoxy Garage Floors – A Comparison
Appearance
While the look of your garage floor is entirely subjective, it’s fair to say that both materials are a great choice. It all comes down to what you consider beautiful.
The advantage of epoxy floors is that there is a range of options when it comes to solid colors, while there’s also the option of getting epoxy with decorative flakes.
Concrete may be matte or polished, monochromatic and thus, a great choice for those who like some charming appearance, a little rough around the edges – so to say.
Since both epoxy and polished concrete floors are easy to clean, keeping up a good appearance is super-easy too. That’s a plus for both of them.
They both bring a minimalistic touch to the garage, unless you go for epoxy chips in which case you get a mosaic-like look.
Cost
Both concrete and epoxy floors will make you happy, money-wise too. They are equally cost-effective choices since they are basic building materials that are broadly used in the construction industry. The price may go up, if you want an epoxy floor with decorative chips. The overall cost is also subject to the size of the garage floor and the labor price. It’s important to include such costs to your budget and it’s important to let an experienced concrete or epoxy flooring contractor do the job. If it’s done all wrong, you will need additional repairs – hence, you will spend more in the long term.
Durability
Concrete is very strong. Epoxy is strong too. The disadvantage of concrete here is that it may crack due to the contractions and expansions. It may also crack due to its bad installation. That’s why trusting a true pro is a must. If it wasn’t for the possibility of cracking, concrete would beat epoxy in terms of durability. All the same, concrete is extremely strong. Just think that the material is often used for the construction of driveways too.
The advantage of epoxy floor is that it contains resins – also the reason it cannot be installed outdoors, which make it very flexible and thus, durable. On top of that, epoxy is applied on top of concrete and so, garage floors are extra-strong.
Resistance
The high resistance of epoxy to stains, bleach, oils, water – all sorts of spills, makes it ideal for the garage floor. Plus, epoxy is resistant to germs and bacteria – no wonder the material is often used in clinics too. Concrete is very resistant as well. But if it cracks, it will absorb water, spills, moisture and then it won’t be protective to your health. It won’t be resistant anymore.
Longevity
Since epoxy is particularly durable and doesn’t crack, it usually outlives concrete. That’s assuming that the epoxy garage floor is properly installed. And it’s true epoxy. But there’s a paradox here.
Assuming that you get rather busy in the garage, the epoxy flooring will get its share of spills. Impact from the toolbox, tools, and dropped items will also leave some marks. At one point, you will need to refinish the garage floor, although it won’t be anytime soon.
