In the world of concrete flooring there are two types of coatings that most residential customers choose from. It is between concrete floor paints and epoxy flooring. Epoxy flooring is the preferred method among most homeowners but concrete floor paints have their charm too. There are many advantages to both concrete paint and epoxy flooring.
Advantages of Concrete Floor Paint: Durability, Versatility, and Easy Application
Concrete floor paint can be either latex-based or oil-based just like regular household paints but with one big difference; concrete paint contains a strong binder. The binder in concrete paint is stronger then regular paint. Regular paint mostly uses polyvinyl acetate, otherwise known as PVA, or acrylic as their main source of binding.
Concrete paint uses epoxy as its binder, but is not to be confused with epoxy coatings. This allows for a better adhesion between the paint and the concrete floor. Concrete floor paint also tends to have a shinier finish over regular paints you may get at your local home improvement store. Those paints typically have a more flat or matte looking finish to them.
Concrete Paint Has Many Color Options
Concrete paint can come in a vast variety of colors, tones, hues, and textures. Furthermore concrete paint is far more durable, more weatherproof, and more resistant to stains then regular paint. Especially in places like garages or driveways, where there is heavy traffic, concrete paint is much preferred over regular paint. Concrete paint holds up to oil leaks and chemical spills much better then just regular paint. It is also great at covering up any cracks, damages, or imperfections that may be in your concrete flooring.
Easy application
Another benefit to concrete paint is that it is simple to administer. It can easily be applied using a roller or paintbrush. It’s quick to dry too, making it an ideal choice if you need your flooring done fast. Moreover, concrete paint has become much more safe to use indoors. Over the years the advances in technology have made most paints, in any capacity, much safer for indoor use.
Depending upon which look you are going for you can choose whether you want a neutral shade, warm shade, cool shade, or traditional white. Neutral shades are often referred to as being very clean looking. These colors include gray, ivory, taupe, beige, and various different shades of white. Warm shades provoke the feelings of a sunny day and constitute colors like yellow, orange, red, and gold. Cool shades are colors that make people think of the great outdoors, such as green, blue, and purple. Finally there is traditional white. Not to be underestimated, white concrete paint can give a dingy and dark garage a dramatic look that brightens up the whole space. With a broad selection of paints and colors, it makes it extremely affordable and versatile.
You can still use regular paint to coat concrete but it will not last long. It will start to chip and peel much faster then concrete paint, which is specifically made for concrete.
Epoxy Flooring And It’s Advantages
The better option to concrete paint is certainly epoxy flooring. For all the good that concrete paint is, epoxy flooring is better.
Combination of resin and hardener creates a plastic-like substance for coating concrete floors
Epoxy flooring is the combination of a resin and a hardener. This creates a plastic like substance that coats and adheres to your concrete flooring. This creates an amazing barrier between your concrete floor and all the numerous items that can damage it. Furthermore, the options for epoxy flooring are endless. The colors and designs you can choose from are exciting and can make your concrete stand out.
There are some very exciting designs that can be created with epoxy flooring. One of the most popular is the metallic look. Epoxy colors can come in metallic tones or they can be imbedded with metallic flakes. Either way it provides a beautiful and gorgeous shimmer to any floor. You can also mix and match multiple metallic colors to create a unique and custom designed floor.
Terrazzo Epoxy Flooring
The terrazzo design is another option for customers. Some know this as the speckled look since this epoxy flooring contains specks, or flakes of various materials that make the flooring pop with color. These flakes can be made up of seashells, mother of pearl, granite, natural stone, and multi-colored glass.
Epoxy flooring can look like marble
With epoxy flooring you can even make your floor look like marble. Just apply a white coating, then add one or more colors on top, mix, and you have a marble floor at a fraction of the cost. You can also have the look of a checkerboard applied to your flooring. This will definitely need to be completed by a professional though.
Laying the base color down and then marking the squares with painters tape creates the look. The other color you are using is then administered to the alternating squares, leaving you a one of a kind floor. Geometric shapes such as triangles and squares can even be created using epoxy flooring.
Non-Slip Epoxy Flooring
Epoxy flooring can be made to be non-slip, which is ideal for most customers. It is waterproof and stain proof. Oils from your vehicles, paint spills, chemicals leaking, are all of no concern with epoxy flooring. The clean up is so easy and quick that any fluid left on your floor is no longer an automatic flooring disaster. This is one reason customer’s love epoxy flooring. It is so durable and low maintenance. Epoxy flooring is also incredibly impact resistant. If you drop heavy tools or machinery onto the floor, the epoxy flooring will take it all in stride. Epoxy flooring also handles heat really well. This is ideal for customers who may weld or forge in their garages or driveways. The sparks flying will not damage an epoxy-coated floor.
In conclusion
In conclusion, epoxy flooring is the best option to go with when deciding between concrete floor paint and epoxy. Epoxy flooring is more durable, functional, beautiful, and low maintenance and will have you happy for years to come.
