Adding a garage floor coating can enhance both the functionality and aesthetics of your space. That’s why it’s been sweeping the nation — not just in garages, but for waterproofing basements, renovating kitchens, upgrading concrete patios, and a whole lot more. Deciding whether to install it yourself or hire a professional requires careful consideration of several factors, including humidity, temperature fluctuations, and the quality of the materials used.
DIY Garage Floor Coating Kits: Limitations
Cost and Accessibility: DIY garage floor paint or epoxy kits are widely available and are often chosen for their low cost. However, the affordability of these kits comes with certain limitations that may lead to unforeseen issues over time. You get what you pay for.
Limitations in Surface Preparation: Surface preparation is crucial to the success of a garage floor epoxy coating. Especially in a humid environment like Nashville, moisture can become trapped in the concrete, resulting in poor adhesion of the coating. Most DIY kits recommend an acid etch as the sole preparation method, which may not sufficiently address moisture retention. Without industrial grinding to open the pores of the concrete, the coating may delaminate, especially when subjected to humidity and temperature shifts.
Material Quality Deficiencies: DIY kits generally include low-grade epoxy coatings, which may not withstand the temperature variations and high humidity experienced in Nashville. Over time, these coatings may become discolored, scratched, or even begin to peel. In contrast, the types of concrete coatings leveraged by professionals offer increased resistance to UV light, chemicals, and abrasion.
Benefits of Professional Installation
Comprehensive Surface Preparation: Professional installers employ mechanical grinding to prepare the surface, ensuring it is free from contaminants and has the necessary texture for optimal adhesion. Imagine applying a sticker on a dusty surface or even a really rough surface — it’s going to be peeling in no time. Good concrete surface preparation allows for the epoxy flooring to properly “stick” or bind to the concrete so you get serious longevity out of it (decades vs. a few months or a couple years).
Superior Product Performance: The materials used by professionals are formulated to handle the challenges of Nashville’s climate. Industrial-grade epoxy and polyaspartic coatings offer better moisture and chemical resistance, UV stability, and flexibility, which are key factors in ensuring that the coating remains intact despite fluctuations in temperature and humidity.
Warranty and Assurance: Another advantage of hiring a professional is the warranty typically provided with the installation. This warranty offers peace of mind, knowing that any issues that arise will be addressed by the installer, reducing the risk and expense of future repairs. Most DIY kits (and 1-day installers) won’t cover moisture-related damage in their warranties, but professionals who really know what they’re doing will. Our 2-day application process is exactly what gives us the confidence to put moisture issues on our warranties.
Conclusion: Invest in Professional Quality
We highly recommend staying away from DIY kits, simply because the expectation is typically that what you install will last longer than a year or so. We’ve conducted too many epoxy floor replacements that were first DIY jobs — we get it, working with your hands is fulfilling. Concrete coatings are just complex enough that, if you want it done right, it’s best left to the professionals who have the right equipment and experience. That’s how you can ensure a finish that will last, even in Nashville’s humid climate.
