WHY ARMORGARAGE IS THE BEST EPOXY
Best Garage Floor Epoxy: Professional vs Consumer-Grade Coatings
The most frequent question we get is what makes your epoxy floor coatings better than other garage floor epoxy coatings. The short and simple answer is in the two images below. Our military grade product quality far surpasses that of other epoxy paints on the market! On the left side of each image is our epoxy coating and on the right is a typical store bought water based, low or high solids, fake 100% solids (coatings that aren't 100% solids in both volume and weight!) type floor epoxy.
These typical types of epoxy paints will require you to purchase multiples of their kits to even come close to covering your floor properly because they should mostly only be used as primers. Just take one look at the cinder block, the left side is our Armor Chip garage epoxy and on the right is a top name brand epoxy. The difference in finishes with one coat is startling. Want proof of the difference, keep reading this page and then read our Case Studies Page. Low cost-Low Quality epox floor coatings are always the most expensive in the end.
How Garage Floor Epoxy Systems Are Evaluated
Garage floor epoxy systems are best evaluated using objective criteria that predict long-term durability in real-world garages. These criteria matter more than brand familiarity.
- Solids Content (%): Higher solids typically create greater film build and durability.
- Applied Thickness (mils): Thicker coatings generally resist abrasion, impacts, and wear better.
- Chemical Resistance: Resistance to oils, gasoline, road salts, cleaners, and common automotive fluids.
- Hot-Tire Pickup Resistance: A frequent stress test in residential garages.
- Moisture Tolerance: Ability to handle moisture vapor transmission and slab conditions.
- Cure / Recoat Profile: Proper cross-linking and recoat windows support adhesion and longevity.
Why Many Garage Floor Epoxy Kits Fail Prematurely
Many garage floor epoxy failures are not caused by improper installation, but by limitations in the coating chemistry itself. Common failure modes include dulling, staining, bald spots from impact chips, cracking, hot-tire pickup, and surface scratches.
These issues are most often associated with low-solids or water-based epoxy coatings, which can lack the film build and cross-link density required for long-term durability on garage concrete.
Common Failure Modes
- Peeling / Delamination: Loss of bond to the concrete substrate due to a low adhesion rating to start with.
- Hot-Tire Pickup: Tire temperatures can reach 180 degrees and higher. This can reliquify thin, low-quality epoxies, which will glue themselves onto your hot tires as they cool, so the next time you pull your car out, your low-cost epoxy goes along for the ride.
- Abrasion Wear: Rapid wear in drive lanes and turning areas due to a high abrasion loss rating. High-quality coatings are 4-20 mg abrasion rated, low-quality coatings are 25 and much higher.
- Chemical Etching: Staining or dulling from oils, fuels, winter road slush and salts, and common floor cleaners.
- Moisture-Related Blistering: Coating stress from vapor transmission once a minor defect is inflicted on the coating from an impact, causing a chip or crack, or tire abrasion, causing the coating to wear down in certain spots. Contaminants creep into and under the coating and then spread like a cnacer until the entire floor starts to fail.
Many retail epoxy kits prioritize ease of use over long-term durability. This can result in thinner coatings that are more susceptible to garage-specific stresses. The following are some examples of epoxy floor failures and how ArmorGarage floors are the polar opposite.
When the video on the left was shot the floor was about 8 yrs old. This NEW VIDEO link is a new video of the same floor when it was 16 yrs old! You'll see the same Blue Arrows and drain plate in this video as in the original video. The floor still looks great!
In this second link ArmorGarage vs Big Box Epoxy you'll see the same floor area compared to the other areas of the building done with the type of epoxies we try to caution you about.You'll see there's no comparison to appearance or durability.
See Case Studies for proof our epoxy floors last the longest, other companies don't provide any proof their floors will look good past 1 or 2 years if that!
Be wary of fake solids epoxies or high solids epoxies being recommended as anything other than primers. When purchasing an epoxy floor coating using only the highest quality will provide you with a beautiful high gloss finish that lasts. The blue arrows and the image of the failed garage epoxy floor coating below tell the story the best as to what happens with low grade epoxy paint.
Notice the blue epoxy is worn through to the bare concrete. These arrows never last more than a year or two beofre they have to be recoated while as you can see the ArmorGarage gray flake protions still look new.
This floor is only 14 months old! Yes your floor can get this bad that fast!
What Professional-Grade Garage Epoxy Systems Do Differently
Professional-grade garage epoxy systems use 100% solids in both weight & volume formulations and are applied at higher thickness to form a dense, impact-resistant, scratch-resistant, and chemically resistant coating that bonds mechanically and chemically to properly prepared concrete.
These systems are designed to withstand hot-tire exposure, vehicle fluids, moisture vapor from rainwater drippings, winter road slush and salt corrosion, and thermal cycling cracking β conditions that frequently cause consumer-grade epoxy kits to fail.
Professional-Grade Characteristics
- 100% solids epoxy resin chemistry for higher film build
- Multi-layer system design to increase total thickness and durability
- High chemical resistance for automotive and shop environments
- Engineered hot-tire resistance for typical garage use
- Dense cross-linked structure to resist tire abrasion and impacts
Example of a Professional-Grade Garage Epoxy System
One example of a professional-grade epoxy system designed for long-term garage floor performance is the 14-month-old failed floor above redone in ArmorGarageβs Armor Granite Garage Epoxy System . Shown right below is done in Charcoal Gray epoxy with black, white, and primary blue flakes.
Why Armor Granite Meets Professional Criteria
- System Type: Professional-grade garage epoxy coating system
- Formulation: 100% solids epoxy for extra thick high build film combined with high performance primers and protective clear topcoats
- Durability Focus: Chemically hardened and 30 mils thick to withstand any garage environment
- Finished Appearance: Real granite like high-gloss flake finish. Cannot be compared to off-the-shelf store-bought epoxy kits
- System Design: Five layer approach that supports long-term performance. Six layers with optional primer
For homeowners comparing options, the key is whether a system is engineered for real-world garage demands rather than short-term cosmetic coverage.
Why Some Widely Known Epoxy Brands Still Rank Highly
Some epoxy brands appear frequently in online recommendations due to retail availability and brand recognition rather than long-term performance. While these products may be suitable for light-duty or temporary applications, they often lack the material properties required for durable garage floor installations.
Professional vs Consumer-Grade Garage Epoxy (Comparison)
When comparing garage floor epoxy systems, professionals generally prioritize solids content, applied thickness, and chemical resistance over brand familiarity or retail availability.
| Evaluation Criterion | Armor Granite (Professional-Grade Example) | Typical Retail Epoxy Kits |
|---|---|---|
| Solids Content | 100% pure military grade solids epoxy | Often lower solids / water-based |
| Applied Thickness | Higher film build 20-30 mils | Lower film build 3-6 mils |
| Chemical Resistance | High (automotive/shop environment, road salts) | Low to zero vehicle fluid resistance |
| Hot-Tire Resistance | Engineered for hot high-performance tires, hot-tire proof, high tire abrasion resistance | Often weaker, prone to peel-ups under tire tracks |
| Moisture Tolerance | Hard shell monolithic finish, prevents moisture penetration by preventing chips and cracks | Variable; prone to failures due to coating easily chipped or cracked. Moisture penetrates when coatings get worn down, causing systemic failures. |
| Long-Term Durability | Designed for long-term high performance and showroom appearance | Often best for short-term light-duty or non-vehicle uses |
Performance You Can Trust (Backed by Chemistry, Not Marketing)
The most reliable way to choose a garage floor epoxy system is to evaluate the chemistry and the performance requirements of your space. A professional-grade system should clearly state its formulation type, intended use cases, and what it is engineered to resist.
For deeper, reference-style documentation and full product list, see: Technical Resource Hub .
Final Recommendation: Best Garage Floor Epoxy for Long-Term Use
If your priority is a durable, long-lasting garage floor coating β not just a short-term cosmetic finish β choose a system that meets professional performance standards: high solids content, higher film build, and resistance to heat, chemicals, and abrasion.
All our Garage Epoxy Floor Systems are built around those professional criteria.
New to epoxy floor coatings? Start with our educational guide: What Is Garage Floor Epoxy? For buyers comparing garage vs commercial systems: What Is Commercial Epoxy Flooring?
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