Your garage can take a massive beating from foot traffic, heavy vehicles, chemical spills, rain and snow, mud, and more. Many homeowners in Metro Washington explore garage coatings to prevent a garage floor from cracking and fading.
The right type of coating can extend your garage floor’s lifespan while boosting its aesthetic appeal and slip resistance. Some homeowners try installing garage coating systems themselves to save money or expand their DIY skills. Online videos and tutorials can fool them into thinking the process is quick and straightforward.
However, it’s better to let professionals tackle some projects. We’ll explore why you shouldn’t install a garage floor coating yourself.
You Need the Right Tools, Techniques, and Experience
Installing any garage coatings requires extensive equipment, including:
- Compounds
- Degreasers
- Cleaning agents
- Rollers
- Sealants
- Brushers
- The coating material itself, such as epoxy, polyurea base coats, and polyaspartic top coats
You can find some of these items at your local hardware store, but they won’t be the same quality as those used by professionals. DIY epoxy or polyaspartic kits offer especially inferior products.
Contractors also use heavy machinery to prepare garage floors for the application process. These grinders make installing coatings much easier as they remove scratches, marks, stains, floor paint, and other imperfections.
Mistakes Can Quickly Set You Back
Without professional knowledge and training, applying garage floor and basement floor coatings proves ineffective. Whether a homeowner is attempting DIY garage coatings or using industry-grade material, they can run into many issues.
Prepping, coating, and finishing your garage floor with concrete coatings requires plenty of experience and knowledge to get right the first time. For example, homeowners must thoroughly wash their concrete flooring before applying their coating system. Homeowners must also mix their coating solution properly, or it can blister or bubble.
Another factor to consider is current weather conditions. Weather that’s too humid, cold, or hot can result in a solution not being set properly.
Avoid these costly mistakes by hiring a professional crew who knows exactly what they’re doing. Applying garage floor coating systems can be a delicate process. Homeowners might end up replacing their entire floor after inexpertly applying an epoxy or polyaspartic coating.
While handling your concrete garage coatings yourself may sound like a fun DIY project, it generally becomes a major headache for people who don’t know what they’re doing. The right professional team brings years of experience, superior craftsmanship, and state-of-the-art tools and equipment.
Longer Installation Times
Sometimes, homeowners start a DIY project only to discover it takes much longer than they initially thought. Even if you can avoid common mistakes that require you to start over again, your garage floor coating project will take at least several hours. Garage coatings like polyurea base coats and polyaspartic top coats can take about five to eight hours to cure, with preparation taking up most of that time.
Professionals with industry-grade equipment and years of knowledge and experience can significantly reduce this timeframe.
Often More Expensive in the Short-Term and Long-term
One major reason why homeowners attempt DIY projects is to save money. However, homeowners can spend more money both upfront and long-term when applying a new garage coating.
In the short term, homeowners must pay for prepping, cleaning, and sealing supplies. Many homeowners also rent a concrete grinder for a more professional finish, which can quickly add to the total cost.
DIY kits also provide thin coverage, meaning you’ll likely need to dash back to the store to buy more products. You may also need to buy more kits or equipment to attempt to correct any issues.
In the long term, DIY garage coatings projects typically require more attention and maintenance than professionally installed coating options. DIY projects often flake and peel much quicker, so they’ll need repairs or replacement sooner.
All these factors can make your DIY project more expensive than a professionally installed project. Furthermore, many licensed and insured companies back their handiwork with warranties, giving you financial protection if problems occur.
For the Best Garage Coatings in Metro Washington, Call Skyline Concrete Coating Today
At Skyline Concrete Coating, our team understands the temptation of DIY projects. We also know it’s better to leave some tasks to the professionals, as is the case for garage coatings.
We provide same-day installations and back all our high-quality products with a 15-year warranty.
Obtain the best chip systems with polyurea base coats and polyaspartic top coats by calling Skyline Concrete Coating at (571) 831-2144!
