Frequently Asked Questions

HomeGuide puts installed epoxy at about $4 to $10 per square foot nationally, or $1,600 to $5,800 for a two-car garage. HomeAdvisor reports an average epoxy floor project of about $2,526. Polyaspartic, flake and metallic systems, crack repair and removing old coatings all move the price, so we give a written number after seeing the floor.

At HomeGuide's range of $4 to $10 per square foot, 1,000 square feet of epoxy comes to about $4,000 to $10,000. A polyaspartic floor at HomeGuide's $5 to $12 range would be about $5,000 to $12,000. Large floors often need more crack repair, which the estimate will show.

Using the same HomeGuide ranges, 1,200 square feet runs about $4,800 to $12,000 for epoxy and $6,000 to $14,400 for polyaspartic. Floors that size are often shops or open-plan living areas, and prep varies a lot between them. We price after measuring and testing the slab.

A 500 square foot floor, about the size of an average two-car garage, works out to roughly $2,000 to $5,000 at HomeGuide's epoxy range. HomeGuide's polyaspartic table lists $2,500 to $6,000 for 500 square feet. Flake broadcast and heavy crack repair push a floor toward the upper end.

Yes, with care. HomeGuide recommends applying epoxy with humidity under 85%, and Brownsville averages about 76% across the year. We measure humidity and slab temperature on install day, start early, and use polyaspartic topcoats when the window is tight. If the conditions are wrong, we move the date.

A well-bonded coating protects concrete from salty sand and spray much better than bare concrete does. Salt grit still wears a topcoat if it sits for weeks, so rinsing and squeegeeing the floor every so often keeps it in good shape. On the island and around the bay we use UV-stable topcoats and add texture for wet, sandy feet.

A cured coating does not soak up water, so a flooded garage floor can be hosed and cleaned once the water is gone. The risk is water getting under a coating through cracks or bare edges, which is why we fill cracks and coat the full floor. If your slab has flooded and you want a new coating, we wait for it to dry and test it again first.

HomeGuide lists $1,600 to $5,800 for a two-car garage in epoxy and $2,000 to $6,900 in polyaspartic. Where your floor lands depends on its size, the cracks and stains we find, and whether an old coating has to come off. You get a written price after the visit.

HomeGuide says to avoid driving on epoxy for 2 to 7 days, while polyaspartic reaches full cure in 24 to 48 hours. Heat and humidity shift those times, so we give you a specific date for your floor.

Hot tires can soften a thin coating and pull it up when the car leaves. It happens most with thin kit coatings laid over etched, poorly prepared concrete. A ground slab and a thicker system with a hard topcoat resist it far better.

Flake floors have natural texture, so they are less slick than a smooth gloss coating. For garages that see wet feet from the pool or beach, we can add an anti-slip aggregate to the topcoat.

For garages with lots of sun and humid install days, polyaspartic has real advantages: HomeGuide rates its UV resistance as excellent and its full cure at 1 to 2 days. Epoxy is cheaper and builds thickness faster. Many of our floors use both, with an epoxy base and a polyaspartic topcoat.

HomeGuide says polyaspartic is dry to the touch within a few hours and fully cured for vehicles in 24 to 48 hours. We give you exact times based on the product and that day's weather.

Polyaspartic is rated as highly UV resistant, so it holds its color far longer than standard epoxy in bright garages and on patios. Very long exposure and harsh chemicals can still dull any coating, so regular cleaning helps.

The material costs more, and its short working time calls for experienced installers. HomeGuide lists polyaspartic at $5 to $12 per square foot installed against $4 to $10 for epoxy.

We remove tile and thinset first. Coating over tile risks grout lines and loose tiles showing through or cracking the finish. Grinding to bare concrete gives the bond a metallic floor needs.

Small, stable cracks can be filled so they barely show. Cracks that are still moving because of clay soil can come back over time. We point those out at the estimate so you know before deciding.

A high-gloss finish can be slick when wet. We can add a fine anti-slip additive to the topcoat in kitchens, baths and entries.

Most rooms take two to four days, including prep, the pour and the topcoat. HomeGuide notes solid epoxy can take about 7 days to fully cure, so heavy furniture usually waits a few days after the last coat.

It depends on how much sun and water the deck sees and the look you want. Cool-deck style textured coatings stay cooler and give grip, while flake or quartz systems with a UV-stable topcoat look more like an indoor floor. Standard indoor epoxy is a poor choice in full sun because it yellows.

HomeGuide lists an epoxy patio of 200 to 400 square feet at $800 to $4,000, and Kool Deck style coatings at $4 to $6 per square foot. Crack repair and removal of old paint or sealer add to that.

We fill cracks before coating, and the coating seals the surface. Clay soil keeps moving, so cracks can come back. Very wide or uneven cracks may point to a problem a coating cannot fix, and we will say so.

Often, yes, if the association allows it and the concrete is sound. Balconies with rust stains, spalling or exposed steel need structural repair first. We look at the balcony before quoting.

Most local slabs sit on clay that swells when wet and shrinks when dry. The USDA's Harlingen soil series, common in Cameron County, is 60 to 75% clay and cracks open for much of the year. The slab moves with that soil and cracks.

Stable cracks that are filled usually stay hidden. Cracks that are still moving can come back as a fine line. We point out active cracks at the estimate, and flake systems hide them better than smooth finishes.

If a crack is wider than about a quarter inch, one side sits higher than the other, it keeps growing or doors nearby stick, have the foundation checked first. HomeGuide notes that cracks that wide usually point to foundation problems.

HomeGuide lists crack filling at $0.50 to $3 per linear foot. Spall repair, joint rebuilding and resurfacing add to that, and many contractors have a minimum charge. We price repairs after seeing the slab.

HomeAdvisor lists commercial and industrial 100% solids systems at $12 or more per square foot. Lighter-duty spaces like offices and retail can cost less. Size, phasing, after-hours work and prep set the final price, which we give in writing.

Usually, yes. We phase the work by area and can work nights and weekends. Fast-curing topcoats shorten downtime for each section.

A thick 100% solids system on a properly ground slab handles forklift and pallet jack traffic well. We add a wear-resistant topcoat in lanes and turning areas where wear is heaviest.

Sealed, seamless coatings are widely used in commercial kitchens because they are easy to clean. Requirements vary, so check with your inspector, and we will build the system to match.