Garage Design Source

Locally owned and operated independent garage storage, garage flooring and garage door repair and installation company. We can install the right products at the lowest price.

 

201 Davis Drive, Suite AA,
Sterling, VA 20164

202-930-9091

info@garagedesignsource.com

  /  Blog   /  Is polyurea better than epoxy?

Is polyurea better than epoxy?

 

Epoxy floor coating manufacturers can tout a bunch of nice-sounding properties about their products. What you should keep in mind, however, is that polyurea provides all of the same benefits — to a greater extent, for a longer period of time.

 

Polyurea Performance and Lifespan

 

Theoretically, epoxy can last a long time while standing up to the elements. However, there are several issues standing in the way of epoxy performing as well as polyurea:

  • Epoxy kits with DIY installation are applied over flaws like cracks and divots. Without professional grinding and preparation, the coating is destined to look imperfect from the start and fail quickly.
  • Common substances ranging from harsh cleaners to engine oil spills can all tear away and remove epoxy.
  • Temperature changes in your garage or outdoor area lead to harsh cracks because epoxy does not expand and contract with the concrete.
  • Cheap epoxy can even be ruined by car tires sitting in hot weather.

 

Polyurea outperforms epoxy on all of these fronts. The polyurea works with moisture instead of resisting it, so it bonds better. Polyurea also stands up to chemicals, gasoline, cleaning agents, and hot car tires.

At White Rabbit, our process prepares the floor and gets it into like-new condition before coating. Our special mix of polyurea and elastic membrane then turns the concrete into a stronger, more impenetrable floor. A polyurea-coated floor won’t get damaged by impact, weather, or whatever substances might get spilled on it.

Consider the fact that we offer a lifetime warranty for our polyureacoatings. We offer that warranty because we can; polyurea simply won’t fail after a professional application.

 

Odor and Fumes

 

Odor and fumes can vary greatly for both epoxy and polyurea. Different formulations from different manufacturers can lead to a wide range of odors and fumes–from mild and non-harmful to harsh and dangerous to breathe without a respirator.

At White Rabbit, we use a 100% solids polyurea product. 100% solids products are free of solvents–which are largely responsible for fumes and odors floor coatings typically emit. Our polyurea floor coatings will have a mild odor for a few days, comparable to a freshly painted room.

 

Cost of Polyurea vs. Epoxy

 

Epoxy costs less, but that’s only an advantage in the short term. Compared to the many decades that your polyurea will last, epoxy will almost definitely result in you spending again and again for re-coating.

The worst case scenario — which happens all too often — is when an epoxy coating fails and then the customer needs to pay us to remove it and clean up the damage, then apply the new polyurea coating. What started as a quest for savings became an unnecessarily expensive mess.

The greatest value for your dollar? Opting for professionally installed polyurea coatings from the start. Make the call to White Rabbit to get a free estimate and enjoy the best floor coating option.