Getting an epoxy garage floor installed is mostly hands-off for the homeowner — but there are a few things you need to do before we arrive, and a few things that are critical for us to handle properly on the day. Here's exactly what the process looks like.
What You Need to Do Before We Arrive
Clear the Garage Completely
Everything needs to come off the floor — vehicles, storage bins, sports equipment, bikes, tools, cardboard, mats, and anything else sitting on the concrete. We need full access to the entire floor surface. This is non-negotiable — we can't work around items on the floor and get a quality result.
Wall-mounted storage (cabinets, shelves, bike hooks) is fine as long as nothing contacts the floor. Freestanding shelving units need to be moved out.
Note Any Existing Damage
Walk the floor and note any cracks, oil stains, or areas where a previous coating is peeling. You don't need to do anything about these — that's our job — but pointing them out during our on-site assessment helps us quote accurately and plan the right approach.
Check Whether the Floor Has Been Previously Coated
If your garage floor already has a coating on it — paint, epoxy, or any other product — let us know. Previous coatings need to be evaluated and often ground off before applying new product. Applying epoxy over a peeling or incompatible previous coating is one of the most common mistakes that leads to early failure.
What We Do: The Technical Prep
Moisture Testing
Before any grinding starts, we test the concrete for moisture vapor transmission. Moisture is the enemy of epoxy adhesion — if the slab is emitting water vapor above threshold levels, the coating will delaminate from below. If we find a moisture issue, we discuss options (moisture mitigation primer, different product selection, or in rare cases, addressing the source of moisture) before proceeding.
Diamond Grinding
This is the most important step in the entire process. We use commercial diamond grinding equipment to mechanically profile the concrete surface — opening the pores and creating a surface profile (like CSP 2–3 in industry terms) that allows the epoxy to penetrate and mechanically bond.
Diamond grinding takes time and generates concrete dust that needs to be collected. We use dust shrouds and vacuums. The finished surface looks dull and matte — this is correct. Shiny concrete is a surface that epoxy won't bond well to.
Crack and Spall Repair
Cracks are filled with epoxy filler or polyurea crack filler before coating. Surface spalling is repaired with a compatible patching compound. We don't coat over damage — we fix it first.
What NOT to Do Before We Arrive
- Don't clean the floor with TSP, degreasers, or pressure washers right before the job. Wet concrete takes time to dry out fully, and residual cleaning chemicals can interfere with epoxy adhesion. Let us handle the final surface prep.
- Don't apply anything to the floor yourself. No paint, no sealer, no patching compound. Whatever you apply changes the substrate we're working with.
- Don't try to grind or acid wash the floor yourself. Improper grinding can leave a surface that's too smooth or inconsistently profiled. Acid washing alone is not sufficient mechanical prep for a lasting epoxy installation.
The Common DIY Mistake That Ruins Everything
The single most common mistake we see on failed DIY epoxy jobs: applying epoxy directly over a painted floor. Paint is not a bonding agent — it's a barrier. Epoxy applied over paint bonds to the paint, not to the concrete. When the paint lets go (which it will), it takes the epoxy with it. The whole coating peels in sheets, often within a year.
If your floor has paint on it, the paint needs to come off before any coating is applied. Full stop.
Day of Installation
On install day, plan for us to be in the garage for 4–8 hours depending on the system. The garage needs to be at or above 10°C for the duration of the job and for 24 hours afterward. If it's a cold day, we bring heating equipment. Your job on installation day is to stay out of the garage and let us work.
Interested in getting started? See our full garage floor epoxy service page for systems, pricing, and to request a free quote.