​9 Reasons Why the Average Person Shouldn’t Tackle Epoxy Flooring

Most everything we sell here at Floorguard Products is heading to contractors. In most cases we’re dealing with professionals who don’t need step-by-step instructions on putting down polyurethane concrete sealer or polyaspartic flooring. After all, these are chemicals that require quite a bit of training to get right; it’s not just about pouring them on a concrete floor and spreading it out evenly.

When your neighbor tells you about how they plan to take care of it themselves, or you give a quote to someone and they toss it back in your face and say “I’ll handle it myself,” how do you respond? Sure, they’re insulting the hard work you do by thinking that it will be easy, but are you really prepared to come back with facts that might convince them to go with a professional instead? Here are some of the comments you might get from a DIYer, and some suggestions on how to respond.

“I can order the materials myself.”

All too often people think that the garage floor epoxy paint they see at Home Depot has the same solids that you’ll find in Floorguard Products, which just isn’t the case. Most garage floor sealants from hardware stores might be easy to put on, but the DIYer will be putting it on again after just a few years. It just doesn’t last.

Of course, they could stop by our site and grab the good stuff; we’ll sell it to anyone who’s interested in purchasing it, because we’re not going to disparage someone who’s new to the business just because they want a small amount. But for most DIYers, the amount they’ll have to order is just way more than they need. Not only will they be wasting their money buying too much of each product, but whatever they don’t use will probably go to waste as well. (Even worse is if they order too little and have to “make it work,” stretching the mixture too thin over the concrete and creating weak spots.)

“I’ve researched what I need.”

It’s true, there’s quite a bit of information out there on the internet when it comes to epoxy concrete paint. And if it’s on the internet, it must be true, right?

The fact is, DIYers will often do quite a bit of research, but they might not have found reliable sites to give them that information. Have they been properly informed about which is the best polyurethane for floors? Do they know when to use epoxy and when polyaspartic would work better? Have they taken into account the temperature fluctuations experienced by your part of the country? Sure, they might think they know the difference, but the internet has led many people astray on how to handle their garage floor coatings.

“I’ve got the time.”

It’s hard to argue with them on this one. They might be retired, or maybe they have the entire weekend to handle their 400-square-foot garage. If they have the time, they have the time.

“I’ll save money.”

When many DIYers come up with a budget, they see the cost of the garage floor sealant and think they can save money. But they’re forgetting about the application equipment that’s needed to get the job done correctly. They might know about the floor coater, but what about the floor spikes? The buckets? The squeegee heads? And the fact is, there’s no way for them to amortize these prices; they’re going to most likely use this equipment once and then have to store it for a lifetime.

Of course, they’re probably not even thinking about the rental of the shot blaster or grinder. But don’t worry...

“I can prep it, I’ve got a broom.”

Oh boy, here’s one you might hear that will make it hard not to laugh. Sure, it’s true that it’s important to have a broom around to get the concrete cleaned, but that’s after it’s been shot blasted or ground so that the concrete is perfectly smooth.

Prepping is probably the point at which most DIYers tend to fail. They think that, just because they’re putting down something that’s liquid, it will lock into every pore of the concrete no matter how bumpy or pockmarked it is. We know just how wrong that is, and failing to properly prepare the concrete could lead to some really ugly separation down the line.

“I’m ready to put the epoxy on now.”

No they’re not. Why? Because they didn’t do a proper moisture test. Failing to do so could lead to bad separation like you might get if you don’t prep the concrete properly. Oh, and the moisture tester probably wasn’t a part of their budget, so add that to the bottom line.

“I’m sure I can mix it correctly.”

Can they really, though? First of all, mixing might have to change based on humidity levels, and it changes between different types of epoxy and what kind of add-ins you're using. Temperature also plays a big part in deciding how to mix it, or put off doing the job altogether until the temperature is more amenable. Some people will mix the ingredients for the epoxy too quickly, leading to too much air in the mix. Maybe they didn’t let it sit for the proper amount of time before applying to the concrete. There’s a lot that can go wrong at this step.

Of course, getting the metal flakes, blended flakes, or colors properly mixed can be another problem. And since you’re working with epoxy, getting it all done in the right amount of time is a huge part of making sure the finished product is going to look good.

“I’ve got a handle on this.”

Let’s say the DIYer follows the instructions and watches all of the YouTube videos. What if something goes wrong? Since this is the first time they’ve worked on such a project, they could be completely flummoxed when something unexpected gums up the works.

Professionals can often see problems coming with a job and will make changes accordingly in order to avoid them completely. They’ve also seen problems arise and know what to do to correct them once they do occur. There’s a lot to be said for expertise.

“I hope it looks good.”

One of the aspects of putting down epoxy floor paint that most people don’t understand is that there’s a real art to it. Take a look at this video and it’s pretty obvious that there’s a beauty that can be obtained only by having done this over and over again, mastering the craft until it looks absolutely beautiful. It’s a wonderful combination of form and function.

We’re not disparaging do-it-yourselfing. There are many projects around a home that most people can handle and won’t cause problems if they mess them up a little. But when it comes to putting down concrete floor epoxy, we both know that it’s best left up to a professional. We hope this article has given you some good responses you can make when someone says they’re going to handle their own epoxy.