What is a Topcoat and Why is it Important for a Garage Epoxy Floor?
Are you considering the installation of garage flooring epoxy?
If so, then you must add a topcoat to your floor. If you’ve never applied an epoxy floor coating, then you might be curious as to why you need one, and we are here to tell you that it is not optional. By itself, an epoxy floor can withstand small impacts, it is scratch resistant, slip resistant, and it is even able to resist chemical spills that would tear any other garage floor to pieces! This can help you avoid anyone suffering a slip-and-fall accident in Houston, or anywhere else that your garage may be based. Once you have installed your epoxy flooring however, a topcoat can add that little something that you just can’t get otherwise. Let’s talk about some of the benefits of a topcoat and why you should most definitely consider covering up.
Shinier and More Attractive
The garage floor epoxy cost will only raise marginally with the addition of a topcoat, and one cannot argue with the fresh, clean shine that a topcoat awards to the already formidable epoxy coating. Once you add a topcoat, the flooring will become very reflective, which will help to make the room you’re in a bit brighter, even if the floor is of a darker color. The topcoat is a much harder coating than the epoxy and is there to protect the epoxy for wear and tear. Our military topcoats are designed to last up to 20 years. If and when you ever do wear one out you can simply roll on another topcoat and bring the floor back to new. The epoxy stays protected indefinitely.
Easier to Clean
The epoxy flooring was going to be pretty easy to clean in the first place, but now, with a topcoat, it will become even simpler. All you need is a garden hose and some dish detergent for stubborn spots. Your topcoat acts like a Teflon coating so that nothing likes to stick to it.
Cover the Armor Chips
Some people broadcast multi color chips when into the epoxy and of course others do not. We don’t’ know for sure which of these camps you’re going to fall into, but there are definitely benefits to using armor chips. For example, they will draw attention away from imperfections that existed on the garage floor prior to epoxy. In addition to that, they can add a splash of color to pick up or accent other colors in the room. Chips will add a little texture to the floor but are mainly there for aesthetic purposes.
Make your Floor Last Longer
Everyone knows that epoxy flooring wears out eventually, even if you were to opt for a professional installation. The general lifespan of the best garage floor epoxy is somewhere in the neighborhood of fifteen-twenty years, a good topcoat can help to ensure a long life for your epoxy coating. First of all, a topcoat is going to make the floor more wear resistant, and secondly, it will ensure that all damage done to the floor is done only to the topcoat , which can be touched up or replaced as needed. An epoxy cannot and should not be used as a topcoat. Even though some of our competitors sell a clear version of their epoxy as a topcoat. This is a complete waste of your time and money. One of our competitors says that they add in UV additives to the clear epoxy, that still does not make it a topcoat and is still a complete waste of time and money. Don’t be lured into an inferior product by saving a few dollars.
As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to use a true topcoat in your garage. There are many who might consider the topcoat to be unnecessary or ‘overkill’ when you are simply equipping a residential garage, but let’s be honest, you need an extra layer of protection. From chemical spills, to car tire abrasion, to potential scratches, all of that falls under the umbrella of protection that your topcoat offers. Don’t leave your epoxy uncovered!