Best Epoxy Coating Products For Concrete Floors [7 Fantastic Choices]

Are you tired of your old concrete floors that are cracked and stained? Does your floor collect too much dirt and debris, making it difficult to clean? If this sounds familiar, you may be considering an epoxy coating. With the right product, epoxy coatings can liven up your concrete floors, making them resistant to cracks and chemicals and easier to clean. To find the best epoxy products for concrete floors, we did some digging.

Not all epoxy is created the same. In fact, some products are merely cheap imitations that will last for only a year or so before peeling and yellowing in color. The following products are the best epoxy coatings for concrete floors:

1. Armor Garage
2. Extreme Polishing Systems Epoxy Flooring Kit
3. Spartan Epoxies
4. True Bond Heavy Duty Industrial Epoxy
5. RokRez Pro 100% Solids Epoxy
6. Colored Epoxies 10002 Clear Epoxy Resin Coating
7. Rust-O-Leum Epoxyshield Premium Series Floor Coating Kit

Don't run out and purchase an epoxy floor coating just yet. Keep reading to learn the details of each product, how to choose the best epoxy product for your concrete, the cons of using epoxy, and more.

How Do I Choose the Best Epoxy Floor Coating?

When choosing the best epoxy coating products for concrete floors, it's important to understand the qualities for which you should look. There are many imitations claiming to do the same job as real epoxy products.

Many, however, will not hold up to excessive foot or vehicle traffic and will yellow over time. In order to spot these cheap imitations, you need to know which properties true epoxy coatings contain.

Solids Content

When skimming through the product specifications, the most important factor to identify is the solids content. True epoxies will have a high solids content, with the highest rating being 100%. Never settle for an epoxy that contains less than 90% solids.

Two Part Systems

The next thing to look for is how many parts are in the system. True epoxy systems will have at least two parts.

One part products claiming to be epoxy systems are usually nothing more than paints. As with most paints, one part epoxy kits will be extremely prone to peeling with any amount of foot or vehicle traffic.

Solvent Based Solutions

Another important aspect is whether the product is solvent-based or water-based. While epoxy with 100% solids content has neither water nor solvents, some with lesser percentages will contain one or the other.

Although solvents are not as environmentally friendly as water-based products, they will hold up for much longer. Water-based products typically don't last for more than a year or two at most, depending on the amount of traffic to which it is subjected.

Abrasion Loss Ratings

Many companies do not readily display the abrasion loss ratings of their epoxies. However, these ratings are extremely important. The higher the abrasion loss rating, the less effective the product and the more chipping and scratching your floor will undergo. Never settle for an epoxy that has more than a 24mg abrasion loss rating.

If you are looking for an industrial-grade epoxy coating, don't purchase anything above a 10mg abrasion loss rating. Many companies will advertise their products as industrial strength, but they are not always true to their word. If you use anything above 30mg, it will not be suitable for any type of vehicle traffic.

Urethane Fortified Topcoat

According to the professionals at Armor Garage, when purchasing epoxy coatings, it is imperative that you get a top coating as well. However, you don't want just any top coat. Some companies will try to sell you imitation top coats.

A true top coat contains urethane. Do not purchase any kits that contain a cycloaliphatic or polyurea-based top coat. Your floors will quickly begin to fade and turn yellow.

Pot Life

The pot life of epoxy is similar to open time when working with adhesives. It is the time you have once you mix your epoxy before it hardens. A true epoxy has a pot life of 45 minutes or less. Anything with more time than that will not be worth your time or money.

Watch this YouTube video explaining what to look for in epoxy coatings:

7 Best Epoxy Coating Products for Concrete Floors

1. Armor Garage

Of all the products on the market, Amor Garage is the most open about the ingredients in their products. They even take the time to explain which qualities are important in epoxy coatings and why.

Armor Garage provides the best in abrasion loss ratings, solids content, and more. They even offer a lifetime wear guarantee, meaning if their products mess up in any way, they will replace it or return your money.

You can view all Armor Garage products here. 

2. Xtreme Polishing Systems Epoxy Flooring Kit

Xtreme Polishing Systems Epoxy Flooring Kit contains 100% solids and has a pot life of 30-40 minutes. According to customer reviews, buyers have been very happy with this product. It has an excellent abrasion loss rating and an 8-10 hour dry time.

You can check out Xtreme Epoxy Systems Flooring Kit here. 

3. Spartan Epoxies

While Spartan Epoxies are not 100% solids, they do have a 93% solids content with a urethane base. It comes with the option of a urethane fortified top coat, and the pot life is 20-35 minutes.

You can view Spartan Epoxy Kits here. 

4. True Bond Heavy Duty Industrial Epoxy

True Bond contains 100% solids. It is an industrial-grade epoxy that can withstand heavy equipment and lots of vehicle and foot traffic. This is a two-part system that will dry within approximately one hour.

You can check out all the True Bond products here. 

5. RokRez Pro 100% Solids Epoxy

RokRez has 100% solids content with a pot life of 45 minutes. It is impact resistant and chemical resistant, and the formula is also self-priming and self-leveling.

You can get RokRez Pro Epoxy on Amazon. 

6. Colored Epoxies 10002 Clear Epoxy Resin Coating

Colored Epoxies Clear Epoxy Resin Coating is 100% solids. Though manufacturers claim their product is UV protected, it is still best to use a quality top coat to prevent yellowing in the sun. Colored Epoxies Coating is abrasion-resistant along with being resistant to chemicals, oils, and salt.

You can check out Colored Epoxies on Amazon.

Worst Epoxy Coating Products for Concrete Floors

We've gone into tremendous detail about the best products, but it is important for you to know which products you should absolutely avoid. They may look attractive on the shelf and make flattering claims, but you don't want these products on your concrete floors.

Rust-O-Leum 292514 Clear EpoxyShield Premium Clear Coating

Although this product is advertised as 100% solids, and it is a two part system, it does not hold up well to foot traffic; meaning it has a high abrasion loss rating. It also does not cover as much surface area as the specifications claim.

Therefore, you will have to buy an extra kit, and likely won't be happy with the results. Customers complain of scratches in their floor within only a week after application, along with severe yellowing.

Rust-O-Leum Clear EpoxyShield is on Amazon. 

Rust-Oleum 251965 EPOXYSHIELD Garage Floor Coating

Although this is a two -art system, it is water-based and contains only 50% solids content. Customers complain of hot tire marks and chipping along with yellowing.

Rust-O-Leum EPOXYSHIELD Garage Floor Coating is on Amazon. 

Quikrete Epoxy Garage Floor Coating

Quikrete uses a water-based formula with only 50% solids. You'll likely experience hot tire marks and even damage from basic foot traffic.

Frequently Asked Questions

What epoxy do professionals use for garage floors?

While we don't have a definitive answer on which epoxy coatings professionals use, we can tell you that they only use products with 100% solids content. Professionals never use water-based epoxy coatings.

Can you epoxy your garage floor yourself?

You can definitely epoxy your garage floor yourself. It can be a bit difficult and time-consuming the first time you attempt to do epoxy coatings, but it is not impossible.

Watch this YouTube video for a tutorial on how to epoxy your garage floor yourself:

What are the disadvantages of epoxy flooring?

There are many advantages of epoxy flooring; however, it does come with some disadvantages. First, epoxy flooring is hard. Therefore, you will not want it in a room in which you will be standing for long periods of time.

Secondly, epoxy flooring can be cold, but there are things you can do to remedy this. Lastly, if you do not apply a good, quality top coat, your epoxy will turn yellow when subjected to sunlight.

How long will an epoxy garage floor last?

The lifespan of your epoxy garage floor will depend on the quality of the product and how well you prepare the concrete prior to applying the epoxy coating. If you use a top-quality epoxy combined with a good top coat, your floors could last anywhere from 20-30 years.

In Closing

When it comes to epoxy coating products for concrete floors, not all systems are created the same. Never use an epoxy with 50% solids content or a water-based system. The best epoxies have 100% solids content. Always make sure to use a quality top coat and thoroughly prepare and clean the floor before application.

For more helpful tips on epoxy, check out these other posts on our blog:

What Happens if You Don't Etch Concrete Before Epoxy?

Can You Epoxy a Wood Floor?

Can You Epoxy a Shower Floor?