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Risks of DIY Epoxy Flooring

Mike B
Oct 1, 2024
5 min read

With DIY becoming increasingly popular, the question of using an epoxy kit or hiring a professional comes into question. When you look at epoxy flooring, it can seem like it’s easier to do yourself than other types of flooring, since they’re installed as a liquid. While the idea of getting a DIY kit for your epoxy flooring may be appealing, there are some risks that can come with it, and if you want to have a quality floor that lasts for years, getting a licensed professional to apply your floor is the best way to go.

Quality

The epoxy kits you get at the hardware store seem affordable and the instructions seem simple to follow; the “professional grade” epoxy you order online also seems straightforward to install and still is a bit cheaper than hiring a professional. At first, you will have a decent floor, but as soon as a couple months later, or if you’re really lucky maybe a couple of years later, the floors begin to flake, chip, and show signs of wear.

The epoxy kits you get at the hardware store seem affordable and the instructions seem simple to follow; the “professional grade” epoxy you order online also seems straightforward to install and still is a bit cheaper than hiring a professional. At first, you will have a decent floor, but as soon as a couple months later, or if you’re really lucky maybe a couple of years later, the floors begin to flake, chip, and show signs of wear.

Floor Preparation

One of the first problems that you may encounter with a DIY kit is that they always recommend some sort of acid wash on the existing concrete floor before application. While this does remove some of the surface debris, simply scrubbing isn’t enough.

A concrete slab usually has unevenness to it and pockmarks, unless it was just poured. It is also often stained with oil, gas, and other chemicals. The acid wash that comes with the DIY kit is just not enough to remove the contamination, which can interfere with how well the epoxy adheres to the concrete.

What do you do if there’s a chunk of the floor missing or a huge crack? Sanding the concrete won’t cover that. It is more likely to create more issues, plugging the pores of the concrete, making it harder for the epoxy to properly adhere.

A certified professional can fix this problem easily, but the DIY kits don’t come with the tools needed to handle that. AmerEpoxy uses a top-quality diamond grinder to prepare the concrete, making the surface the best for the epoxy to bond to.

Flake Distribution

Epoxy coatings that have colored flakes are popular because they make the floor more unique to look at, and they can provide some slip-resistance. DIY kits usually don’t have flakes for more than a light distribution. This means you are not going to have a nice, even distribution of flakes on your floor.

The DIY method for distributing the flakes is tossing them onto the wet floor as if you were scattering birdseed, but unless you’ve mastered this technique, you’re going to have an uneven distribution.

Having your epoxy installed by a professional gives you an even distribution of flakes, and usually, a wider variety of them to choose from too. Professionals can also help you choose the right flakes to make your floor slip-resistant.

Durability

Epoxy floors can be virtually indestructible when they are properly applied, which is the appeal of them for many people and businesses. It can handle heavy equipment, high traffic, chemical spills, and more. It can last for decades when done by a certified professional.

A DIY kit tends to have a more diluted formula that has more fillers than epoxy resin, which is why it can be so much cheaper than hiring a professional. These kits also don’t usually have a grout coat or sealer, without those, the floor can be vulnerable to damage and it isn’t as easy to clean or maintain.

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