If you have a bare concrete floor in your home or basement, you know the annoyances.
Bare concrete tends to be perennially dusty, giving off a fine powder no matter how often you clean, dust, or mop. Even polished concrete floors can leave some residue on bare feet and socks. Your concrete floor may feel damp or moist to the touch, and bare, untreated concrete is also prone to cracking or scratching from hard, frequent use.
A coat of epoxy can do wonders for a concrete basement floor.
Coated or epoxied concrete helps to repel and keep moisture down, particularly in basements, where dampness is a common issue.
Treated concrete can be incredibly beautiful and decorative, too, breathing new life into a previously unfinished space, and it’s super easy to clean.
If you’re wondering if epoxy is the best flooring for your basement, this article is for you. Here’s everything to know about epoxy for your basement floor – and how to get a clean, hassle-free basement floor in no time.
What Is An Epoxy Basement Floor Paint?
Epoxy is a two-part resin floor coating made up of epoxy and a polyamine hardener. Epoxy is generally applied in a single layer (though it can accommodate two coats or more), is highly durable and resistant to both water and chemicals, and is super low-maintenance and easy to clean.
For most basements, epoxy is a superior choice compared to common alternatives like carpeting, floor paint, and vinyl tiles or planks.
Let’s take a look at the options when it comes to basement flooring.
Strength of Epoxy Floor Coatings in Basements
Compared to carpet, vinyl, and ceramic, epoxy floor coatings for basements are easier to clean, more durable, and less prone to unhygienic mold or mildew formation.
Epoxy’s first and most pronounced benefit on a basement floor is its tremendous strength and durability. Epoxy is impact-resistance, scratch-resistant, and creates a seamless, beautiful floor.
With no grout lines or cracks and joints, epoxy cuts down on trapped dirt and debris. This is a distinct advantage over traditional ceramic tile or even more modern vinyl planks and tiles that often go down in basements. Epoxy is a more hygienic option as a result.
Epoxy is also 100% waterproof and won’t be ruined by moisture or flooding. In fact, epoxy creates a powerful moisture barrier, and unlike vinyl or carpet, moisture can’t sneak underneath and cause potential mold or mildew issues.
Epoxy also protects your concrete, reducing the risk of cracks, spiderwebs, or divots from dropped workout equipment or other hard materials.
It’s easier to clean, too, convenient to mop or sweep without any prep work or risk of damage. It cuts down on dust and dirt that can flake off of bare concrete. If you have a drain, you can even wash your epoxy with a hose!
Epoxy is different from floor paints in that it goes on thicker and dries much, much harder, creating a powerful, durable barrier between your living space and bare concrete underneath.
Epoxy Floor Coating Weaknesses in Basements
Epoxy has three primary weaknesses, though these are mostly not an issue in basements.
- Epoxy can yellow when exposed to constant sunlight. Epoxy is not UV stable, meaning that with regular exposure to bright sunlight, as might be the case in a garage or outdoor patio space, it can begin to yellow and fade with time. While this doesn’t affect performance, UV yellowing can be unsightly.
- Epoxy is so hard that it has no flexibility. This is an issue in spaces that are not climate controlled, where cold and warm weather can cause the concrete underneath to expand and contract by tiny amounts throughout the seasons. When this happens, epoxy can actually delaminate from the concrete, leading to small cracks. In basements, this is generally not an issue, but it can be a problem in indoor/outdoor spaces like garages.
- While this isn’t an issue for most homeowners, epoxy takes longer to cure than other options. You can walk on epoxy by the end of day two, but it can take seven days before it’s fully cured.
Polyaspartic Coatings: The Better Alternative to Epoxy?
Epoxy truly is an incredible basement floor option for most homes.
But if you’re worried about epoxy’s long-term performance due to either of the potential weaknesses above, polyaspartic coatings might be the better choice.
Polyaspartic floor coatings are as durable as most epoxy floor coats but have improved flexibility (for indoor/outdoor applications) and will not yellow from UV exposure. For basement recreation or entertaining rooms with a daylight entrance or many windows, a polyaspartic coating will be a better option.
Epoxy Floors For Basements: The Last Word
For most homeowners with traditional basements, epoxy is a great option for covering your basement floor.
In fact, in some cases where excessive moisture pressure from underneath your concrete slab is an issue, epoxy can even outperform polyaspartic coatings.
Duramax can help you make the right selection for your basement floor coating, with professional installations and incredible performance. We do flake designs, solid colors, metallic coatings, low-odor applications, and more! Call today for a free consultation and quote.
