Products Used
All Weather Floors Polyurea Garage Floor Coating Gray & Clear
TrueLock ANti-Skid ANti Wear
B310 Color Flakes
Kai’s Words:
I wholeheartedly endorse this product for individuals at any level of proficiency.
Background: I am a relatively new homeowner and a novice DIY handyman.
Given my experience level and the fact that being single, I did not have an available second set of hands, I was looking for a product that did not require industrial preparation and could be applied alone. As my garage is only for parking and light woodwork, I was looking for something that wouldn’t just protect, but keep its appearance for years.
A normal polyurea/polyaspartic system was straight out as there was no way I could finish my floor in under an hour. Interlocking tile was interesting and doable, but very expensive for just aesthetic purposes. I decided against vinyl tiles, floor paint, and water based epoxy due to many reviews of hot tire pickup, low quality, permanent staining, etc. Tile wasn’t a great option as my floor was too uneven and I’d have to relevel the entire slab. My only remaining choice was a multi-coat epoxy system, and I resigned myself to renting a floor grinder, organizing helpers, and securing alternate parking for a week and a half while I worked on the garage.
Along came AWF flooring, a new polyurea formulation. Compared to a multi-coat epoxy system, it was actually less expensive. Furthermore, it’s so much easier to prepare and apply. I didn’t need to grind the floor – in fact, the ideal profile is an acid etch. I didn’t need multiple hands to finish the painting before it dried (infinite pot life! I came back the next day and there was still liquid product in my paint buckets under a dried film) – and while I call it painting, it was actually at least twice as fast and smooth as painting walls or the ceiling. The estimated coverage was on the dot, so I didn’t have to worry about spreading the material thin, I didn’t even end up with roller marks despite the cheap $1 rollers I used. Last but not least, this product only needed two coats, which could be applied only hours apart. I could do this entire project in a single weekend!
Which I did. I even ordered additional flakes, because I figured I was going to mess up and use the extra flakes to cover up my mistakes and to prevent running out, but honestly there wasn’t even that much to cover up. The few problem areas I had were due purely to my own mistakes, although I will admit the product feels a little strict regarding how much to put on at once(my mistakes all came from over applying or dripping the clear coat). Furthermore, unlike any other flooring system, because I still had material left over, I could just sand out the problem areas and redo it again, which I did (this material is very tough so expect to use a ton of sandpaper). The repair turned out so well that I put all my leftover material in a box, ready to be used if I ever mess up the floor.
Yet, despite the peace of mind this backup plan provides me, I don’t expect to. I parked my car with high performance wheels on the compound and could not find any marks at all despite close examination. I dripped a glob of polyurethane permanent construction adhesive on it and didn’t notice until the next day – it wiped clean off with a spot of acetone. I started using the floor on day 3 with heavy machinery and I left no marks at all.
Overall, this is a great product. It’s comparable in price to a mid-range epoxy system but is at least top-end epoxy quality and applies so much easier. I’ve had the garage door open for a day and I’ve had no fewer than a dozen neighbors and a half dozen strangers come by and comment on how beautiful the result is – and my garage doesn’t even face the street! Product is definitely bookmarked for when I purchase my next house.
Additional Information Provided to Help Revise Install Process
