Garage Floor Epoxy in Gilroy, CA

Why garage floors fail in Gilroy

Most failed garage floors we see here failed for the same reason: the coating never really stuck. A roller kit painted onto smooth, unground concrete has almost nothing to hold. In the heat of a Gilroy summer, a car pulling in after a drive on Highway 101 brings tires that can be well over 140 degrees. The soft paint grips the rubber harder than it grips the slab, and a patch comes up with the tire. That is called hot tire pickup, and it is the most common complaint we hear.

The second reason is moisture. Clay soil holds water through the winter rains, and older slabs poured without a vapor barrier let that moisture rise. It pushes from below and causes bubbles and white powder under thin coatings.

A real epoxy floor fixes both problems with prep, not with thicker paint.

How we build a garage floor

1. Moisture test. We check the slab before anything else. If the reading is high, we use a moisture-tolerant primer.
2. Diamond grinding. This removes the slick trowel finish, oil and old sealer, and opens the pores of the concrete. Our grinders are hooked to vacuums, so the dust goes into a bag instead of your house.
3. Crack and joint repair. We fill cracks and chipped joints with a rigid repair material and grind it flush.
4. Base coat. A 100% solids epoxy soaks into the opened surface and forms a strong bond.
5. Topcoat. For garages that sit open to the afternoon sun, we finish with a UV-stable polyaspartic or urethane topcoat to stop yellowing and add scratch resistance.

Solid color, flake or a mix

A solid-color floor is clean and bright, and it makes the garage feel bigger. It does show dust and tire marks more than a flake floor. Many homeowners choose a light gray solid with a sprinkle of flake, which gives some texture without the busier look of a full flake floor. If you want maximum hiding power, see our full broadcast flake floors.

Older garages near downtown

Garages in the older blocks around downtown often have floors that have been painted more than once, patched with mismatched concrete and stained by years of oil drips. Some have a step where a carport was closed in or a slab was extended. We grind off all of the old paint, cut out loose patches and blend the seams so the finished floor looks like one surface. Deep oil stains get a degreasing treatment and extra grinding so they do not bleed through.

Newer garages on the west side

In newer homes out toward Eagle Ridge and Glen Loma Ranch, the slab is usually flat and sound. The issue is that builders give them a hard, glassy finish. It looks smooth, but coatings cannot bite into it. Grinding is quick on these floors, and they are some of the best candidates for a long-lasting epoxy system. Many of these garages also have a side door to the yard and a water heater closet, and we coat right up to and around both.

Living with your new floor

Day to day, a coated garage floor needs very little. Sweep or use a dust mop, and wash it with a mild cleaner and a soft mop when it gets dirty. Oil and coolant drips wipe right up. Put a parking mat under a car that leaks, and use furniture pads under heavy toolboxes so the casters do not dig in. We do not recommend harsh solvents or acid cleaners.

• Back in the garage on foot: usually the next day.
• Parking cars: one to three days, depending on the system and temperature.
• Full cure: about a week before heavy rolling loads.

Garage epoxy questions

Not sure whether your floor is a good candidate? Book a free visit and we will tell you straight, even if the answer is that a simple sealer is all you need.