Salesmen and Contractors Should be More Open About These Issues

Polyaspartic epoxy flooring has become more common in the last year or two, driven by big claims of durability and beauty. It’s hard to resist the sales pitch, too. By all appearances, it seems like a great flooring option.

But appearances can be deceiving. There are some concerning quality of life issues that contractors and salesmen may not tell you about, issues that are causing many homeowners to regret their purchase.

If you’d like to know all the facts before you spend thousands on a polyaspartic epoxy flooring installation, here are a few things contractors aren’t telling you that you need to know about.

1. Strong Fumes

Be ready to leave your house for a few days, because this flooring produces strong fumes during installation, and they can linger. The fumes may cause respiratory problems, headaches, and eye irritation in sensitive individuals, so it’s essential to vacate the house during and after the installation process. Yes, this means some added hassle (and maybe added hotel expenses) for you!

2. Slippery Surface

Polyaspartic epoxy flooring has a glossy finish that may look nice when dry, but it’s one that becomes dangerously slippery when wet. Because this flooring is often installed in spaces like basements and garages, where dampness is common, this is a big concern for homeowners.

The same holds true for businesses, where safety is paramount. You simply can’t risk having slip hazards in your place of business, but that’s exactly what this kind of surface creates. That’s bad news!

3. Tough Cleaning Process

Do you hate cleaning your floors? Well, we have more bad news for you. Polyaspartic epoxy flooring is difficult to clean and requires heavy maintenance in order to maintain its glossy appearance. While sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming are done like normal, spills and stains can be challenging to remove. Once the epoxy takes on a stain, you may have to live with it.

The flooring is also easily scuffed and scratched, something that is a common risk in basement and garage environments. For this reason, it’s essential to avoid using abrasive cleaning products – the very same products that would produce the best cleaning results! In other words, maintaining your new floor is going to be a major chore.

4. High Cost

If you want to keep your home renovation budget manageable, be warned: the cost of installation is relatively high compared to other flooring options. This is due not just to the cost of the materials, but also to the labor-intensive installation process.

This is not the kind of installation that can or should be done by just any contractor; either. Too little experience and you can end up having major flaws in your floor, so to ensure it gets done right, you’ll need to pay. Don’t trust lowball quotes! Factor in long-term costs, such as maintenance needs and repairs, and it quickly looks like a bad investment.

5. May Yellow Over Time

Polyaspartic epoxy flooring may yellow or discolor over time due to UV light exposure or chemical spills. This is a floor coating that looks nice when newly installed, but that isn’t made to stand up to the wear and tear or regular use in a garage, basement, patio, or similar setting. In just a few short years, polyaspartic epoxy shows its age – and age does not look good on it. Yellowed, worn floors are not a great look!

The Bottom Line:

On the surface, polyaspartic epoxy flooring may seem like a good option, but if you are doing home remodeling in your garage, basement, or patio, you may want to think twice before choosing it. Between the hidden costs, difficult maintenance, and short life span, there are better options.

One worth considering is Nature Stone®. Founded in 1990, Nature Stone® brand flooring is the largest epoxy stone flooring company in the United States, with its proprietary Hydrostatic Port technology and a patent-pending, no-slip, spill-resistant epoxy resin proving to be big innovations for the industry. No one else has their secret formula!

Since being founded over thirty years ago, over 30 million feet of Nature Stone floors have been installed in over 60,000 homes, making it a long-lasting, trusted brand you can believe in.