Garage Floor Mats And Epoxy: A Comparison

By Gerald Peterson

So you've narrowed your possible garage flooring options down to a garage floor mat or epoxy paint. Both garage floors have their pros and cons, so we'll take a look at the ones most likely affecting your decision. Hopefully, by the time you've read this article, you'll have a better understanding of exactly how the two garage floors compare. Note that, for the purposes of this article, we will be comparing epoxy paint to whole garage floor coverings, and not compartment mats. Because compartment garage floor mats are not sold in a package that can cover entire garage floors, they are not really appropriate for comparing to epoxy paint.

A Garage Floor Mat Is Easier To Install Than Epoxy Garage Floor Paint

This is kind of obvious. Epoxy paint takes hours to install, as well as hours in between steps to dry, while a garage floor mat just requires cutting and placing. Since your garage floor must be immaculate before you even start, it's a much bigger chore to prepare for epoxy as well. A mat, on the other hand, will rest on top of dirt or dust just as well as anything else. If you need a solution right now, then a garage floor mat may be your only real option.

Garage Floor Mats Are Most Expensive Than Epoxy Garage Floor Coating

Generally speaking, a garage floor mat will probably cost you in the neighborhood of $200, which is about three times the cost of an epoxy garage floor coating kit. The pricing difference makes sense when you really consider what it is you're buying as opposed to what you're going to have when everything is said and done. With a garage floor covering, you're buying the pre-assembled protection while, with epoxy garage floor paint, there is some assembly required. Obviously this figure will change dramatically if you end up paying someone to install your epoxy garage floor coating, so be sure to call around and get some quotes on installation before you make your final decision if you don't plan to do it yourself. Odds are pretty good that, including installation costs, epoxy will come out quite a bit more expensive than a garage floor mat.

Epoxy Floor Coating Is Comparably More Durable Than A Garage Floor Mat

Epoxy has the undeniable advantage in longevity and durability, but it also changes things. Applying an epoxy garage floor coating changes the entire nature of the garage flooring. In comparison, a garage floor mat will just cover it. It's unlikely but possible for either to become stained or damaged and, when that happens, swapping a mat is far simpler than repairing a paint job. Of course, you're also out the $200 for the new mat. So before choosing, you should be asking yourself how rough you are likely to be on your garage flooring.

And The Winner Is...

All garage floors are a little different, so there's no one best choice. They're both available because people buy and use both types. The consumer must decide the best option for their situation. If money's not a concern, you could always do both, using a compartment or even full garage mat on top of a pretty epoxy garage floor coating. - 29952

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