Concrete floors are a durable and long-lasting flooring choice for many industrial, commercial, and residential settings.
Concrete is low-maintenance and can withstand considerable wear-and-tear; but as anyone who’s been on a concrete floor for long knows, concrete floors can be prone to damage from spills, stains, and abrasion over time. With continued use, this can make them look unsightly and even compromise the structural integrity of the concrete(!), leading to cracks, spidering, flaking, and rough spots. For example, concrete is porous, and oil (like that from dripping vehicles) will leave permanent stains; road salt will slowly erode the surface layer, leading to pitting; and a few dropped hammers can leave chips or dents in even brand new concrete.
This is where concrete floor coatings like paint, epoxy, and polyaspartic coatings come in – they offer a protective layer that can enhance the durability, appearance, and functionality of concrete floors.
So which is right for you, and how much does professionally installed concrete floor cost? Let’s dig in.
Key Points On Concrete Coating Costs
- For protecting an existing concrete floor or even brand new floors, the professionals almost always use polyaspartic coatings. These are as hard as an epoxy coating but include a small amount of “flex”, meaning they can absorb the slight movement of concrete with changing temperatures. Importantly, polyaspartic coatings also won’t yellow due to UV exposure, which is a problem for epoxy coatings.
- A concrete coating project will vary in price based on the amount of concrete floor preparation necessary, square footage, and the quality of the surface. Cost depends on a variety of factors, but you can expect to pay $5-12/square foot for a basement floor, $5-8 per square foot for a garage floor, and $4-8 per square foot for larger commercial spaces.
Concrete Floor Coating Prices Explained
The most common floor coatings for garages or basements are floor paint, epoxy coatings, and polyaspartic coatings.
At Top Coat, we simply don’t recommend floor paints for coating a concrete slab, no matter where it is.
Paint for a concrete surface is thin and won’t hold up well over the long-run; anyone who truly cares about longevity and getting the best garage floor coating or basement floor coating probably won’t be thrilled with the results of floor paint.
But floor paint is the cheapest basement or garage coating for that reason.
At Top Coat, we stick with the best concrete coatings: polyaspartic. Polyaspartic coatings are our go-to top choice for most settings, particularly those where: 1) sun will hit the floor (causing yellowing in traditional epoxy); or 2) there is any fluctuation in temperature, as with garages.
Here’s how to plan for your concrete coating cost and the myriad cost factors involved with a professional contractor.
How Much Does It Cost to Get a Basement Floor Coated?
Basement floor coatings can range from $5-12 per square foot.
A 20×20 basement floor coating cost? $2,000-$5,000.
To give you a better idea of why these prices can fluctuate, here are some factors that can affect how much a concrete floor coating costs:
- Damp basements that require dry time or labor to dry out the moist concrete will require more labor from our team and increase our price.
- Hard-to-access basements can cost a little more given how much longer time it takes us to install.
- The condition of the concrete floor is a big factor in polyaspartic or epoxy costs. New concrete floors that are in great condition will require no repair work from our team before putting down your floor coating. Older concrete floors with pitting or abrasion that requires some attention from our skilled team will drive costs towards the top of the range.
- Fixtures like rusty steel drains that need to be replaced with modern PVC drains prior to your floor coating will drive up the price as well.
How Much Does It Cost to Get a Garage Floor Coated?
Garage floor coatings range from $5-8 per square foot.
A 20×20 garage floor coating cost? $2,000-$3,500.
Garages tend to be a little cheaper than basements because these spaces are easier to access and faster to get done!
Again, moisture, drain replacements, and garage floor concrete fixes can drive costs to the higher end of this range.
Before we apply concrete floor coating in a garage, in particular, we generally need to address spilled oil or other possible contaminants, for example. While polyaspartic coatings are great at adhering to just about any surface, we want to ensure there’s no “bulk” spills or issues that could create problems for the new coating.
A single bay garage coating in a space used for storage alone will likely have different needs than a two car garage with a concrete floor, for example.
How Much Does It Cost to Get a Commercial Floor Coated?
Industrial or commercial floor coatings can range from $4 to $12 per square foot.
A 100×40 commercial floor coating cost for your business or property? $16,000-$48,000.
Again, many of the same variables apply to a larger space: access, quality of the concrete, surface needs, replacement of fixtures, etc. all can increase costs to the high end of this range.
In some spaces, restrictions like working through the night, can increase this cost as well.
One beautiful option that is also highly functional and can streamline your operations is a “cove trim.” This is where we bring the concrete coating partway up the wall for a seamless base/floor trim transition.
A cove base trim option can make a difference in commercial floor coating costs. Commercial kitchens or butcher shops are a common setting where we see this base trim option, often because many spaces like this are spraying down their walls or floors regularly for cleaning!
Price Of Polyaspartic Versus Epoxy Floor Coatings
Many people wonder how the price of polyaspartic coatings compare to the price of epoxy sealers or other similar products.
Polyaspartic coatings are the premier floor coating option for concrete, and the material cost is generally very similar to epoxy, despite being a better product! And labor costs can be even lower! Polyaspartic coatings cure faster (two days) compared to epoxy (seven days), which is one reason the installation costs are often lower than epoxy. And still, they offer better protection, more flexibility, and no risk of yellowing as with epoxy.
Many homeowners consider a garage coating a DIY project. Our advice?
Skip the local hardware store and skip the concrete paint: if you truly care about protecting your investment, a polyaspartic coating with professional installation is the obvious choice for a smooth finish that will stand up to foot traffic and regular use for years to come. Polyaspartic can even work for pool decks!
The Best Floor Coatings In Pittsburgh
If you’re considering getting a coated concrete floor in Pittsburgh, Top Coat Concrete can help. We offer free estimates and free advice for your garage floors, basement floors, shop floors, and any other concrete flooring you’re worried about.
Then, we provide fast, skilled installation in no time!
Whether you just need some insights or are ready to get a new basement floor, call today for a free consultation. We provide a wide range of concrete protection options: whether you need a non-slip surface, are ready to coat a polished concrete floor, considering a metallic epoxy floor, concrete staining, and anything in between, we’d love to talk!