Professionally installed epoxy flooring typically lasts 15-20 years or more in residential settings like garages. Commercial and industrial floors may see 10-15 years depending on traffic and chemical exposure. Longevity depends heavily on proper surface preparation, floors installed without adequate grinding or over moisture-compromised concrete will fail prematurely regardless of product quality. Our systems include topcoats that extend lifespan and maintain appearance.

Garage floor coating in Albuquerque typically ranges from $5-12 per square foot for professional installation, depending on concrete condition, chosen finish type, and garage size. A standard 2-car garage (400-500 sq ft) generally runs $2,000-6,000 complete. This includes diamond grinding, crack repair, epoxy base coat, and topcoat. Metallic and decorative finishes cost more than solid colors or standard flake systems. We provide free estimates with exact pricing after evaluating your specific floor.

Standard epoxy with a gloss topcoat can be slippery when wet. For garages, patios, and commercial spaces where moisture is a concern, we recommend flake broadcast systems or anti-slip additives in the topcoat. These options provide excellent traction without sacrificing durability or appearance. Our team will recommend the appropriate slip-resistance level based on your space's intended use and exposure to water.

With standard epoxy systems, light foot traffic is typically allowed after 24 hours, with full cure and vehicle traffic at 72 hours. For customers who can't wait, we offer polyaspartic coating systems that cure in as little as 6-8 hours for foot traffic and 24 hours for vehicles. Temperature and humidity affect cure times, so we schedule installations to optimize conditions and minimize your downtime.

Yes, epoxy bonds well to most existing concrete regardless of age, provided the surface is properly prepared and free from moisture issues. We diamond grind all floors to create a profile for mechanical adhesion and test for moisture vapor transmission before installation. Previous coatings or sealers must be removed. Some heavily damaged floors may require patching or overlay before coating. Our free consultation includes floor assessment to identify any issues before work begins.

Epoxy provides excellent adhesion, chemical resistance, and build thickness, making it ideal as a base coat. Polyaspartic coatings cure faster, offer superior UV stability, and provide better abrasion resistance, making them excellent topcoats. Most professional systems, including ours, combine both: epoxy for the foundation and polyaspartic for the protective, UV-stable finish. This hybrid approach delivers the best performance characteristics of each material.

Epoxy coating itself is flexible and won't crack under normal conditions. However, epoxy cannot prevent cracks that develop in the underlying concrete due to settling, temperature movement, or structural issues. Existing cracks are repaired before coating, and we install over control joints rather than filling them to allow for natural concrete movement. If substrate cracks do telegraph through, they can typically be repaired without recoating the entire floor.

Epoxy floors require minimal maintenance, regular sweeping or dust mopping removes abrasive grit, and occasional damp mopping with a neutral pH cleaner handles spills and dirt. For garage floors, we recommend placing mats under vehicle drip zones and cleaning up harsh chemicals promptly. Avoid using harsh solvents or abrasive scrubbers. With basic care, your epoxy floor will maintain its appearance for years without waxing, sealing, or recoating.

Standard epoxy can experience hot tire pickup, a condition where hot tires bond to the coating and pull it up when the vehicle moves. All of our garage floor systems include polyaspartic or polyurethane topcoats specifically formulated to resist hot tire pickup. This is a critical difference between professional installations and DIY kits, which often use topcoats that can't handle the heat cycles garages experience in New Mexico summers.

Yes, NM Concrete Coating Pros serves the entire Albuquerque metro area including Rio Rancho, Corrales, Bernalillo, and Placitas to the north, and Los Lunas, Belen, and Bosque Farms to the south. We also complete projects in Santa Fe, Edgewood, Tijeras, and throughout central New Mexico. Contact us to confirm service availability for your location.