How Much Does Epoxy Flooring Cost? (2023)

Epoxy floor coasting typically runs between $3 and $12 per square foot for professional installation.* Homeowners who want to protect flooring in their basements or garages should consider applying a layer of epoxy, which shields concrete from stains, scratches, and corrosive materials. It’s more attractive and comfortable to walk on than bare concrete and costs less than other flooring options. Read our guide to learn what determines the cost of epoxy floor coating.

*Cost data in this article was sourced from HomeAdvisor.

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Epoxy Flooring Major Cost Factors

Here are the primary cost factors for epoxy flooring:

• Color and design: Decorative options cost more than solid-color epoxy.
• Floor size: Both material and labor costs are typically determined by square footage.
• Surface preparation needs: The concrete surface must be prepared before the epoxy can be poured.
• Type of epoxy: Solid, water-based, and solvent-based epoxy have different average costs.

Floor Size

Epoxy flooring, which is a thicker version of epoxy paint, must be mixed, poured, and smoothed. Professional epoxy application costs between $3 and $12 per square foot, and DIY epoxy application costs between $2 and $5 per square foot.

Cost by Floor Area

Below is a collection of price ranges based on square footage. For reference, a two-car garage is about 360 square feet.

Floor Area (in Square Feet)	Professional Cost Range	DIY Cost Range
100	$300–$1,200	$200–$500
200	$600–$2,400	$400–$1,000
300	$900–$3,600	$600–$1,500
400	$1,200–$4,800	$800–$2,000
500	$1,500–$6,000	$1,000–$2,500

Surface Preparation Needs

You must wash, etch, and remove existing layers of sealant or paint from your concrete floor so the epoxy can bond directly with the concrete. This often requires a power washer and caustic chemicals or sandblasting. If you hire professional contractors, preparation will usually be included in the total cost. It costs about $50 to $100 on its own.

Color and Design

Solid-color epoxy is the most cost-effective option, but you can also choose decorative additives or pigment blends. Metallic epoxy flooring usually costs between $5 and $12 per square foot, for example, while decorative flakes of quartz or mica can be hand-spread over the wet epoxy after pouring for $10 a pound. You can lay down a base of rocks and coat them with translucent epoxy to give the appearance of river rocks, which costs about $100 a gallon.

Types of Epoxy

There are three types of epoxy flooring materials: water-based, solvent-based, and solid. Water-based epoxy is the most cost-effective at $30 to $50 per gallon, and it’s the most DIY-friendly. It’s the least durable and damage-resistant option, however, and requires reapplication every one to three years.

Solvent-based epoxy costs an average of $45 a gallon and falls in the middle when it comes to durability. It resists extreme temperatures, high-moisture environments, and petroleum-based chemical spills, making it ideal for workshops, garage floors, and industrial applications. However, it gives off volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the installation process, and it’s highly flammable while it’s being applied, leading to its ban in some states.

Solventless or solid epoxy is the most durable and damage-resistant option. Once cured, it won’t require reapplication for nearly 20 years. It doesn’t release any VOCs while it’s applied, and it stands up well to heat, chemicals, and physical damage, such as scratches and gouges. It’s the most expensive option at $45 to $150 per gallon and must be professionally applied.

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Professional vs. DIY Epoxy Flooring

You can tackle applying epoxy to a floor by yourself, but you’ll get better results by hiring experienced contractors.

Professional Installation

Garage floor coating contractors can tackle epoxy floor installation, which typically costs between $1 and $7 per square foot for labor. Here are the benefits of hiring a professional:

• Epoxy flooring is meant to be tough and long-lasting, and hiring a pro means you won’t have to reapply frequently.
• Many epoxy products require professional installation to maintain the manufacturer’s warranty. Many contractors also offer workmanship warranties on labor.
• Some types of epoxy, including the most durable and decorative options, require substantial expertise and proper tools.

DIY Installation

Epoxy flooring is sometimes sold in DIY kits. If you apply it yourself, you’ll save on labor costs, but you’ll face a number of challenges.

• Most DIY kits contain only water-based, solid-color epoxy. Hire a pro if you want more decorative or durable options.
• Once cured, epoxy flooring is difficult to remove. If you make a mistake, it will often be costly to remove and fix.
• Pouring epoxy is a two-part process that involves both a resin and a hardener. There’s a substantial learning curve and time investment required to ensure evenness and smoothness.
• Preparing the floor, mixing and pouring the epoxy, and sealing the end product are physically demanding jobs.

DIY kits are priced by the square foot and usually contain resin, hardener, additives, etching acid or primer, a squeegee, rollers and brushes, mixing attachments, gloves, and spiked shoe covers. You must supply your own power drill for mixing, and you may need to rent a pressure washer or sandblaster. You may also need to apply a separate sealant as a topcoat.

Note that drying times between primer, coats of epoxy, and topcoat will be 12 to 24 hours.

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Additional Factors Affecting Epoxy Flooring Cost

The following variables may also impact the overall cost:

Geometric Patterns

Different colors of epoxy can be combined for a marbled appearance or poured in patterns to create geometric designs. This process will cost more than pouring a single color with additives because of the extra time and material required. The number of colors and complexity of the pattern may also drive up prices. 

Integral Cove Base

An integral cove base is an application of epoxy flooring that goes about four to six inches up the base of a wall. It creates a seamless transition between wall and floor so that dirt and debris don’t get trapped in baseboards and corners. This feature is most common in commercial facilities such as medical clinics and kitchens, but it can make a garage or a basement easier to clean. However, expect to pay more for both material and labor for this application. 

Thickness of Epoxy

Residential epoxy floors vary in thickness from as little as 11 mils to as much as 250 mils (about 1/4 inch). Thicker epoxy is more durable and resistant to damage but requires more layers. For reference, a gallon of water-based or solvent-based epoxy will cover about 160 square feet of floor to a depth of 10 mils.

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How to Reduce Epoxy Flooring Cost

Here’s how to save money on epoxy flooring installation costs:

• Apply the epoxy to a thickness of only 10 mils.
• Choose a single solid color instead of designs, pigments, or additives.
• Do as much of the preparation and finishing work as you can before professional installation.
• Get quotes from at least three local flooring contractors before making your choice.
• Purchase a DIY kit and do the work yourself.

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Benefits and Drawbacks of Epoxy Floors

Epoxy has a number of benefits, including its low price point and ease of maintenance. Homeowners can apply it directly to concrete, and it doesn’t require any underlayment or subflooring. Solvent-based and solid epoxy are particularly durable and resistant to peeling, chipping, and cracking.

However, the most durable kinds of floor epoxy are difficult to install. Epoxy may give off harmful chemicals and require specific humidity and temperature conditions to cure. Epoxy is difficult to repair, and since it can discolor over time, color matching can be tough. Epoxy may be very slippery when met with soap or oil-based spills, and it lacks the luxury of more expensive options.

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Maintaining and Cleaning Epoxy Floors

Keeping epoxy floors clean is easy and requires sweeping and occasional mopping. For caked-on grime, use an ammonia-based cleaner instead of oil-based or acidic cleaners. Take great care when walking on a wet epoxy floor to avoid slipping.

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Epoxy Floor Durability and Life Span

Epoxy floors typically last between 10 and 20 years, depending on temperature and foot traffic. Water-based epoxy falls on the lower end of that scale, and solid epoxy generally lasts longer. Abrasive cleaners, exposure to sunlight, and improper installation may cause epoxy to break down more quickly.

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Epoxy Floors vs. Other Flooring Types

Epoxy floors are ideal for garages and basements, but they’re not the only option. Carpet and hardwood are popular options, among others. Here’s how epoxy stacks up against other common flooring materials.

Flooring Type	Cost Range per Sq. Ft.	Benefits	Drawbacks
Vinyl/linoleum	$1.50–$20	Less expensive, low-maintenance, water-resistant	Not environmentally friendly, difficult to repair, lower resale value
Laminate	$1.70–$17	Less expensive, mimics appearance of real wood, DIY-friendly	Not waterproof, lower resale value
Epoxy	$3–$12	Relatively inexpensive, resistant to spills and damage, customizable	Slippery, lower resale value, difficult to repair
Carpet	$3–$22	Maintains constant temperature, variety of styles, colors, and price points	Can stain, not as durable, bad for allergies
Tile	$3–$30	Durable, scratch-resistant, customizable	Expensive installation, difficult to clean grout
Hardwood	$4–$29	Extremely durable, can be refinished multiple times, luxurious appearance, high resale value	Much more expensive, can stain, professional installation required
Stone	$7–$27	Durable, luxurious appearance, high resale value	Much more expensive, higher-maintenance, heavy

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How to Hire and Choose an Epoxy Flooring Contractor

When comparing epoxy floor installers, take the following steps:

• Ask friends and family for recommendations, or visit the Better Business Bureau website and look for well-rated flooring contractors in your area.
• Ensure contractors are bonded and insured.
• Ensure contractors have a regular contractor’s license.
• Ensure the flooring contractor has experience with epoxy and any specific design elements (such as patterns or additives) that you want.
• Look up the contractor on reputable review sites such as Trustpilot.

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Extra Epoxy Flooring Options

Epoxy flooring is often installed as part of a basement finishing project or a garage upgrade. You may choose to make other improvements to those rooms, such as waterproofing walls and floors or upgrading insulation for better energy efficiency. You can also improve ventilation in these spaces by installing a fan in the garage or extending your HVAC system to the basement.

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Our Recommendation

Epoxy flooring provides a highly customizable and damage-proof floorcovering for areas where spills, stains, and scratches might be a problem. Water-based epoxy is DIY-friendly and can be purchased and installed with a kit, though homeowners will get more durable results from the professional application of tougher kinds of epoxy.

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