Flake Epoxy Floors in Pittsburgh, PA

Flake epoxy floors suit Pittsburgh garages for a practical reason. A flake epoxy floor starts as a wet resin base, gets a scattering of colored vinyl chips, and finishes with a clear topcoat that locks everything in. The speckled surface hides dried salt rings, tire marks and road dust far better than a solid color, which matters in a city that sees snow on the ground for a good part of the winter. We install full and partial broadcast chip floors in garages, basements, mudrooms and commercial spaces around the area.

Building a chip floor, step by step

First comes diamond grinding and repair, exactly as with any coating. Then we roll on a pigmented base coat, usually in a color close to the chip blend, and broadcast vinyl flake into it by hand. For a full broadcast we keep throwing chip until the wet base will not take any more, then let it cure. The next day the loose chip is swept and scraped off, the surface is sanded smooth, and a clear topcoat goes on to seal the flakes in. The result is a thick, layered floor that hides small flaws in the concrete.

Full or partial broadcast

A full broadcast covers every inch of the base with chips. That buries the base completely, giving the deepest look, the most texture and the surface most forgiving of dirt, and it is what we suggest for most garages. A partial broadcast scatters a lighter amount of flake over a visible base color, giving a cleaner, more modern look with a bit less texture. Partial floors show dirt and salt more readily, so they suit basements, laundry rooms and finished spaces better than a garage that takes slush every day.

Picking a blend for gray months

The sun here shows for only about 45% of its possible hours, so a lot of garages and basements rely on overhead lights most of the year. Mid-tone blends of gray, tan, white and black reflect that light without showing every speck of grit. Very dark blends look dramatic but show white salt residue. Very light blends brighten a room but show tire marks. Our estimate visit includes a set of chip samples to compare in your own garage or basement, under the lighting you actually have, before you pick.

Texture, traction and cleaning

The chip edges give a flake floor a mild texture, even under the topcoat, which helps when melting snow puddles under the car. For extra grip, we can mix fine aggregate into the clear coat. Cleaning is simple: sweep or blow out grit, squeegee the slush out the door and mop with a mild cleaner. Because the chips and topcoat seal the concrete, salt cannot reach the slab, and the floor stays sound through repeated freeze-thaw.

Which topcoat goes over the chip

The clear coat is what takes the wear. Over a garage floor that gets afternoon sun, we use a polyaspartic topcoat, because HomeGuide rates polyaspartic excellent for UV resistance and epoxy only poor to fair. In a basement or a windowless garage, an epoxy clear coat can work and costs less. Either way, the topcoat is applied at a thickness that covers the chip fully so edges do not catch on brooms or bare feet.

Where flake floors make sense

Garages are the obvious fit, but chip floors also work well in basements where kids and pets run around, in mudrooms that see wet boots, in locker rooms and in the back rooms of shops and restaurants. Anywhere you want a floor that looks clean between cleanings, a flake system is worth a look. Call (412) 332-8291 and tell us the room and how it gets used. Get a free estimate