Key Takeaways
- If your epoxy is only peeling near the edges, it may be fixable. If it’s coming up across the floor, it’s time to start over.
- DIY epoxy kits are the most common reason floors fail — especially in garages with heavy traffic and hot tires.
- Everlast Concrete only installs high-performance polyaspartic coatings that are built to last and never need to be reapplied.
If you’re staring at your garage floor wondering how your once-shiny epoxy coating turned into a patchy mess of bubbles, flakes, and bare concrete, you’re not alone. Peeling epoxy is a common problem — and most of the time, it traces back to bad prep, bad products, or moisture creeping where it shouldn’t.
Quick note: While most folks refer to these floors as “epoxy floors,” we don’t actually use epoxy at Everlast. We only install polyaspartic coatings — a tougher, more flexible, and longer-lasting alternative. But since “epoxy” is what people search for, we’ll roll with that language here.
So how do you fix peeling epoxy? Can you spot fix epoxy or does the whole floor need to be redone? And what makes one epoxy floor fail while another looks great years later? We explain it all based on years of experience as a concrete floor coating company in the Finger Lakes.
Small Peel? Small Fix. Big Peel? Start Over.
If you’ve got one little spot of damaged epoxy — maybe a section near the garage door where moisture snuck in — you might be in luck. In cases like this, we can grind the affected area, clean it, and apply a new coat right over top. Fast. Clean. Done.
But if your epoxy peeling issue is showing up in the middle of the garage floor, across several areas, or if you’re dealing with multiple bubbles or worn-out patches? That’s a sign the whole coating system failed to adhere properly. The only real solution is to grind off the existing coating, clean and prep the concrete surface, and start fresh.
Why Floors Fail: The Biggest Offenders
There are three big reasons we get calls to repair epoxy floors:
- Moisture Problem: Water gets trapped between the concrete and coating. We often see this near garage walls and overhead doors, especially in wet or humid climates. Moisture = peeling.
- Soft, worn concrete: Older concrete floors can be too soft or dusty for epoxy to grip. If the base can’t hold on to the resin, it’ll peel or bubble.
- DIY epoxy kits: The ones from big box stores? They’re notorious for failing under heavy traffic or hot tire pickup. That daily in-and-out grind with your car literally tears the coating right off.
“We’ve Never Had to Redo a Full Floor!”
Here’s the truth: In our years of business, Everlast Concrete has never had to go back and rip out a full floor we installed.
Sure, we’ve gone back to fix minor cracks or address a small corner that lifted from moisture. But a full replacement? Never.
That’s the kind of reliability you get from a professional epoxy installation and a properly prepared floor. No quick fixes. No shortcuts.
Why DIY Kits Just Don’t Cut It
Most people who try to apply epoxy on their own start with good intentions — and a YouTube video.
“People think they’re saving money with those DIY kits, but two years later, they’re calling me anyway. By then they’ve spent more than they would’ve if they just did it right the first time.”
Matt at Everlast
These DIY epoxy kits are thin, brittle, and not meant for garage floors. They’re prone to peeling, bubbling, and hot tire pickup. And because they don’t last, homeowners end up reapplying a new coat every couple of years — layer after layer of old epoxy over concrete that’s never been prepped the right way.
Fixing Someone Else’s Mistake = Full Regrind
Can you epoxy over old epoxy? Technically, yes. But unless the existing coating is solid and sound, you’re just building on top of a bad foundation.
That’s why we don’t mess around with half-fixes. If you’ve got damaged epoxy, the best move is to grind everything off, down to the bare concrete, and rebuild the coating system from the ground up. It doesn’t take much longer — because we always grind our floors anyway — and it guarantees the next epoxy coating will last.
What Makes a High-Quality Coating Different?
It comes down to chemistry, prep, and know-how.
- Our polyaspartic coatings cure faster, bond tighter, and stand up to chemical exposure, oil, and heavy wear like nothing you’ll find in a box store.
- We mechanically grind every concrete surface before installation — no chemical strippers, no shortcuts.
- Every floor is applied in the right pot life window, while the resin and hardener are still fresh and able to adhere at full strength.
- Every surface is completely dry, clean of dust, grease, and contaminants before we ever roll on that first primer coat.
The result? Floors that resist tearing, shrug off chemicals, and don’t flinch under hot tires.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you repair a damaged epoxy floor?
Yes — if the damage is small and isolated. Otherwise, we recommend a full resurfacing.
Can I put new epoxy over old epoxy?
Only if the old epoxy is still bonded solidly. If it’s peeling or bubbling, start over.
Can you spot fix epoxy?
You can, but only in very specific spots. Corners or seams, yes. The middle of the garage floor? Not worth it.
How do I know if epoxy hardens correctly?
If it’s sticky, soft, or peels under light pressure after curing — it didn’t set right. That could be from moisture, poor prep, or exceeding the pot life.
What’s the downside of epoxy flooring?
If installed improperly or used in the wrong place, it’s prone to peeling, bubbling, and wear. That’s why quality installation and materials matter. Epoxy is also prone to yellowing from UV light exposure, which polyaspartic will not.
Ready for a Floor That Doesn’t Peel? Or Help Fixing A Bad One?
If you’re tired of damaged epoxy, patchy coatings, and the endless cycle of reapplying that new epoxy kit every other summer, it’s time to stop wasting money.
At Everlast Concrete, we do it once, and we do it right!
Our polyaspartic floors hold up under real pressure, real vehicles, and real life. Whether you need a fix for epoxy peeling or want a fresh start, we’ve got the tools, products, and experience to make it happen.
Call today for a free concrete coating quote, and let’s get your floor back to better than new.
