Alright, so you’re interested in a floor coating for your concrete. Whether that’s your basement floor, garage floor, or even a patio or pool deck, the right concrete floor coating can do wonders for a cleaner, safer, and more enjoyable environment.
But if you’re looking for a concrete coating company in the Finger Lakes – where we’re based and serve everywhere from Syracuse to Watkin’s Glen – there are a few things you should know about the implications of our regional weather. Deeply cold winters and hot, hot summers can impact concrete coatings in unexpected ways.
Here’s the skinny.
The Key Takeaways
- Cold winters and hot summers cause concrete to expand and contract. Though these movements are imperceptible to the human eye, they are enough to cause SOME concrete coatings to crack and chip. This is the case for most epoxy floor coatings, while newer polyaspartic floor coatings are flexible enough to avoid this issue completely (they can even be used outdoors!). For the Finger Lakes, make sure you go with poly.
- Second, the road salt and chemicals used during winter months in our areas can wreak havoc on garage floors in particular. This will absolutely destroy bare concrete over time, as well as garage floor coatings that are paint-based or improperly applied epoxy coatings. Properly installed concrete floor coatings are the best way to protect your investment for the long-run.
- Polyaspartic coatings with a resilient basecoat polyurea concrete coating can last for two decades (we provide a 15-year guarantee!) with a little bit of maintenance – advanced poly coatings are the modern bombproof coating, perfect throughout Northern New York.
What To Know Before Getting a New Floor Coating In Upstate New York – Weather Concerns Explained
Considering a coating for your residential interior floors or even commercial floor coatings in Upstate New York?
Before you dive in, let’s understand how our unique weather – hot summers and burly winters – can affect your flooring choice. With cold winters, temperature swings, and plenty of humidity, your floors need to be tough, tough, tough. Enter polyaspartic concrete coatings – the perfect solution for our climate.
Unlike traditional epoxy, polyaspartic coatings cure quickly, resist UV damage, fight salt and chemicals, and stay flexible, making them ideal for standing up to Upstate New York’s weather challenges. In this section, we’ll explore why polyaspartic coatings are your best bet for durable, good-looking floors that can handle whatever Mother Nature throws our way.
How Cold Weather Affects Concrete Coatings
Cold weather poses significant challenges for concrete coatings, particularly in Upstate New York where winter temperatures can plunge dramatically.
Traditional epoxy coatings often struggle in these conditions, as they require specific temperature ranges to cure properly. When applied in cold weather, epoxy can take much longer to set, leading to potential delays and compromised performance. Additionally, the brittleness of epoxy in freezing temperatures increases the risk of cracking and peeling, which can lead to costly repairs and maintenance.
Fast Cure Times
Polyaspartic coatings, on the other hand, are designed to perform well even in colder climates. They have a much faster curing time, setting within hours regardless of the temperature, allowing for quicker project completion. This rapid curing process also minimizes the window of vulnerability to moisture and contaminants.
Flexibility
Critically, polyaspartic coatings maintain their flexibility in low temperatures, reducing the risk of cracking and ensuring a more durable, long-lasting finish. They’re an ideal choice for Upstate New York residents looking for a reliable flooring solution that can withstand our harsh winter conditions. For that reason, they even work well for outdoor concrete coating projects, like your pool deck!
Salt and Chemical Resistance
Another standout feature of polyaspartic coatings is their exceptional resistance to salt and road chemicals. In the Finger Lakes, where de-icing salts and harsh road chemicals are a winter necessity, this is an obvious advantage. These substances can all be highly corrosive, causing significant damage to bare concrete: patchiness, erosion, and pitting.
Polyaspartic coatings form a robust barrier that protects the concrete beneath from these corrosive elements, so your floors remain durable and VISUALLY appealing, even after repeat exposure to winter road treatments.
How The Heat Affects Concrete Surfaces
Summer heat can take a toll on concrete surfaces,too, but polyaspartic coatings offer several benefits that help them thrive in high temperatures.
Flexibility (Again!)
One of the key advantages is their impressive flexibility. Unlike traditional epoxy, polyaspartic coatings can expand and contract with the concrete as temperatures rise and fall, preventing cracks and maintaining a seamless finish.
UV Resistance Means No Yellowing
UV resistance is another major benefit of polyaspartic coatings. Prolonged exposure to the sun’s harsh rays as in garages can cause many materials to yellow and degrade over time. Polyaspartic coatings are designed to withstand UV exposure so your floors stay clear and vibrant without discoloration.
They Resist Heat
Moreover, polyaspartic coatings provide excellent resistance to heat-related damage. They maintain their integrity and performance even in the hottest conditions, making them an ideal choice for outdoor areas and spaces that experience direct sunlight.
An additional advantage is their resistance to hot car tires, which can cause delamination and failure in traditional epoxy coatings. Polyaspartic coatings are specifically formulated to withstand the high temperatures and pressures exerted by hot tires or even warm tires, preventing peeling for a durable, long-lasting surface.
The Best Concrete Coating Company in The Finger Lakes?
Experience the ultimate in durability and beauty with top-of-the-line polyaspartic concrete coatings from the #1 concrete coating company in the region. With a 15-year warranty and only premium materials every install, you can enjoy your beautiful new floor with peace of mind for years to come.
We do:
- residential interior floors, garage floors, and basements
- commercial settings, retail spaces, and industrial facilities
- outdoor spaces, including pool decks, patios, and sidewalks
Serving the entire Finger Lakes region for over a decade, our highly skilled technicians specialize exclusively in polyaspartic installations, ensuring your floors withstand the harshest weather conditions while looking fantastic year-round.
Don’t settle for less—upgrade to the best. Contact us today to schedule a free floor design consultation and see how our polyaspartic coatings can elevate YOUR space!
Common FAQs
How much does a professional concrete coating cost?
The cost of a concrete coating will depend on the sq ft of concrete to be covered and the surface quality. Damaged surfaces will require some work before our technicians lay anything on top or apply a coating.
What do you do before applying the coating?
For super clean or new concrete, the surface requires little prep.
For older, dirty, or damaged floors, we process concrete floor coatings by cleaning and grinding them with diamond grind prep before application, when necessary. This can be the case with pitting, cracks, or erosion of the surface.
How long will my installation take?
Most of our concrete coatings are installed in one day and can be walked on the following day. This is the case with most 2-car garages, for example, though the timeframe really depends on the square feet of concrete coated. If you have questions ab out your space, just call!
Where do you install concrete coatings?
Based in Penn Yan, we serve all of the Finger Lakes area, including Corning, Rochester, Geneva, Watkin’s Glen, Syracuse, and everywhere in between.
