Floor refinishing

Coated floors wear in the traffic lanes first. When the topcoat in those lanes goes dull, the coating underneath is usually still sound, and a refresh brings the floor back for much less than a new one.

When an old coating is peeling, lifting or flaking off in sheets, it has lost its bond to the concrete. Recoating over that only traps the problem. In that case we grind the failed coating off down to clean concrete and install a new epoxy floor coating.

We look at the floor in person first and tell you which one it needs. You get a written estimate for that work.

What is included

What every job includesTap to collapse

• On-site floor assessment and measurement
• Slab moisture check
• Written estimate: refresh or full redo
• Deep clean and degrease
• Repair of chips, cracks and worn spots
• Scuff sanding or diamond grinding as needed
• New protective topcoat or full new coating
• Workmanship guarantee

Signs your floor needs refinishing

Most floors give plenty of warning, and the earlier you catch it, the more likely a refresh will do. A bare slab that has gone grey, stained and dusty can also be cleaned, ground and coated.

• Dull or cloudy traffic lanes where the gloss is gone
• Fine scratches and scuffs that hold dirt
• Chips at the edges, around drains or where tools were dropped
• Peeling or lifting, often starting near the garage door or at hot tire marks
• Oil, fluid or rust stains that will not wash out
• Hairline cracks showing through the coating
• Dusting or powdery bare concrete on an uncoated slab

Refresh or full redo: how we decide

A refresh is for a coating that is still bonded to the slab and only worn on top. We deep clean and degrease the floor, repair chips and small cracks, scuff the whole surface so the new coat can grip, then apply a fresh protective topcoat. The original color and base layers stay in place.

A full redo is for a coating that has let go. We test adhesion by checking edges and tapping for hollow spots. If the bond has failed across a large part of the floor, patching only buys a few months. We diamond grind the old coating off, repair the concrete, check moisture and install a new system from the slab up.

Why floor coatings fail

Finding the cause keeps the new floor from failing the same way. Poor prep is the most common. A coating rolled onto a slab that was only acid washed or swept, with no grinding, has very little to hold on to. Hot tires pick it up and it peels in patches. Moisture is the second. Vapor rising through the slab, especially after heavy rain on Yazoo clay, builds pressure under the coating until it blisters or lifts. Thin, low-solids products sold for weekend projects wear through quickly in traffic lanes. And cracks that move with the soil will telegraph through any coating that was not built to handle them.

How a floor refinishing job runs

Here is what to expect from first visit to handing the floor back.

• Site visit: we measure, inspect the coating and check slab moisture
• Written estimate stating refresh or full redo, and why
• Clear the space: you move vehicles and stored items, we cover what stays
• Clean and degrease, then scuff sand or diamond grind as needed
• Repair chips, cracks and worn spots
• Apply the new topcoat, or the full new coating for a redo
• Walk-on and full-use times given to you in writing

How long floor refinishing takes

A refresh on a typical garage is often finished in a day, with the floor back in light use in a day or two. A full redo takes longer because the grinding and repair add time, and it follows the same schedule as a new coating: walk on in about 24 hours, with full use and parking usually 3 to 7 days later depending on temperature.

Mississippi weather matters here. In summer we watch dew point and slab temperature and often mix and apply in the cooler hours so the coating cures properly. Businesses can have the work done in sections or after hours; see commercial floor coating.

Keeping a refinished floor looking good

A coated floor is easy to look after. Sweep or dust mop grit regularly, since sand under tires and boots is what dulls the traffic lanes. Wash with warm water and a mild cleaner. Wipe up oil, brake fluid and road salt residue when you see it instead of letting it sit.

When the gloss fades in the lanes again, call before it wears through to the base coat, and the next job stays a refresh. Our garage floor epoxy coating page covers the full garage system.

Refinishing a coated floor versus polishing bare concrete

If your old coating has to come off anyway, it is worth asking whether you want a coating back at all. Some owners, especially in shops and retail spaces, choose concrete floor polishing instead. Polished concrete has no coating to peel, and the space is usually back in use the same day. A coating gives more color choice and better resistance to oil and chemicals.

Every floor carries our workmanship guarantee. Where the coating product carries manufacturer coverage, we pass that along too.