Cheap Epoxy Looks Good—Until It Doesn’tEpoxy flooring has exploded in popularity, and for good reason. It’s durable, sleek, customizable, and when it’s done right, it transforms dull, dusty concrete into a high-performance surface that looks incredible and lasts for years. But here’s the problem: not all epoxy flooring is created equal—and not all installers are playing the same game. At Concrete Conversions, we get calls every month from frustrated homeowners and business owners in the Raleigh area asking the same thing: “Can you fix this floor?” The epoxy looks great for the first few months. Maybe even a year. But then it starts to yellow, peel, or bubble. Hot tires lift it. Spills leave stains. The finish gets dull and patchy. And suddenly that “great deal” on garage floor epoxy doesn’t feel so great anymore. The truth is, cutting corners on epoxy isn’t just risky—it’s expensive. You’ll either be living with a failed floor or paying twice: once for the bargain job, and again for the proper fix. In this article, we’re pulling back the curtain on what “cheap epoxy” really means, how to spot it before it wrecks your floor, and what goes into an epoxy system that’s actually built to last. If you’re shopping around and wondering why some quotes are hundreds—or even thousands—less than others, this post is for you. What Makes Epoxy Flooring ‘Cheap’? (And Why It Fails)Let’s be clear—when we say “cheap epoxy,” we’re not just talking about the price. We’re talking about the shortcuts. The kind of shortcuts that get glossed over in a fast quote or a DIY kit promise, but show up loud and clear six months down the line when your floor starts to fail. So what exactly makes an epoxy floor “cheap”? Let’s break it down. 1. Poor Surface Preparation (or None at All) This is the number one reason cheap epoxy floors fail. If the concrete isn’t prepped right, nothing else matters. Period. Many budget installers skip mechanical grinding and go for a quick acid wash or pressure rinse instead. That might save a few hours of labour, but it doesn’t open up the surface or remove contaminants. And if the epoxy can’t properly bond with the concrete? It’s only a matter of time before it starts peeling—usually under your tires. At Concrete Conversions, we always mechanically grind the surface. It’s non-negotiable. That bond is everything. 2. Low-Solids or Water-Based Epoxy Products The stuff you’ll find in big box stores or cheap contractor kits is often water-based epoxy or low-solids blends. These are thinner, less durable, and more prone to wear. They go on fast and look shiny at first, but they lack the build, hardness, and chemical resistance of high-solids, professional-grade epoxy. That means:
3. No Moisture Testing, No Primer, No Vapor Barrier Concrete slabs are like sponges. They absorb moisture from the ground, and without proper testing and protection, that moisture pushes up under the coating—causing bubbles, blisters, and eventual delamination. Cheap jobs skip this entirely. No moisture testing. No primer coat. No vapor barrier. Just slap it on and cross your fingers. In Raleigh, with our humidity and seasonal shifts, that’s a guaranteed failure point. We see it every year. 4. One-and-Done, No Topcoat A proper epoxy system is layered. A base coat, optional decorative media (like flake), and a protective topcoat—often polyurethane or polyaspartic. That final layer isn’t optional. It seals in the system, adds UV protection, increases abrasion resistance, and gives you that long-lasting gloss (or matte) finish. Cheap installs skip the topcoat entirely. It saves time and money—until your surface starts dulling, yellowing, or wearing through. Then the calls come in. Bottom line? Cheap epoxy isn’t about a low price—it’s about what’s missing from the install. And those missing pieces are exactly what keep your floor from failing. The Real-World Failure Points We See All the TimeWe’ve been called out to fix more epoxy floors than we can count—garage floors, shop floors, even commercial spaces that were supposed to be “industrial-grade.” Most of them have one thing in common: they were done fast and cheap. And when corners get cut, these are the exact failure points we see over and over again. Peeling and Delamination This is the most common issue with cheap epoxy floors. It starts small—usually a bubble or a spot lifting under your tires. Then it spreads. Entire sheets of coating begin to separate from the concrete. The root cause? Bad prep. If the installer didn’t properly grind the surface or skipped moisture testing, the epoxy has nothing to grab onto. Once moisture or heat gets underneath, it’s game over. Hot Tire Pickup If your garage floor starts peeling right where your car tires rest, you’re looking at classic hot tire pickup. Here’s what happens: you drive home, your tires are hot from the road, and they soften the epoxy coating. As the tires cool, they contract slightly and pull the coating off the surface like a sticker. If the epoxy was low-grade or applied too thin, it doesn’t stand a chance. This is a Raleigh-area epidemic with DIY kits and rushed installs. We fix it all the time. Yellowing or Discoloration Epoxy that’s not protected with a proper UV-resistant topcoat will yellow. That’s not a maybe—it’s a guarantee, especially in spaces with natural light or open garage doors. Cheaper epoxy systems often skip the topcoat to save time or cost, and that’s a mistake that shows up fast. What started as a crisp gray or white floor turns yellow, uneven, or chalky. Not exactly the showroom look most homeowners were going for. Scratches and Wear in High-Traffic Areas Low-solids epoxy goes on thin. It looks fine for a while, but within a year or two, the wear patterns show up—scuffs, scratches, dull spots, and sometimes flaking. In busy areas like workspaces or commercial settings, it’s even worse. You’re dealing with foot traffic, rolling carts, tools, and spills. If the coating can’t handle that abuse, it won’t last. Moisture Bubbles and Blisters We see this a lot in basements and garages that didn’t get a proper vapor barrier. Moisture rises up from the slab, gets trapped under the epoxy, and forms bubbles or blisters that eventually pop—leaving ugly pockmarks across the surface. Fixing this isn’t a touch-up. It’s a full grind and recoat job, often with added mitigation layers. And all of it could have been avoided with proper prep and planning. Thin, Patchy Coverage Ever see an epoxy floor where some areas are glassy and others look like flat paint? That’s a dead giveaway of inconsistent application or a product that was stretched too far to save money. We’ve seen some floors with half the recommended material coverage—which means half the protection. That may shave dollars off the initial bid, but it guarantees early failure. Every single one of these issues can be prevented with the right materials, right prep, and right process. And when you add up what it costs to fix them, it’s never cheaper than doing it right the first time. What Professional Epoxy Flooring Should IncludeIf the last section was the bad news, here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to be that way. A properly installed epoxy floor doesn’t fail after a year. It doesn’t peel, yellow, or scratch apart under your tires. When it’s done right, an epoxy system can hold strong for 10 to 20+ years, even in demanding environments. So what does a real, professional epoxy flooring system actually include? Here’s how we do it at Concrete Conversions. 1. Mechanical Surface Preparation — Always We don’t touch a slab until it’s been mechanically ground. That means using professional-grade equipment with diamond tooling to open up the pores of the concrete, remove contaminants, and create the surface profile the epoxy needs to properly bond. No acid washing. No shortcuts. This is the foundation of everything, and it’s the number one reason cheap jobs fail. 2. Moisture Testing and Mitigation (When Needed) Concrete breathes—and if your slab is pulling moisture up from underneath, that needs to be addressed before any coating goes down. We always test for vapor emission and recommend moisture-mitigating primer layers when conditions call for it. In humid climates like Raleigh, this is essential—especially for basements, garages, and older slabs. 3. High-Quality, High-Solids Epoxy Products We only use industrial-grade, high-solids epoxy. These products go on thick, cure dense, and last longer than the watered-down, consumer-grade alternatives you’ll find in home improvement stores. The difference in strength, clarity, and adhesion is night and day. 4. Optional Decorative Elements (Done Right) Want flakes? Metallic? Quartz broadcast? We’ve got you. But those elements have to be integrated properly—not just tossed into a wet floor. We use full broadcast methods when needed, backrolled for even coverage, and always topped with a protective seal. We’ll help you choose a system that looks great and performs for your space—not just what’s trendy on Instagram. 5. A Professional Topcoat – Polyaspartic or Polyurethane This is where most cheap epoxy floors cut corners—and it’s also where you lock in the long-term durability of the entire system. We finish with a UV-stable, abrasion-resistant topcoat that adds chemical protection, scratch resistance, and longevity. Glossy or satin, smooth or textured—we’ll customize it for your needs. Without this step, the system simply won’t last. 6. A Clear Plan and a Written Guarantee Every job we do includes a detailed scope, realistic timelines, and a limited warranty. We’re not in the business of fast-and-loose promises. You’ll know exactly what you’re getting—and what to expect. This is the standard. This is how epoxy flooring should be done. If a quote comes in way under everyone else and it skips any of these steps, it’s not a deal—it’s a redo waiting to happen. The Long-Term Cost of a “Cheap” Epoxy JobLet’s say you go with the lowest bid. The installer skips the prep, rolls on a thin coat of epoxy, and wraps up in a single day. It looks fine—maybe even great at first glance. You’re feeling like you saved a few hundred bucks. Fast forward six months. The coating starts peeling under your tires. The color dulls. A couple of spots bubble up from moisture. You realize it’s already breaking down. Now you’re paying for it—twice. Fixing a Failed Epoxy Floor Isn’t Just a Touch-Up Once a cheap epoxy floor starts to fail, the only real fix is a full removal and replacement. That means:
Downtime = Real Money If it’s your garage, that might mean moving everything out (again), waiting for curing time, and living around the disruption. If it’s your commercial space, the stakes are higher:
Damage to the Concrete Slab The longer a failing coating sits on your floor, the more damage it does. Moisture gets trapped, oil stains soak in, and the slab itself starts to degrade. We’ve seen cases where a cheap install wasn’t just a surface issue—it led to deep spalling, cracks, and the need for patching or resurfacing the concrete. That’s a structural cost most people never plan for. Loss of Resale Value For homeowners, a clean, professionally coated garage floor is a value-add during resale. It shows pride of ownership and quality upgrades. But a peeling, stained, or yellowed floor? That gets flagged as a repair—or worse, a liability. A failed coating isn’t just cosmetic—it’s a signal that other shortcuts might exist elsewhere in the home. That can cost you in negotiation or inspection. So What’s the Real Cost of Cheap Epoxy? More money. More time. More hassle. And the regret of knowing it could’ve been done right the first time. When you look at the numbers over the lifespan of the floor, quality epoxy flooring is always the more affordable option in the long run. How to Spot a Bad Quote Before You Say YesBy the time most people call us to fix a failed epoxy floor, the damage is already done. But if you’re reading this before you’ve signed on the dotted line—good news. You’ve got a chance to avoid the whole mess entirely. Here’s how to spot a low-quality epoxy flooring quote before it turns into a five-figure regret. 1. The Prep Work Is Barely Mentioned If the quote doesn’t explicitly mention grinding, surface prep, or moisture testing, that’s a red flag. Good epoxy floors start with proper surface preparation—period. If the contractor only talks about “cleaning the floor” or “etching,” it means they’re skipping the most critical step. And that means failure is just a matter of time. 2. The Materials Are Vague Does the quote list the actual type of epoxy being used? Does it mention solids content? What about the topcoat? If the product details are missing—or worse, if they only reference a generic big-box brand—that’s a sign you’re dealing with a low-grade system. You want high-solids epoxy, and ideally a polyurethane or polyaspartic topcoat. If those terms aren’t in the proposal, ask why. And if the installer doesn’t know what they are? Run. 3. They Promise to Do It All in One Day Look, we get it—fast installs sound appealing. But a full epoxy system takes time to do right. Between surface prep, base coat curing, flake broadcasting, and topcoat installation, it’s a multi-step process. If someone says they can knock it all out in a few hours, they’re either skipping critical steps or using fast-drying, low-grade materials with a short lifespan. Either way, your floor loses. 4. No Mention of a Topcoat If the quote ends with “and then we’re done,” and there’s no mention of a clear topcoat being applied—that’s a deal breaker. The topcoat is what protects the epoxy from UV, wear, scratches, and chemicals. Without it, even the best base layer will degrade. It’s like painting your house without sealing it—looks great for six months, then starts falling apart. 5. They Can’t Clearly Explain the Process If your installer can’t confidently walk you through:
What You’ll Get from Concrete Conversions Every quote we deliver includes:
Pay Once or Pay TwiceThere’s a hard truth about epoxy flooring that doesn’t get talked about enough: you only think you’re saving money with the cheap option—until it fails. And when it does, you’re not just dealing with an ugly floor. You’re dealing with wasted money, wasted time, and a second round of installation that costs more than doing it right the first time. At Concrete Conversions, we’ve fixed enough failed coatings to know what went wrong without even stepping on the floor. We’ve seen the peeling, the bubbling, the flaking edges around garage tires or loading docks. We’ve heard the same sentence from homeowners and business owners across Raleigh: “I just didn’t know what I was getting into.” Now you do. A real epoxy flooring system isn’t just a product—it’s a process. One that involves proper surface prep, high-performance materials, and a team that knows exactly what your floor needs to handle real-world use. When done right, it’s one of the best upgrades you can make to your property. It protects your investment, adds value, and looks great for years. When done wrong, it’s just another expense waiting to happen. Pay once. Or pay twice. The choice is yours. Don’t Gamble on Cheap—Call Concrete ConversionsIf you’re thinking about epoxy flooring for your garage, shop, warehouse, or commercial space, here’s the best advice we can give you: don’t roll the dice on a bargain job.
It’s not just about how it looks on Day One. It’s about how it holds up after a year of hot tires, foot traffic, oil spills, North Carolina humidity, and everyday wear. At Concrete Conversions, we install epoxy systems the right way—no shortcuts, no low-grade materials, no disappearing after the job’s done. We’re based right here in the Raleigh area, and we take pride in helping homeowners and business owners get floors that perform just as well as they look. Want to get a quote that actually explains what you’re paying for? Call Brandon or Christy at (919) 273-4233 or Email us at [email protected] We’ll take a look at your space, explain your options, and give you a clear plan to install a floor that actually lasts. No pressure. No gimmicks. Just real epoxy floors, done right the first time.
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