The Hidden Downsides of Epoxy Flooring (And How to Avoid Them in Raleigh, NC)

Setting Expectations for Epoxy Flooring

Epoxy flooring has a reputation—and a good one. It’s tough, sleek, chemical-resistant, and versatile. You’ll find it in everything from commercial kitchens and auto shops to modern living rooms and industrial plants. But let’s be real for a second: no flooring system is perfect.

At Concrete Conversions, we love epoxy. We install it every week across Raleigh and the surrounding areas. But part of being the expert is also being honest. And the truth is, epoxy has some downsides—especially when it’s done wrong.

You’ve probably seen a floor that looked great at first and started peeling within a year. Or maybe someone told you it was “maintenance-free” and now they’re scrambling to deal with hot tire pickup in their garage. A lot of epoxy horror stories come down to two things: bad prep and bad advice.

This post isn’t about trashing epoxy—it’s about setting the record straight. We’ll break down the most common issues people face with epoxy flooring: from moisture problems and surface prep mistakes to yellowing, slipping, and more. And we’ll show you exactly how Concrete Conversions avoids these pitfalls by sticking to strict industry best practices.

If you’re considering epoxy flooring for your home, warehouse, or commercial space, this is what you need to know upfront—no sugarcoating. Just real talk from contractors who’ve seen it all.

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Moisture Problems – The #1 Cause of Epoxy Floor Failure

Let’s get one thing straight: moisture is epoxy’s worst enemy. And not just the puddles you can see—we’re talking about moisture vapor rising up from the concrete slab below. If your concrete has a high moisture content and the surface isn’t properly tested or sealed, that vapor pressure can push up under the epoxy and cause bubbling, blistering, and full-on delamination.

That “peeling paint” look? Nine times out of ten, it’s moisture trying to escape through a coating that wasn’t designed—or prepared—for it.
Why This HappensConcrete slabs hold moisture for a long time, especially in humid climates like we see in North Carolina. New slabs are even worse, since they can take up to a year to fully dry depending on conditions. If a contractor skips the moisture test or applies epoxy too soon, you're looking at problems down the road.

How Concrete Conversions Avoids It
We don’t gamble with moisture.
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Before we install anything, we use a calcium chloride test or RH probe to get real data on the moisture levels in your slab. If it’s too high, we’ll either delay the install or use a vapor barrier epoxy primer designed specifically to block moisture transmission. It’s more work upfront, but it saves your floor—and your investment—in the long run.

Bottom line: if your contractor isn’t testing for moisture, they’re cutting corners. We don't. Ever.

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Surface Prep — Where 90% of Epoxy Jobs Go Wrong

You can buy the best epoxy in the world—but if it’s slapped onto a dirty, slick, or uneven surface, it’s going to fail. Period.

Surface preparation is everything. It’s the most important step in epoxy installation, and unfortunately, it’s also the one most commonly rushed or skipped entirely. Why? Because it’s loud, messy, time-consuming, and takes real expertise.

Common Prep MistakesMost DIYers (and sadly, some pros) will just acid-etch the surface or give it a quick power wash and call it a day. That might get the floor clean, but it won’t open up the pores of the concrete to allow proper bonding. The result? Peeling, chipping, or a floor that looks good for six months and then starts flaking off in patches.

And don’t even get us started on applying epoxy over old coatings, paint, or adhesive residue. That’s like trying to paint over duct tape—it’s not
gonna hold.

How Concrete Conversions Gets It Right
We don’t cut corners on prep. Every job starts with mechanical grinding using diamond tooling—the gold standard for epoxy adhesion. This not only cleans the surface, but it creates the right texture profile (called a CSP, or Concrete Surface Profile) for the epoxy to grab onto.
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And we’re not guessing--we measure and document our surface prep so we know your floor is ready before we lay down a single drop of resin.
It’s like painting a car. If you don’t sand it right, it doesn’t matter how glossy the paint is—it’s gonna look terrible. We treat your floor with the same attention to detail.

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Slipperiness and Safety Concerns

Let’s get real—epoxy floors can be slippery when wet. There’s no sugar-coating it. That smooth, glossy finish everyone loves? It doesn’t do you any favours when water, oil, or dust get involved. Especially in a garage, shop, or warehouse where spills are part of the job.

A lot of homeowners find this out the hard way—one rainy day, and suddenly their new garage floor turns into a skating rink. Even commercial facilities have to tread carefully (literally) if slip resistance isn’t built into the system from the start.

Why It HappensEpoxy naturally cures into a slick surface. That’s great for cleaning, but not for traction. A basic, high-gloss epoxy topcoat without additives will have the same texture as glass—and glass isn’t exactly known for its grip.

This becomes a major liability in workspaces, commercial kitchens, or anywhere with foot traffic and fluids.

How Concrete Conversions Tackles It
We build safety right into the system. Depending on the space, we’ll add aluminum oxide, silica sand, or polymer grit directly into the topcoat to increase traction without compromising the look.

Not every area needs the same slip resistance, so we customize the finish based on how the space will be used. For example:

• A residential garage might get a light grit for balance between comfort and safety.
• A food processing facility? That’s going to need serious traction—so we go with a heavier broadcast.

​Bottom line: slip resistance should never be an afterthought. With Concrete Conversions, it’s planned from day one.

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Temperature Sensitivity and Curing Issues

Epoxy isn’t exactly known for being flexible—especially when it comes to temperature. Install it too cold, and it might never cure right. Install it too hot, and it could flash cure and fail to bond properly.

This is one of the most common DIY horror stories we hear: someone grabs a kit from the hardware store, mixes it on a chilly morning, and ends up with a soft, sticky mess that never fully hardens. Or worse—they install it during a hot afternoon in direct sunlight, and the epoxy cures before they even get a chance to roll it out evenly.

Why It’s a Problem
Epoxy is a chemical reaction. The resin and hardener have to mix and cure at just the right pace. That pace is heavily influenced by ambient temperature and humidity:

• Too cold (<10°C / 50°F): Epoxy stays tacky or fails to cure at all.
• Too hot (>30°C / 86°F): You’ve got almost no working time. It sets up before it bonds properly.

Temperature swings during curing can also cause bubbling, fisheyes, and delamination—none of which you want on a professional-grade floor.

What Concrete Conversions Does Differently
Here’s where experience counts. We don’t just show up and start mixing—we check conditions, monitor temperature, and schedule the job strategically. We also:

• Use temperature-appropriate formulas for different seasons.
• Bring in heaters or fans when needed to stabilize the environment.
• Apply moisture-blocking primers if there’s humidity in the slab or air.

And because we’ve done this hundreds of times in Raleigh’s unpredictable weather, we know when to call it and come back another day if the conditions just aren’t right.

You’ll never catch us rushing a floor that won’t cure properly. That’s how coatings fail—and we don’t do failures.

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Strong Odors and VOCs During Installation

Let’s be real—epoxy doesn’t smell like roses. Especially not during installation. Most commercial-grade epoxies give off strong chemical odors while curing, and some formulas release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can be irritating or even hazardous in enclosed spaces.

If you’ve ever walked into a garage mid-install and felt your eyes sting or your chest tighten, you’ve felt the impact of poor ventilation and high-VOC materials firsthand.

Why It’s a Problem

• Air quality concerns: For sensitive individuals, VOCs can trigger headaches, respiratory irritation, or worse.
• Downtime and disruption: In commercial spaces, strong odors can interrupt operations, affect staff, or even require temporary shutdowns.
• Compliance risks: Some municipalities and commercial building codes restrict the use of high-VOC products, especially indoors.

This is a deal-breaker for many clients—especially in medical facilities, schools, food production, or offices where people are working during the day.

What Concrete Conversions Does Differently
We don’t just roll in with a bucket and hope for the best. At Concrete Conversions, we’ve invested in low-VOC and zero-VOC epoxy systems that meet even the strictest air quality requirements. Here's how we handle it:

• We select the right product for the job. If we’re installing indoors or in an occupied space, we opt for water-based or 100% solids epoxies that have little to no smell.
• We use professional-grade ventilation systems to keep air moving and workers safe during installation.
• We work after-hours or in scheduled windows to minimize disruption—especially for sensitive environments like schools, offices, or retail.

​Bottom line: your project shouldn’t come with a side of chemical fumes. We keep it clean, professional, and compliant.

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Poor UV Resistance (and Yellowing)

Here’s one epoxy drawback that can sneak up on people: UV exposure. Standard epoxy flooring does not like sunlight. Over time, direct or even indirect UV rays can cause the surface to amber or yellow, even if it was once a crisp, clean white or grey.

This isn’t just about aesthetics—although that’s often the first complaint. Yellowing can signal chemical breakdown and even lead to premature wear if left unchecked.

Where This Shows Up

• Sunlit interiors: Think garage floors with open doors or warehouse entries that get blasted with morning sun.
• Patios and exterior spaces: Epoxy isn’t designed for outdoor use unless specially formulated.
• Showrooms or retail floors: If you’ve got spotlights or skylights, discoloration can happen fast.

So yeah—if you’re picturing your gleaming new epoxy floor basking in the sun, make sure it’s built to handle it.

What Concrete Conversions Does Differently
We’ve seen this issue a hundred times—and we don’t let it slide. Here’s how we make sure UV doesn’t wreck your investment:

• We use UV-stable topcoats like polyaspartic or polyurethane when sunlight is a factor. These coatings are formulated to resist yellowing and surface breakdown.
• We educate you up front. If the area isn’t suited for traditional epoxy, we’ll tell you straight. No upsell, no sugar-coating—just the best system for your environment.
• We use color-stable flakes and pigments that won’t fade or distort under sunlight.

​The key is using the right system for the right space. At Concrete Conversions, we’d rather turn down a job than install something we know won’t last.

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The Real Deal on Epoxy Flooring Downsides

Epoxy flooring is an incredible option—when it’s done right. But like anything in construction, it comes with trade-offs. From tricky prep and potential yellowing to slip risks and limited flexibility, there are plenty of ways things can go sideways if corners are cut.

The good news? None of these issues are deal-breakers when you have the right team on the job.

At Concrete Conversions, we’ve spent years perfecting our craft so that clients in Raleigh and across North Carolina get epoxy floors that actually live up to the hype. We handle the prep properly, use professional-grade materials, and customize every project to match the exact conditions of your space.

That’s how we avoid the typical pitfalls—and deliver floors that look sharp and perform under pressure.

Let’s Get Your Floor Done Right
If you’ve been burned by bad contractors in the past—or you’re just not sure if epoxy is the right move—give us a call. We’ll walk you through the process, answer your questions, and recommend the right solution for your space. Whether it’s epoxy, polished concrete, or something more specialized, we’ll make sure it’s done the right way from the ground up.

Call Brandon or Christy at (919) 273-4233