Buyer’s Guide
Epoxy Coating Systems Explained
Flake, metallic, solid colour, polyaspartic, epoxy mortar and anti-slip — every system has its strengths. Here’s a plain-English guide to help you choose the right floor.
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Choosing an epoxy floor isn’t really about the colour — it’s about the system. The right coating system depends on how the floor is used, how much traffic and sunlight it gets, your budget and how fast you need it back in service. Below we explain each of the six systems we install, then compare them side by side. When you’re ready, our surface preparation guide explains the step that matters most of all — what happens before any coating goes down.
Flake & Chip Broadcast Epoxy
Decorative vinyl flakes broadcast into an epoxy base coat and sealed — the most popular all-round system for garages and high-traffic floors.
Flake (or chip) broadcast epoxy is our highest-volume system because it balances looks, durability, slip resistance and price better than any other. A pigmented epoxy base coat is rolled onto prepared concrete, and decorative vinyl flakes are broadcast into the wet coat to full rejection, creating a complete, consistent cover. Once cured, the excess is scraped back and the floor is sealed with a tough clear topcoat.
The flake adds a subtle texture that improves grip, hides dust, tyre marks and minor slab imperfections, and gives a speckled, terrazzo-like appearance available in dozens of blends. It’s the natural choice for garages, workshops, laundries and commercial high-traffic areas where the floor has to look good and take real use.
How it’s applied
- Diamond-grind concrete to CSP 2–3 profile and vacuum dust
- Repair cracks and joints; moisture-test and prime
- Roll pigmented epoxy base coat
- Broadcast vinyl flakes to full rejection
- Scrape and vacuum excess flake once cured
- Seal with clear polyurethane or polyaspartic topcoat
Typical cost: $45–$80/m²GaragesWorkshopsCommercial high-traffic floorsLaundries and interiors
Metallic Epoxy
Reflective metallic pigments worked by hand into a clear epoxy for flowing, marble-like, one-of-a-kind decorative floors.
Metallic epoxy is the premium decorative system. Reflective metallic pigments are suspended in a clear epoxy and manipulated while wet — with rollers, brushes, solvents and air — to create flowing, three-dimensional effects like rippling water, molten metal or polished marble. No two metallic floors are alike, and the result depends heavily on applicator skill.
It’s used for showpiece garages, showrooms, receptions, retail and feature living areas where the floor is meant to impress. A clear high-build topcoat — often UV-stable polyaspartic — protects the decorative layer and delivers the signature glassy finish.
How it’s applied
- Diamond-grind and prepare concrete; repair and prime
- Apply pigmented metallic base coat
- Work metallic pigments while wet to create depth and movement
- Cure the decorative layer
- Seal with clear high-build topcoat (gloss or satin)
- Optional anti-slip aggregate in topcoat
Typical cost: $80–$150/m²Premium residentialShowrooms & receptionsRetail feature areasFeature living spaces
Solid Colour Epoxy
A clean, uniform single-colour high-build epoxy for a crisp commercial-look floor that brightens the space and cleans easily.
Solid colour epoxy delivers a flat, uniform finish in a single colour — sharp, modern and commercial in feel. It’s a high-build pigmented epoxy sealed with a clear or tinted topcoat, with no flake to hide the substrate, which puts extra emphasis on slab preparation.
It’s cost-effective and versatile, used for contemporary garages, laundries, gyms and studios as well as warehouses, commercial kitchens and clean, utilitarian spaces. The seamless, pore-free surface reflects light to brighten a room and wipes clean of oil and chemicals.
How it’s applied
- Diamond-grind and fair the slab to a uniform profile
- Repair cracks, pits and trowel marks; moisture-test and prime
- Apply high-build pigmented epoxy colour coat
- Apply clear or tinted topcoat (gloss or satin)
- Optional anti-slip aggregate for wet areas
Typical cost: $40–$70/m²WarehousesCommercial kitchensClean rooms & utility spacesContemporary garages
Polyaspartic Coatings
Aliphatic polyurea coatings that cure fast and stay UV-stable — used as a high-performance topcoat or full build for speed and sun resistance.
Polyaspartic is an aliphatic polyurea — chemically distinct from epoxy. Its two defining advantages are fast cure (often same-day return to service) and UV stability (it won’t amber or chalk in sunlight). It’s more flexible and more forgiving of moisture and temperature than epoxy, which makes it excellent outdoors and in cooler conditions.
It’s commonly used as a high-performance topcoat over a flake or metallic epoxy base — giving epoxy’s looks with polyaspartic’s speed and UV stability — or as a full polyaspartic build for maximum durability. The trade-off is higher material cost and a short working window that demands a skilled, fast applicator.
How it’s applied
- Diamond-grind and prepare concrete; repair and prime
- Apply base coat (epoxy or polyaspartic), broadcast flake if specified
- Apply polyaspartic topcoat — cures rapidly
- Return to foot traffic same day, vehicles next day (typical)
Typical cost: $60–$120/m²Outdoor & UV-exposed areasPool surroundsFast-turnaround projectsPremium garages
Epoxy Mortar Systems
Aggregate-filled, trowel-applied high-build epoxy for extreme compression, impact and wear — and for rebuilding damaged slabs.
Epoxy mortar is the heavy-industrial system: graded aggregate blended into epoxy resin and trowel-applied at high build (several millimetres). The aggregate delivers exceptional compressive and impact strength, and the thickness gives a substantial wear layer for severe-duty traffic — heavy forklifts, dropped loads, extreme abrasion and thermal shock.
It’s also the system of choice for rebuilding spalled, pitted or worn concrete: it can be trowelled in to re-level and re-profile a slab, restoring a sound floor without replacement. In food and processing environments it pairs with coving and a hygienic topcoat for a floor that’s both tough and sanitisable.
How it’s applied
- Aggressive mechanical prep (grinding or shot-blasting)
- Repair cracks and joints; moisture-test and prime
- Trowel-apply aggregate-filled epoxy mortar to grade
- Detail edges, falls and penetrations
- Seal/finish for chemical resistance and slip rating
Typical cost: $60–$140/m²Heavy industrial floorsLoading docksFood processingSlab repair & re-levelling
Anti-Slip & Safety Coatings
Graded aggregate bound into a coating to deliver measurable AS 4586 slip resistance for ramps, wet areas, kitchens and pool decks.
Anti-slip systems build graded aggregate into a durable coating to deliver measurable, lasting slip resistance. The aggregate type and grade are selected to hit the appropriate AS 4586 classification for the area — a commercial kitchen, an external ramp and a barefoot pool deck each need a different texture, balancing safety against cleanability and comfort.
It can be a complete system or a retro-fit slip-resistant topcoat over a sound existing floor, and it integrates with our epoxy and polyaspartic finishes so safety doesn’t mean an ugly floor. Slip resistance can be zoned across a facility — heavier grip on ramps and wet areas, smoother elsewhere.
How it’s applied
- Assess area use and required slip classification
- Prepare/grind surface and prime
- Apply base coat
- Broadcast graded anti-slip aggregate to specified rating
- Seal with topcoat; verify finish
Typical cost: $35–$85/m²Ramps & walkwaysCommercial kitchens & wet areasPool surroundsLoading docks & entries
System Comparison
| System | Durability | Cost | UV Stability | Cure Time | Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flake & Chip Broadcast Epoxy | High | Mid | Good (with polyaspartic topcoat) | 2–3 days | Garages & high-traffic floors |
| Metallic Epoxy | High | High | Good (with UV-stable topcoat) | 3–4 days | Premium feature floors |
| Solid Colour Epoxy | High | Low–Mid | Moderate (UV-stable topcoat for sun) | 2–3 days | Commercial & utilitarian floors |
| Polyaspartic Coatings | Very high | High | Excellent (non-yellowing) | 1 day (fast cure) | Outdoor, UV-exposed & fast turnaround |
| Epoxy Mortar Systems | Extreme | High | Topcoat-dependent | 3–5 days | Severe-duty industrial & repairs |
| Anti-Slip & Safety Coatings | High | Mid | System-dependent | 2–3 days | Safety-critical & wet areas |
Not sure which is right for your floor? Book a free on-site quote and we’ll recommend the system that suits how you actually use the space.
Coating Systems — FAQs
What is the most popular epoxy coating system?
Flake (chip) broadcast epoxy is the most popular all-round system. It balances looks, durability, slip resistance and price better than anything else, which is why it’s the default choice for most garages and high-traffic floors.
What’s the difference between epoxy and polyaspartic?
Epoxy is a thick, economical, rigid build coat that cures slowly and can yellow in UV. Polyaspartic (an aliphatic polyurea) cures far faster — often same-day return to service — and stays UV-stable. Many floors combine both: an epoxy build coat with a polyaspartic topcoat.
Which coating system is best for a garage?
For most garages, a flake system gives the best balance of looks, grip and value. If you want a one-day turnaround or sun exposure is a factor, a polyaspartic system is better. For a premium feature floor, metallic epoxy is the standout. We’ll recommend based on how you use the space.
Which system is best for outdoor or pool areas?
Polyaspartic, because it’s UV-stable and won’t yellow in the sun, usually with anti-slip aggregate for safe footing. Standard epoxy can amber outdoors, so we reserve it for covered or shaded areas with a UV-stable topcoat.
What coating do warehouses and factories use?
High-build solid-colour epoxy for general warehouse traffic, and aggregate-filled epoxy mortar for severe-duty areas with heavy forklift traffic, impact or extreme abrasion. Line marking and anti-slip are usually integrated.
Does metallic epoxy cost more than flake?
Yes. Metallic typically runs $80–$150/m² versus $45–$80/m² for flake, reflecting the metallic pigments and the skilled, labour-intensive hand-working of the decorative effect. Mechanically they’re comparable; the difference is the look.
How long do these coating systems last?
A correctly prepared and installed system lasts 10–20 years in a domestic setting and many years under commercial and industrial traffic. The clear topcoat is the wear layer and can be refreshed to extend the floor’s life. We back our work with a 10-year written warranty.
Can different systems be combined?
Yes, and they often are. A common combination is an epoxy or metallic base coat with a polyaspartic topcoat — you get the look and thickness of epoxy with the fast cure and UV stability of polyaspartic. Anti-slip aggregate can be added to any system.
Get Expert Advice on the Right System
Book a free, no-obligation on-site quote. We’ll assess your concrete, recommend the right system, and give you a written fixed price — backed by a 10-year warranty.