This can go either way. We do not recommend filling in your expansion joints with floor coatings. The expansion joints are there for a reason: to force cracks to occur inside them versus in the middle of the floor. If the expansion joints are filled with something solid, it will put pressure outside of them and can cause the floor coating to crack in other places.

We can fill the joints with a solid product but there are other risks associated with that. Some products won’t last as long as the floor coating we use. If that product breaks loose, it can cause the coating to delaminate along those areas. So what are your options?

Options for Floor Coatings

The most common approach is to coat in and out of the expansion joints, not filling any cracks in the joints. This option gives you the longest lasting floor. It allows the floor to shift without causing damage to the coating. The downside is you will most likely see the cracks in the expansion joints especially as the floor shifts. Another option is we can use a flexible product that bonds to our coating to caulk the existing cracks, then coat in and out of the joints.

This looks clean, hides the cracks, and can last the life of the floor. The caulk is very flexible and can absorb most floor movements. If the floor shifts enough you may see the cracks reappear. The last option is to use a joint filler to completely fill the expansion joints with a product designed for it. This turns a 1 day project into a 2 day project. We would need to come out a day or two prior to the install to prep and fill the joints. For the product to adhere properly, the joints need to be ground. Once this step is complete, we fill the joints with an epoxy based compound.

This compound is self leveling and creates a seamless looking garage floor. If your concrete shifts over time, you may begin to see cracks forming over the seams.

There is no warranty for issues that arise from filling expansion joints with a caulk or joint filler.

Can the steps be Polyaspartic Coating even though they’re made out of wood?

Absolutely! Even if the steps are made of wood, the coating will adhere to them but there is no warranty on them. Coating the steps will definitely last much longer than painting them. Our process for coating wood steps is to sand the existing paint to scar the surface so the product has a better surface to adhere to. We then coat the steps the same way we would the concrete floor.

We do not remove the steps if you want them coated. We can coat them while they are attached to the wall. If you remove the steps, we lay plastic down outside of the garage and coat them outside. The advantage to removing the steps is we can get a full consistent coating on the floor where the steps sit. If the steps are not removed, we will coat around and under them as best as we can.

UV Protected Polyaspartic Floor Coatings

Polyaspartic coatings, which are what we use, are UV protected and will hold up best from UV ray exposure. If the coating is exposed to UV rays from the sun, you will not have to worry about it becoming discolored over time. Typical epoxy coatings are not UV protected, so exposure to the sun over time will fade and discolor the coating. With polyurea coatings, they are durable, but not UV protected so they can discolor in the sun as well.