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ARMORTHANE PROTECTING YOUR WORLD

PROTECTING YOUR WORLD

ARMORTHANE PROTECTING YOUR WORLD

Polyaspartic vs
Epoxy: What the
Data Sheets Say

Cure times, moisture limits, abrasion, UV and cost over the life of the floor, compared with manufacturer data sheets. We make polyaspartic, not epoxy, and we’ll still tell you when epoxy is the better pick.
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  • Slab moisture testing (ASTM F2170 or F1869)
  • Polyaspartic, polyurea and hybrid floor systems
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  • Contractors: ask about adding one-day floors
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Step 1 of 3
24 hr
Polyaspartic to heavy traffic
Simiron Polyaspartic HS at 72°F. Epoxies cited: 2–3 days
30 vs 50–110
Taber abrasion loss, mg
ASTM D4060, polyaspartic vs two epoxies. Lower is better
25 vs 3 lb
Slab moisture limit
Epoxy MVB primer vs polyaspartic direct to concrete (ASTM F1869)
$2–$5
Polyaspartic premium per sq ft
Our math on 2024–2026 installed price ranges

Almost every page that ranks for "polyaspartic vs epoxy" was written by an installer or a product seller, and several lean on lines like "4x stronger" and "98% more flexible" with no test method attached. We're not neutral either. We make polyaspartic. But we don't make an epoxy floor product, and the honest answer turns out to be more useful than a pitch: on most good floors, the two chemistries end up working together.

So this comparison is built from manufacturer data sheets and the ASTM methods printed on them. Taber abrasion, Shore D hardness, tensile and elongation, QUV weathering, and the two slab moisture tests that decide more floors than all the others combined. Where a number comes from an installer or a cost guide, we say so. Where epoxy is the better tool, we say that too.

Is polyaspartic better than epoxy?

For a garage or any floor the sun reaches, usually yes. On the data sheets cited here, polyaspartic takes heavy traffic in about 24 hours, versus 2–3 days for the epoxies cited and about 7 days before a professional epoxy is fully cured, keeps its color under UV, loses less to abrasion (30 mg vs 50–110 mg Taber) and installs down to 30–35°F. Epoxy wins on slab moisture (primers rated to 25 lb or 95% RH, against 3 lb or 75% for polyaspartic applied straight to concrete), thick smooth builds, working time and upfront cost ($3–$7 vs $5–$12 per sq ft). Most professional floors use both: an epoxy or polyurea base under a polyaspartic top. Test the slab's moisture first. That decides which systems are even eligible.

What's in this comparison
  1. 1Polyaspartic vs epoxy at a glance
  2. 2The difference in chemistry
  3. 3Performance data from real data sheets
  4. 4Data-sheet face-off (tool)
  5. 5Cure time and return to service (planner)
  6. 6Moisture, temperature and dew point (checker)
  7. 7Cost, upfront and over the floor's life (calculator)
  8. 8When epoxy actually wins
  9. 9When polyaspartic wins
  10. 10Polyaspartic over epoxy: the hybrid system
  11. 11Safety, VOCs and jobsite rules
  12. 12Which should you choose?
  13. 13Polyaspartic vs epoxy FAQ
Side by side

Polyaspartic vs epoxy at a glance

Polyaspartic is the faster, UV-stable, more abrasion-resistant wear layer. Epoxy is the cheaper, more moisture-tolerant, more forgiving base. Every cell below names the product it came from, because numbers vary more between brands than between chemistries. Read each row as "this product," not "every polyaspartic" or "every epoxy."

PropertyPolyaspartic (products cited)Epoxy (products cited)
ChemistryAliphatic polyurea: polyaspartic ester + aliphatic polyisocyanateEpoxide resin (usually BADGE) + amine hardener
UV and color87–89 gloss retained after 1,000 hr QUV (Simiron HS)Discolors or yellows in sunlight (Sikafloor-261, Simiron 1150FC)
Taber abrasion, ASTM D406030 mg loss (Simiron HS)50 mg (Simiron MVB), ~110 mg (Sikafloor-261)
Hardness, Shore D70 at 24 hr, 86 at 5 days (HS); 80 (Aspartic 85); 65 ± 5 (ArmorFloor TopCoat)~76 (Sikafloor-261); 78–80 (MVB)
Elongation5–10% (HS); 2.4% (Aspartic 85)~22% (Sikafloor-261)
Working time / pot life14 min to 2 hr by grade and humidity (HS); 15–20 min (Aspartic 85)~15–60 min by temperature (Sikafloor-261); 1–2 hr (Rust-Oleum kit)
Walk-on4–34 hr by grade (HS); 5–7 hr (Aspartic 85)~1 day per coat at 68°F (Sika); 24 hr (Rust-Oleum)
Vehicles / heavy traffic24 hr (HS; XTRA Slow grade 3 days)72 hr (Rust-Oleum); ~2 days light traffic per coat (Sika)
Full cure / chemicalsChemical ratings after 5-day cure (HS)~7 days at 68°F (Sika); 5 days (MVB)
Minimum application temp35°F (HS, Fast grade below 60°F); 30°F (Aspartic 85)50°F (Sika); 60°F (Rust-Oleum)
Slab moisture limit3 lb MVER / 75% RH direct to concrete (HS)12 lb / 85% (1150FC base); 25 lb / 95% (MVB primer)
DIY-friendly?Kits exist; short working time is the catchEasiest to DIY; kit film is thin
Installed priceAbout $5–$12 per sq ftAbout $3–$7 per sq ft
Best jobTopcoat / wear layerPrimer, moisture barrier, base coat
Sources: Simiron Polyaspartic HS PDS (04/2026), Exterior Coatings Aspartic 85, ArmorThane ArmorFloor TopCoat, Sikafloor-261 CA PDS (11/2021), Simiron MVB sell sheet and 1150FC system guide, Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield water-based TDS (2018). Prices are 2024–2026 installer and publisher estimates.

Two rows deserve a second look before anything else: moisture and elongation. Most of what you'll read online gets both of them backwards.

Is polyaspartic the same as epoxy?

Difference between epoxy and polyaspartic: the chemistry in two minutes

No, they're not the same, and they aren't even related. Epoxy and polyaspartic cure by different reactions, and nearly every practical difference on this page, from yellowing to cure time to humidity sensitivity, traces back to that.

Epoxy. Most floor epoxies are built on bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), made from epichlorohydrin and bisphenol A, and cured with a polyfunctional amine hardener. The backbone carries aromatic rings from the bisphenol A, and that's the part sunlight attacks. Epoxy coatings chalk under UV exposure, and epoxy resins yellow with time even when they're kept out of the sun.

Polyaspartic. A modified polyurea. The resin side is a polyaspartic ester, made by reacting an amine with a dialkyl maleate (an aza-Michael reaction). The result is a sterically hindered secondary amine that reacts with isocyanate far more slowly than the amines in spray polyurea. The technology was introduced in the early 1990s, with patents to Bayer in Germany and Miles Corp. in the United States. Paired with an aliphatic polyisocyanate, the cured film is UV and light stable.

Writing in Adhesives & Sealants Industry, Dr. Jeffrey Dormish placed its reactivity between very fast-curing polyurea and slower polyurethane, with a pot life long enough to apply it without plural-component impingement mixing. Its cure speeds up with heat and is "greatly accelerated with increasing humidity." Epoxy, on the cure tables we used, is driven by temperature. Covestro, the successor to Bayer MaterialScience, markets its polyaspartic floor systems as curing "up to eight times faster" than conventional floor coatings. That's a maker's claim, but the data-sheet cure tables below point the same way.

One more thing: "polyaspartic epoxy" isn't a chemistry. If a label uses both words, read the data sheet to see which layer is which. For the product-side detail, see our polyaspartic floor coating guide and advantages of polyaspartic coatings.

Tested, not claimed

Polyaspartic vs epoxy performance: what the data sheets show

On the data sheets we compared, polyaspartic wins on abrasion and UV, the two are close on hardness, and the epoxy is the more flexible film. Whether polyaspartic is "stronger" depends on which epoxy you pick. Each property below comes with its test method, so you can check the claims yourself.

Abrasion and scratch resistance (Taber, ASTM D4060)

A Taber test spins abrasive wheels on a coated panel and weighs what wears off; lower is better. On the three sheets using the same setup (CS-17 wheels, 1,000 g, 1,000 cycles), Polyaspartic HS loses 30 mg, Simiron's MVB epoxy 50 mg and Sikafloor-261 about 110 mg. That's 1.7 to 3.7 times less wear, by our arithmetic. Real, but not the "10X" some installers advertise, and the labs differ. Aspartic 85's 20 mg was measured at 500 cycles, so it doesn't line up with the others.

Hardness isn't toughness (Shore D)

Shore D (ASTM D2240) measures how far an indenter presses in. That's hardness, not wear resistance, and the numbers overlap: Polyaspartic HS is 70 at 24 hours and 86 at five days, Aspartic 85 is 80, our ArmorFloor TopCoat is 65 ± 5, and the epoxies are about 76 (Sikafloor-261) and 78–80 (MVB). Neither "epoxy is harder" nor the reverse holds as a blanket rule. Note the climb from 70 to 86: a floor you can walk on in hours keeps hardening for most of a week.

Strength and flexibility: checking "4x stronger" and "98% more flexible"

Tensile strength varies by formulation, not family. Polyaspartic HS tests at 4,000 psi and Sikafloor-261 at about 1,073, so against that epoxy "4x stronger" is close (3.7x). Simiron's MVB epoxy tests at 9,600 psi, 2.4 times the polyaspartic. Same claim, opposite answer.

Flexibility runs the other way from what you'll usually read. Floor-grade polyaspartic topcoats are rigid films: 5–10% elongation for Polyaspartic HS and 2.4% for Aspartic 85, against about 22% for Sikafloor-261. "98–100% more flexible" doesn't survive a data sheet. Real stretch belongs to elastomeric spray polyurea, used as a base or membrane (see the hybrid system), and Simiron warns that moving joints and shrinkage cracks may reflect through regardless. The tensile figures use three methods (ASTM D2370, D638 and D412), so treat small gaps as noise.

UV stability and yellowing

This is polyaspartic's clearest win. Polyaspartic HS kept 87–89 gloss units after 1,000 hours of QUV weathering (ASTM G154). The epoxy makers say the opposite about their own products: Sikafloor-261 "will discolour over time when exposed to sunlight," and Simiron's 1150FC base "will yellow over time," so spots the chip doesn't cover discolor. If daylight reaches the floor, epoxy shouldn't be the top layer.

Chemical and stain resistance

Chemical resistance is published per product and depends on cure time. Here's Simiron's chart for Polyaspartic HS after a five-day cure:

RatingChemicals (Simiron Polyaspartic HS, 5-day cure)
ExcellentBrake fluid, transmission fluid, motor oil, unleaded gasoline, E85/E95, Skydrol, MEK, xylene, bleach, 20% salt water
Good10% acetic acid, vinegar, 10% citric acid, 10% and 30% hydrochloric acid, 50% sodium hydroxide
FairMineral spirits, 50% phosphoric acid, 10%, 37% and 70% sulfuric acid
Not recommended10% nitric acid

That's strong for fuel, fluids and road salt. For a battery room or an acid process area, get the exact chart for the exact product. On the epoxy side, Sika lists "full cure or chemical exposure" at about seven days at 68°F.

Hot tire pickup: what really causes it

Tires can exceed 140°F after a drive, per one installer's 2026 write-up, and heat softens and peels coatings that are poorly bonded or under-cured; the same source says low-solids epoxy and DIY kits tend to fail first. No resin is a cure-all, though. Simiron's premium polyaspartic sheet says "tire marking may occur," and its epoxy-base guide suggests sheet metal or plexiglass under the tires. What actually prevents failures is the unglamorous part: grind to CSP 3, test moisture, respect the cure time.

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Polyaspartic vs epoxy data-sheet face-off

Pick a property. The chart ranks seven real products on it with the test method and caveats, and pulls up the installer claim that property settles. A blank means the maker doesn't publish that number, and we'd rather show a gap than guess.

Data-sheet face-off

Seven products, one property at a time

Values come from different manufacturers and labs. Compare within the same test method only, and treat them as representative, not universal.

Show
Options
Abrasion loss (Taber)Lower is better

Method: ASTM D4060, CS-17 wheels, 1,000 g load, 1,000 cycles · Unit: mg lost

Simiron Polyaspartic HSPolyaspartic
30 mg
Simiron MVB primerEpoxy
50 mg
Sikafloor-261 CAEpoxy
~110 mg

Blue bars are polyaspartic, gold bars are epoxy. Range bars span the published range.

Best published value here: Simiron Polyaspartic HS (30 mg).

Not on the chart:

  • Exterior Coatings Aspartic 85: 20 mg, but at 500 cycles, so not comparable
  • ArmorThane ArmorFloor TopCoat: Not published
  • Simiron 1150FC base: Not published
  • Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield kit: Not published
Myth check: Supported

“Polyaspartic resists scratching better”

Taber loss 30 mg (HS) vs 50 mg (MVB) and ~110 mg (Sika), same wheels, load and cycles. Different labs, so keep the caveat.

Claim seen on: most comparison pages.

Values come from different manufacturers and labs. Compare within the same test method only, and treat them as representative, not universal.

Myth vs data sheet

These are the claims that show up again and again on the pages ranking for this topic, checked against the published numbers.

What you'll readVerdictWhat the data sheets show
"Polyaspartic is 4x stronger than epoxy"DependsPolyaspartic HS 4,000 psi vs Sikafloor-261 ~1,073 psi (3.7x). But Simiron MVB epoxy is 9,600 psi, 2.4x the polyaspartic.
"98–100% more flexible than epoxy"Not supportedPolyaspartic topcoats: 5–10% (HS) and 2.4% (Aspartic 85) elongation. Sikafloor-261 epoxy: ~22%. Flexibility belongs to elastomeric polyurea basecoats.
"Epoxy is harder"ComparablePolyaspartic HS reaches Shore D 86 at 5 days. Epoxies: ~76 (Sika) and 78–80 (MVB).
"Polyaspartic resists scratching better"SupportedTaber loss 30 mg (HS) vs 50 mg (MVB) and ~110 mg (Sika), same method. Different labs, so keep the caveat.
"Polyaspartic handles moisture better"False herePolyaspartic direct to concrete: 3 lb / 75% RH. Fast-cure epoxy base: 12 lb / 85%. Epoxy MVB primer: 25 lb / 95%.
"Epoxy yellows"TrueSika and Simiron both say so about their own epoxies. Polyaspartic HS kept 87–89 gloss after 1,000 hr QUV.
"Polyaspartic installs in any weather"PartlyMinimums of 35°F (HS) and 30°F (Aspartic 85) vs 50°F (Sika) and 60°F (Rust-Oleum). We found no published data sheet behind the −40°F and "as low as zero" claims.
"Polyaspartic stops hot tire pickup"NuancedSimiron's own polyaspartic sheet says "tire marking may occur." Hot-tire failures trace mostly to adhesion, prep and cure.
Claims as they appear on page-one installer comparison pages (September 2026). Data from the sheets listed in the sources.

The full data table

Click any column header to sort. "n/p" means not published on the source.

ProductTypeShore DTaber mgTensile psiElong.Min °FMax MVER lbMax RHVehiclesVOC g/L
Simiron Polyaspartic HS (04/2026)Aliphatic polyaspartic70 (24 hr) / 86 (5 d)304,000 (D2370)5–10%35375%24 hr< 50
Exterior Coatings Aspartic 85Polyaspartic topcoat8020 (500 cycles)> 3,900 (D638)2.4%30n/pn/p24–48 hr< 160
ArmorThane ArmorFloor TopCoatAliphatic polyaspartic65 ± 5n/p3,500 ± 300 (D412)n/pn/pn/pn/pn/pSCAQMD compliant
Sikafloor-261 CA (11/2021)High-solids epoxy~76~110~1,073 (D638)~22%50n/p85%~2 d per coat< 50
Simiron MVBEpoxy moisture primer78–80509,600 (D638)n/pper system2595%n/a (primer)0
Simiron 1150FCFast-cure epoxy basen/pn/pn/pn/p35 (system)1285%n/pn/p
Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield WB (2018)Water-based epoxy kitn/pn/pn/pn/p60Plastic sheetn/a72 hr< 50
Values come from different manufacturers and labs. Compare within the same test method only, and treat them as representative, not universal. We'll add ArmorFloor as a full row as its remaining data is published.
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Polyaspartic vs epoxy cure time and return to service

A polyaspartic topcoat takes foot traffic in hours and vehicles in about a day at 72°F. Epoxy takes days: the DIY kit cited here needs three days before you park on it, and a two-coat professional epoxy needs roughly a week at 68°F before fluids should touch it. Cold slabs and dry air stretch both.

Polyaspartic: hours, set by temperature and humidity

Simiron publishes its Polyaspartic HS in four cure speeds. Humidity cuts both ways: it shortens the working time (the Fast grade drops from 25 minutes to 14 at 80% RH) and it speeds the cure.

GradeWorking time, 20% / 80% RHTack-free, 20% / 80% RHFoot trafficHeavy traffic
Fast25 / 14 min110 / 40 min4–6 hr24 hr
Medium32 / 17 min3.5 hr / 90 min10–12 hr24 hr
Slow70 / 28 min6.5 / 3.75 hr17–20 hr24 hr
XTRA Slow2 hr / 70 min10.5 / 6.5 hr30–34 hr3 days
Simiron Polyaspartic HS PDS (04/2026), at 72°F. The sheet's traffic times "assume a temperature of at least 72F and a humidity of at least 50%." Below either, expect longer.

Aspartic 85, a low-temperature grade, lists light foot traffic at 5–7 hours and heavy traffic or full cure at 24–48 hours at 70°F.

Epoxy: days, set by temperature and recoat windows

Sika's table for Sikafloor-261 shows the pattern for a professional epoxy. Foot and light traffic times double between 68°F and 50°F.

TempPot lifeOvercoat windowFoot trafficLight trafficFull cure / chemicals
50°F~60 min~30–72 hr~2 days~4 days~10 days
68°F~40 min~8–48 hr~1 day~2 days~7 days
86°F~15 min~6–24 hr~18 hr~2 days~5 days
Sikafloor-261 CA PDS (Sika Canada, 11/2021). Times are per coat; a two-coat floor adds the wait for the second coat.

The number that bites is the recoat window. Miss the maximum and the next coat won't bond chemically. Simiron's MVB sheet allows 5 to 24 hours, and "if the re-coat window is missed, the coating system will need to be sanded." The DIY kit is simpler: Rust-Oleum lists foot traffic at 24 hours and vehicles at 3 days at 70–80°F and 50% RH.

When a "one-day floor" takes two

The one-day flake floor is real. Simiron's 1-Day Polyurea guide has the base ready to scrape in about 1.5 hours, and the Polyaspartic HS top takes heavy traffic in 24 hours at every grade but XTRA Slow. Add an hour to scrape and vacuum (our assumption) and you're parking about 26.5 hours after the base went down. It stretches to two days or more with a slab under 60°F (Fast grade required, longer traffic times), dry air, the XTRA Slow grade, or an epoxy base, whose scrape time isn't published. One installer's own schedule for its polyaspartic system is 96 hours to vehicles (a national garage-floor franchise’s published schedule). Get yours in writing, then run it through the planner.

Return-to-service planner

When can you walk on it, park on it, and spill on it?

Built from the manufacturers' cure tables. Adjustments below their reference temperature are our estimate and are labeled as such.

Used for "topcoat only"
Assumption; ask your installer
Sat 10:00 AMDay 2 · 23–26 hr
Walk on it
Sat 2:45 PMDay 2 · 30.7 hr
Park a vehicle
Thu 6:45 AMDay 7 · 142.7 hr
Fluids and chemicals OK
1.3 days
Days until you can park
  • Polyurea base applied: Fri 8:00 AM
  • Base ready to scrape and vacuum: Fri 9:45 AM
  • Polyaspartic topcoat applied (Slow grade): Fri 10:45 AM
  • Walk on it: Sat 10:00 AM (23–26 hr after start)
  • Park a vehicle: Sat 2:45 PM (30.7 hr)
  • Fluids and chemicals OK: Thu 6:45 AM, day 7 (142.7 hr)

Below the sheet’s 72°F reference, times are stretched by 1.17x. Estimate: reaction rates roughly halve per 18°F drop, consistent with Sika’s epoxy data. Base-to-scrape of about 1.5 hr is from Simiron’s 1-Day Polyurea guide; scrape and cleanup time is your input. Chemical-resistance ratings on the HS sheet are after a 5-day cure. Clock times use the longer end of each range.

Same slab, every system

Hours until a vehicle can go on it

DIY epoxy kit
78 hr
Pro epoxy, 2 coats
56 hr
Polyaspartic top (Medium)
28 hr
▸ 1-day flake system
31 hr
Epoxy base + polyaspartic top
Not published: ask your applicator
—

At 68°F and 55% RH, longer end of each range. Gold = epoxy, blue = polyaspartic systems.

Manufacturer cure tables are measured at stated lab conditions. Cold slabs and dry air extend them.

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Moisture, temperature and dew point: the conditions that pick the winner

Slab moisture settles more polyaspartic vs epoxy decisions than any lab test. Applied straight to concrete, the polyaspartic cited here tolerates 3 lb or 75% RH. Epoxy primers and bases are rated to 12 lb and 85%, and up to 25 lb and 95%. That's why epoxy is the moisture layer in so many professional systems, and polyaspartic is the top.

Moisture-vapor limits by chemistry

System (product)Max MVER, ASTM F1869Max slab RH, ASTM F2170Role
Polyaspartic direct to concrete (Simiron HS)3 lb75%Topcoat; direct only on dry slabs
Fast-cure epoxy base, 16 mils (Simiron 1150FC)12 lb85%Base under chip and a polyaspartic top
Epoxy moisture-vapor-barrier primer (Simiron MVB)25 lb95%Primer below everything else
Professional epoxy coating (Sikafloor-261)Not stated85% (and ≤ 4% by Tramex CME)Above 85%, Sika points to its 1610 or EpoCem products
DIY water-based epoxy (Rust-Oleum)Plastic-sheet test–"Not intended for… floors that have a moisture problem"
MVER is pounds per 1,000 sq ft per 24 hours. Limits are each maker's own; your applicator's system data sheet governs.

ASTM F1869 (calcium chloride) measures the emission rate at the surface; ASTM F2170 reads relative humidity with probes set into the slab. The taped-down plastic sheet (ASTM D4263) is qualitative only, and Sika calls it just "a visual indication of vapour drive." Only one page-one source says it plainly: vapor-barrier epoxies outperform on moisture vapor emission. Nobody on page one puts numbers on it. Our own WC-111 moisture-reactive primer isn't in these tables because we haven't published an MVER or RH rating for it; ask our technical team about your readings.

Application temperature windows

Polyaspartic HS: 35–85°F air and surface, material at 60–85°F, and the Fast grade below 60°F. Aspartic 85: 30–90°F with RH under 90%. Sikafloor-261: 50–85°F. Rust-Oleum's kit: 60–85°F for air, material and surface, RH at or below 85%. Installer claims of polyaspartic going down "as low as zero" or at −40°F involve proprietary products, and we found no published data sheet behind either.

The 5°F dew-point rule

Sika, Rust-Oleum and Simiron all require the surface to be at least 5°F (3°C) above the dew point, or you're coating over condensation you can't see. At 75°F and 60% RH, the dew point is about 60.2°F, so the slab needs to be about 65°F or warmer. Sika adds a warning worth taping to the wall: don't apply while air and slab temperatures are rising, because pinholes may occur. Our note on weather conditions and coating applications goes deeper on dew point.

Prep decides more than chemistry

Both Simiron system guides require a CSP 3 or greater profile by diamond grinding or shot blasting (ICRI 310.2, SSPC-SP13/NACE 6). The DIY epoxy kit uses a citric-acid etch. New concrete needs 28 days of cure either way. That prep gap is bigger than the chemistry gap, and it explains most "epoxy peels" stories. Honor isolation, expansion and moving joints; sawcut joints can be filled and coated, but the coating may crack there if the slab moves. See coating surface preparation.

Slab & conditions checker

Which systems can go on your slab today?

Checks each system against its maker's moisture, temperature and dew-point limits. Nothing is stored.

Installer
Epoxy base + polyaspartic topRecommended build

16 mils of fast-cure epoxy base, a chip broadcast, then a polyaspartic topcoat.

Dew point 53.1°F at 70°F and 55% RH (Magnus formula). Slab margin: 12.9°F (needs 5°F or more).

Fail

Polyaspartic direct to concrete

Simiron Polyaspartic HS

  • In-slab RH 80% is over its 75% limit.
  • Temperatures are inside its 35–85°F range.
  • UV-stable top layer (Polyaspartic HS kept 87–89 gloss after 1,000 hr QUV).
Topcoat only

Low-temp polyaspartic topcoat

Exterior Coatings Aspartic 85

  • The maker says it isn’t for direct-to-concrete use, so the base coat’s moisture limit applies.
  • Temperatures are inside its 30–90°F range.
  • UV-stable top layer (Polyaspartic HS kept 87–89 gloss after 1,000 hr QUV).
Pass

Epoxy base (16 mils) + polyaspartic top

Simiron 1150FC + Polyaspartic HS

  • In-slab RH 80% is within its 85% limit.
  • Temperatures are inside its 35–85°F range.
  • Keep the epoxy base fully covered by chip and the polyaspartic top; exposed 1150FC yellows.
Pass

Epoxy moisture-barrier primer + base + top

Simiron MVB

  • In-slab RH 80% is within its 95% limit.
  • Temperature limits follow the full system data sheet.
  • Keep the epoxy base fully covered by chip and the polyaspartic top; exposed 1150FC yellows.
Caution

Professional epoxy coating

Sikafloor-261 CA

  • In-slab RH 80% is within its 85% limit.
  • Temperatures are inside its 50–85°F range.
  • Sunlight reaches this floor, and this epoxy discolors in UV. Don’t use it as the top layer.
Fail

DIY water-based epoxy kit

Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield

  • Our call: a reading over the tightest professional limit (75%) is a moisture problem, and the kit is “not intended for” floors that have one.
  • Temperatures are inside its 60–85°F range.
  • Sunlight reaches this floor, and this epoxy discolors in UV. Don’t use it as the top layer.
Not sure of your numbers?A certified applicator will test your slab and quote a system for it. Find a certified ArmorThane applicator. Values are from the named manufacturers’ data sheets; your applicator’s system data sheet governs.
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Polyaspartic vs epoxy cost: upfront and over the life of the floor

Installed, professional epoxy runs about $3–$7 per square foot and professional polyaspartic flake systems about $5–$12, going by 2024–2026 installer and publisher guides. That's a premium of roughly $2–$5 per square foot, or $800–$2,000 on a 400 sq ft garage (our arithmetic). Whether it pays back depends on how long each floor lasts, and nobody has good lifespan data.

Installed price ranges, with dates

Source (date)Polyaspartic installedEpoxy installedLifespan quoted
The Garage Guide (Mar 2026)$5–$12/sq ft; 2-car $2,400–$6,000Pro $3–$7/sq ft; 2-car $1,600–$2,800 (solid), $1,200–$2,000 (water-based)Epoxy 5–10 yr; polyaspartic 15–20 yr
National installer A (Sep 2026)"Industry" $4–$9; 2-car (~360 sq ft) $2,000–$5,800"Industry" $4–$10; 2-car $1,500–$3,500Epoxy 5–7 yr; polyaspartic 15–25 yr
ALLBRiGHT (Dec 2025)$4–$12; 2-car $2,000–$6,900$3–$7Epoxy 5–7 yr; polyaspartic up to 20+
Cascade Concrete Coatings, installer (Jul 2025)$7–$12 (Penntek); 2-car $2,000–$4,500$3–$7; 2-car $1,200–$3,000Epoxy 3–5 yr
Bob Vila (Apr 2024)–$3–$12; 2-car (360 sq ft) $1,100–$4,300–
Installer and publisher estimates, not independent surveys. Lifespans are industry estimates: we found no independent long-term field study for either chemistry.

For polyaspartic-only pricing by garage size, flake options and slab repairs, use the cost estimator in our polyaspartic floor coating guide. We won't repeat it here.

What the quote leaves out: prep, removal and downtime

Diamond grinding runs $1–$3 per square foot and acid etching $0.50–$1.50 (The Garage Guide). Removing an old coating is another $1–$3, and it hits twice: now, if there's a failed floor, and again every time a worn coating comes off before the next one. Urban Northeast and West Coast jobs run 15–30% higher. One installer adds 15–40% for flake and custom blends and 25–50% for metallics.

Then there's downtime. A home garage out for three days costs patience. A shop or showroom closed for three days costs money, and the calculator lets you put a number on it.

DIY epoxy kit vs professional systems: the 3-mil problem

Rust-Oleum's water-based EpoxyShield is 52.6–52.8% solids by volume and goes down at 3.0–3.5 mils dry over a citric-acid etch; the label says one coat is enough in most cases. Simiron's 1-Day Polyurea flake system is over 50 mils nominal on a ground CSP 3 profile, roughly fifteen times the film (our arithmetic). Two-car kits cost $150–$650 (The Garage Guide), and there's a reason. Polyaspartic DIY kits exist too, whatever some installer pages say. The catch is working time: 14–25 minutes for Fast grades at 72°F, depending on humidity.

Cost-over-life & break-even calculator

Polyaspartic vs pro epoxy vs DIY epoxy, over the years you'll own the floor

Defaults are midpoints of The Garage Guide's 2026 ranges. Replace them with your quotes. Lifespans are industry estimates, not independent studies.

0 for a home garage
Garage Guide: $1–$3
Honesty check
Kits $150–$650 per 2-car
Installer estimate, 1–3
Rust-Oleum: vehicles at 72 hr
$3–$7 midpoint
Industry estimate, 5–10
Sika at 68°F: ~2.3 days, rounded up
$5–$12 midpoint
Industry estimate, 15–20 (low end)
Heavy traffic at 24 hr
$8,800
DIY epoxy kit, 15 yr
$587 per year · 8 installs · 24 days out
$7,600
Pro epoxy, 15 yr
$507 per year · 3 installs · 9 days out
$3,400
Polyaspartic, 15 yr
$227 per year · 1 install · 1 day out

Upfront premium over pro epoxy: $1,400. Polyaspartic breaks even with pro epoxy in year 7. Against the DIY kit, break-even comes in year 6.
Prices are 2024–2026 installer and publisher estimates; lifespans are industry estimates, not independent studies. Replace them with your quotes.

Cumulative cost

What each floor has cost you, year by year

DIY epoxy kitPro epoxyPolyaspartic
$0$2.5k$5k$7.5k$10kYear 0123456789101112131415Break-even vs pro epoxy: yr 7■ DIY epoxy kit $8.8k■ Pro epoxy $7.6k■ Polyaspartic $3.4kYear 0: DIY $400 · Pro epoxy $2,000 · Polyaspartic $3,400Year 1: DIY $400 · Pro epoxy $2,000 · Polyaspartic $3,400Year 2: DIY $1,600 · Pro epoxy $2,000 · Polyaspartic $3,400Year 3: DIY $1,600 · Pro epoxy $2,000 · Polyaspartic $3,400Year 4: DIY $2,800 · Pro epoxy $2,000 · Polyaspartic $3,400Year 5: DIY $2,800 · Pro epoxy $2,000 · Polyaspartic $3,400Year 6: DIY $4,000 · Pro epoxy $2,000 · Polyaspartic $3,400Year 7: DIY $4,000 · Pro epoxy $4,800 · Polyaspartic $3,400Year 8: DIY $5,200 · Pro epoxy $4,800 · Polyaspartic $3,400Year 9: DIY $5,200 · Pro epoxy $4,800 · Polyaspartic $3,400Year 10: DIY $6,400 · Pro epoxy $4,800 · Polyaspartic $3,400Year 11: DIY $6,400 · Pro epoxy $4,800 · Polyaspartic $3,400Year 12: DIY $7,600 · Pro epoxy $4,800 · Polyaspartic $3,400Year 13: DIY $7,600 · Pro epoxy $4,800 · Polyaspartic $3,400Year 14: DIY $8,800 · Pro epoxy $7,600 · Polyaspartic $3,400Year 15: DIY $8,800 · Pro epoxy $7,600 · Polyaspartic $3,400

Each step up is a redo: removal at your $/sq ft plus a new install. Hover a year for the numbers; on a phone, swipe the chart sideways.

Year-by-year table
YearDIY epoxy kitPro epoxyPolyaspartic
0$400$2,000$3,400
1$400$2,000$3,400
2$1,600$2,000$3,400
3$1,600$2,000$3,400
4$2,800$2,000$3,400
5$2,800$2,000$3,400
6$4,000$2,000$3,400
7$4,000$4,800$3,400
8$5,200$4,800$3,400
9$5,200$4,800$3,400
10$6,400$4,800$3,400
11$6,400$4,800$3,400
12$7,600$4,800$3,400
13$7,600$4,800$3,400
14$8,800$7,600$3,400
15$8,800$7,600$3,400

Tick "assume epoxy lasts as long as polyaspartic" and watch the answer flip. At equal lifespans, professional epoxy is simply cheaper. The polyaspartic premium only pays back if the floor really does last longer, and the lifespan numbers everyone quotes, us included, come from installers rather than long-term studies. If your floor is in the sun or you need it back in a day, those are firmer reasons to pay the premium than a lifespan guess.

The honest part

When epoxy actually wins

Epoxy wins when the slab is damp, the build needs to be thick and smooth, the installer needs time, or the budget is tight and the sun never touches the floor. We don't sell an epoxy floor product, and we'd still pick one in these cases.

  • High-moisture slabs, as the primer or base. Simiron's MVB epoxy is rated to 25 lb or 95% RH and its 1150FC base to 12 lb or 85%, against 3 lb or 75% for the polyaspartic applied direct.
  • Smooth, thicker builds. Sikafloor-261 is a 20–30 mil smooth coating. Simiron's Polyaspartic HS sheet says not to use it as the topcoat for a smooth floor at all; it's designed for full broadcast, up to 16 mils per pass.
  • Working time. The DIY epoxy kit gives 1–2 hours of pot life. Polyaspartic HS at 80% RH gives 14 to 70 minutes, depending on grade. For a first-timer, that hour matters.
Applicator spreading a smooth self-leveling floor coating by hand
Smooth, thicker builds are where epoxy is usually the right tool.
  • Interior, no-UV, budget floors. At roughly $3–$7 per square foot against $5–$12, epoxy's weak spot, sunlight, doesn't matter in a windowless basement shop.
  • Humid installs. Humidity speeds polyaspartic up and shortens its working time. The epoxy cure tables we used are temperature-driven. Heat still shortens both: Sikafloor-261 pot life drops to about 15 minutes at 86°F.
  • Heavy compressive loads under a primer. Simiron's MVB lists 11,600 psi compressive (ASTM D695), 12,800 psi flexural and 9,600 psi tensile strength. That's one product, not a family trait, but it's a strong one.

Where epoxy loses is on top, in daylight, when the floor has to be back in service tomorrow. Which is why the best answer on most floors is both.

Where it earns the premium

When polyaspartic wins

Polyaspartic wins wherever the floor sees sunlight, has to be back in use the next day, gets installed in cold weather, or takes enough wear that the top layer matters more than what's under it. Those four cases cover most garages, showrooms, patios and pool decks.

87–89 gloss

Sunlit floors

Retained after 1,000 hours of QUV (Simiron HS). Garages with the door open, patios, pool decks and showrooms with glass fronts all need a top layer that won't yellow.

24 hr

Back in service tomorrow

Heavy traffic at 24 hours for three of Simiron's four grades at 72°F, against about 2–3 days for the epoxies cited. For a business, that's days of revenue.

30–35°F

Cold-season installs

Published minimums of 35°F (HS, Fast grade) and 30°F (Aspartic 85), where the epoxies cited stop at 50–60°F. Traffic times still stretch in the cold.

30 mg

The wear layer

Lowest Taber loss on the comparable sheets, and "Excellent" ratings against gasoline, brake fluid, motor oil and 20% salt water after a 5-day cure.

For what goes into a polyaspartic floor, from flake to film thickness to install steps, see the polyaspartic floor coating guide. This page stays on the head-to-head.

The best answer for most floors

Polyaspartic over epoxy: the base coat + topcoat system

Yes, you can put polyaspartic over epoxy, and on most professional floors that's the design. An epoxy or polyurea base handles moisture, build and adhesion. A broadcast of chip or quartz adds texture. A polyaspartic topcoat takes the UV, abrasion and chemicals. Manufacturers publish it as a system, not a workaround.

Simiron's 1-Day Epoxy guide puts its 1150FC 100%-solids epoxy base down at 16 mils, broadcasts chip, and tops it with Polyaspartic HS; at 16 mils the base "resists moisture vapor transmission up to 12 pounds" or 85% RH. The 1-Day Polyurea version uses a 6–8 mil polyurea base, scrapes in about 1.5 hours, and builds over 50 mils nominal, with adhesion over 400 psi and 100% concrete failure (ASTM D7234).

Edge of a full-flake floor system showing the base coat, flake broadcast and clear topcoat
Base coat, full flake broadcast, clear topcoat: the layers of a hybrid floor.
LayerIts jobWhat the cited system guides specify
1. PrepMechanical keyCSP 3+ by diamond grinding or shot blasting; slab cured at least 28 days
2. Moisture primer, only if readings call for itStops vapor driveEpoxy MVB, rated to 25 lb / 95% RH
3. Base coatAdhesion, build, moisture toleranceEpoxy 1150FC at 16 mils (12 lb / 85% RH), or polyurea at 6–8 mils
4. BroadcastTexture; covers the base1/4-inch chip, full broadcast
5. TopcoatUV, abrasion, chemicalsPolyaspartic HS, 10–16 wet mils; second coat within 24 hours
Simiron SimFlake SB 1-Day Epoxy and 1-Day Polyurea system guides. At least one installer on page one argues the same "best use by layer" split: epoxy base, polyaspartic top.

One caution from Simiron's own guide: the 1150FC base "will yellow over time," so any spot the chip doesn't cover discolors. Full broadcast isn't just decoration here. It's the base coat's UV protection. Their outgassing tip is worth copying too: a thin 3–5 mil prime pass first, then the rest of the base.

Can you put polyaspartic over an existing epoxy floor?

If the epoxy is sound, yes. Anything flaking, peeling, blistered or moisture-affected comes off, and you start again from ground concrete. On a sound floor, scuff the entire surface (glossy, unscuffed epoxy won't give a mechanical bond), clean it, and pull-off test a few spots (ASTM D4541 or D7234) before committing. On new work, stay inside the recoat windows so the layers bond chemically.

Can you put epoxy over polyaspartic?

Same rules: abrade, clean, test adhesion. But you'd be putting the UV-sensitive layer on top, which gives away the main reason to own a polyaspartic floor.

Polyaspartic vs epoxy vs polyurea

Polyaspartic is a modified polyurea, slowed down so it can be rolled. Conventional spray polyurea is the elastomeric, high-build base or membrane. Epoxy is the economical primer and moisture barrier. For the base-coat decision, read our polyurea vs epoxy floor coatings comparison. On decks and plant floors, sprayed aliphatic polyurea such as HighLine 410 is another route: 100% solids, no VOCs and intrinsically UV resistant.

Where ArmorThane fits

We make the polyaspartic top and polyurea bases, not the epoxy. ArmorFloor is our two-component aliphatic polyaspartic for moderate to severe chemical environments, indoors or out. It takes Color Quartz or decorative chips, goes on by roller, spray or cup gun at 5 mils minimum, and may not be diluted under any circumstance. ArmorFloor TopCoat is the thin-film version for membrane systems.

14 ± 2 mils

Dry film per coat

ArmorFloor TopCoat, mixed 1A:1B by volume.

3,500 psi

Tensile strength

3,500 ± 300 psi (ASTM D412), Shore D 65 ± 5 (ASTM D2240).

SCAQMD

Air-quality compliant

Formulated for Southern California's air-quality standard.

Find a certified applicator →Request ArmorFloor samples
Jobsite rules

Polyaspartic vs epoxy safety: silica, isocyanates and VOCs

Both systems start with the same hazard: grinding concrete throws respirable silica. After that, polyaspartic's concern is the isocyanate in its hardener, and epoxy's is skin sensitization. The rules below apply to whoever holds the grinder and the roller, whether that's a crew or you.

  • Silica (both systems). OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1153 sets the limit at 50 µg/m³ over an 8-hour average, with an action level of 25. Its Table 1 requires walk-behind grinders to have integrated water delivery, or dust collection that is 99%+ efficient with a filter-cleaning mechanism, plus a HEPA vacuum between passes indoors. Followed that way, Table 1 requires no respirator for a walk-behind grinder; handheld grinders used indoors more than four hours a shift call for APF 10.
  • Isocyanates (polyaspartic). The hardener is an aliphatic polyisocyanate. OSHA lists the main effects as "occupational asthma and other lung problems, as well as irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and skin." Simiron's guides require NIOSH-approved respirators, nitrile gloves and eye protection. Follow the product SDS.
  • Epoxy sensitization. Epoxy resins and amine hardeners cause contact dermatitis and allergic reactions, and sensitization builds with repeated exposure. That matters most to DIYers who skip gloves.
  • VOCs. South Coast AQMD Rule 1113 caps floor coatings, including garage, deck and porch floors, at 50 g/L. Polyaspartic HS, Sikafloor-261 and the Rust-Oleum kit all list under 50. Aspartic 85 lists under 160, over the limit wherever Rule 1113 applies. Low-solids "diluted" polyaspartics are a real category, so check the sheet. More in understanding VOCs in coatings.
  • Slip resistance. Ask for the wet DCOF (ANSI A326.3) of the actual system. Simiron's flake systems test at .63–.65. Smooth, glossy films of either chemistry need broadcast texture wherever they'll be walked on wet.
Decision guide

Polyaspartic or epoxy: which should you choose?

Start with the slab's moisture reading, then sunlight, then schedule, then budget. In that order. Here's how that plays out on the floors we get asked about most. For commercial and industrial floors, the same logic applies with heavier bases.

Your floorOur pickWhy (from the data)
Sunlit garage or open-door shopBase coat + full chip + polyaspartic topEpoxy discolors in UV; HS held 87–89 gloss after 1,000 hr QUV
Shaded garage, tight budget, DIYEpoxy kit is defensible if you grind and the slab is dry1–2 hr pot life; 3 mils over an etch is the weak spot
Basement or damp slab-on-gradeEpoxy moisture primer rated for your reading, then base + top25 lb / 95% RH vs 3 lb / 75% for polyaspartic direct
Auto shop or garage with fluidsPolyaspartic top over a base"Excellent" vs fuels, brake fluid, motor oil (5-day cure)
Acid exposure (battery room, process area)Get the exact product's chemical chart firstSame sheet: sulfuric "Fair," 10% nitric not recommended
Fall or winter install, slab 35–50°FPolyaspartic, Fast grade below 60°F30–35°F minimums vs 50–60°F for the epoxies cited
Showroom or retail floorPolyaspartic wear layerTaber 30 mg vs 50–110 mg; HS lists 92–95 gloss
Existing, sound epoxy floorScuff, test, polyaspartic topcoatNever over peeling or moisture-blistered epoxy
Slab over 25 lb or 95% RHSpecialist moisture assessmentBeyond every product cited here
Picks follow the data sheets cited on this page. Your applicator's system data sheet governs. Need someone to test the slab? Find concrete coating installers near you.
For contractors

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Floors pair naturally with bedliners, roofing and spray foam: same customers, same crews. We make the ArmorFloor polyaspartic and the polyurea bases, supply the equipment and train your team, with no franchise fee and no royalties. Starter packages begin at $25,000.

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Straight answers

Polyaspartic vs epoxy FAQ

Is polyaspartic better than epoxy?

For most garages and any floor the sun reaches, yes. On the data sheets cited here, polyaspartic takes heavy traffic in about 24 hours at 72°F, holds its color under UV, and loses less to Taber abrasion (30 mg vs 50–110 mg). Epoxy is still the better moisture-mitigating primer and the cheaper choice for interior floors on a budget, which is why the strongest systems use both.

Is polyaspartic the same as epoxy?

No. Polyaspartic is an aliphatic polyurea made from a polyaspartic ester and an aliphatic polyisocyanate, a technology introduced in the early 1990s. Epoxy is an epoxide resin, usually bisphenol A diglycidyl ether, cured with an amine hardener. They cure by different chemistry, which is why epoxy yellows in sunlight and aliphatic polyaspartic doesn't.

Can you put polyaspartic over epoxy?

Yes, and it's a standard professional build: an epoxy base, a chip broadcast and a polyaspartic topcoat. On an existing floor, the epoxy has to be fully bonded and free of blisters or moisture problems, scuffed across the whole surface, and ideally pull-off tested first. Never topcoat peeling epoxy; remove it and start from ground concrete.

Can you put epoxy over polyaspartic?

You can if you abrade it, clean it and test adhesion, the same as any recoat. But it puts the UV-sensitive layer on top, which gives up the main advantage of the polyaspartic. In our view it only makes sense on floors that never see sunlight.

Is polyaspartic more expensive than epoxy?

Usually by about $2–$5 per square foot installed. Recent installer and publisher guides put professional epoxy at about $3–$7 per sq ft and polyaspartic flake systems at about $5–$12 (2024–2026 estimates). On a 400 sq ft garage that works out to roughly $800–$2,000 more, by our arithmetic.

Is polyaspartic worth the extra money?

It is if the floor sees sunlight, has to be back in use in a day, or will outlast at least one epoxy redo while you own it. The lifespans usually quoted (epoxy 5–10 years, polyaspartic 15–20) are installer and publisher estimates, not studies. Run your own quotes through the cost-over-life calculator, including the equal-lifespan check.

How soon can I drive on polyaspartic vs epoxy?

A polyaspartic topcoat is typically ready for heavy traffic in about 24 hours at 72°F or warmer (Simiron Polyaspartic HS; its XTRA Slow grade takes 3 days). The DIY epoxy kit cited here needs 3 days before vehicles, and a two-coat professional epoxy about 2.3 days at 68°F, with roughly 7 days to full chemical cure. Cold slabs and dry air extend both.

Which handles concrete moisture better, epoxy or polyaspartic?

Epoxy, when it's a moisture-vapor-barrier formulation. One manufacturer rates its epoxy MVB primer to 25 lb per 1,000 sq ft per 24 hours (ASTM F1869) or 95% RH (ASTM F2170), while its polyaspartic applied directly to concrete is limited to 3 lb or 75% RH. Test the slab first; the reading decides which systems are eligible.

Can polyaspartic be applied in cold weather?

Yes, within limits. The data sheets cited list minimums of 35°F (Simiron, Fast grade below 60°F) and 30°F (Aspartic 85), against 50–60°F for the epoxies cited. The surface must also be at least 5°F above the dew point, and traffic times run longer in the cold.

Does epoxy turn yellow?

Standard epoxies discolor in sunlight. Sika states its Sikafloor-261 "will discolour over time when exposed to sunlight," and Simiron says its 1150FC epoxy base "will yellow over time." An aliphatic polyaspartic kept 87–89 gloss units after 1,000 hours of QUV testing (ASTM G154).

Does polyaspartic prevent hot tire pickup?

It helps, but it isn't a guarantee. Even a premium polyaspartic data sheet notes that "tire marking may occur." Hot-tire peeling usually traces to weak adhesion from poor prep or to thin, under-cured coatings, so grinding to CSP 3, testing moisture and respecting the cure time matter more than the resin.

Which has better chemical resistance, epoxy or polyaspartic?

For garage fluids, a quality polyaspartic rates "Excellent" against gasoline, E85, brake and transmission fluid, motor oil and Skydrol after a 5-day cure (Simiron Polyaspartic HS). The same sheet rates sulfuric and phosphoric acids "Fair" and 10% nitric acid "not recommended." Chemical resistance is product-specific, so for battery rooms or acid exposure, ask for the exact chart.

Can I DIY polyaspartic?

Retail polyaspartic kits exist, but the working time is short: 14–25 minutes for Fast grades at 72°F, depending on humidity. DIY epoxy kits give 1–2 hours of pot life but go on at about 3 mils over an acid-etched slab. For either one, a diamond-ground CSP 3 profile is the biggest upgrade you can make.

Polyaspartic vs epoxy vs polyurea: which is best?

They do different jobs. Polyurea is the high-build, flexible base or membrane, epoxy is the economical primer and moisture barrier, and polyaspartic is the UV-stable, abrasion-resistant wear layer. See our polyurea vs epoxy comparison for the base-coat decision.

AT
ArmorThane Technical Team · Springfield, Missouri
Written from manufacturer data sheets, code text and 35+ years of spraying and supporting applicators. Last updated September 26, 2026.

How this comparison was built

We compared seven manufacturer data sheets and system guides (read September 26, 2026), using only values with a named product and, where given, a test method: ASTM D4060, D2240, D412, D638, D2370, G154, F1869 and F2170. Test values are the makers' own and come from different labs. Cost figures are dated installer and publisher estimates, and lifespans are industry estimates, not field studies. The return-to-service planner's cold-weather and dry-air adjustments are our estimates (reaction rates roughly halve per 18°F drop, consistent with Sika's epoxy table), not manufacturer values. ArmorFloor elongation, cure times and moisture limits aren't on our product pages yet; ask our technical team for current data.

Sources

  1. Polyaspartic esters: chemistry and history (Wikipedia): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyaspartic_esters
  2. Dormish, J., Polyaspartic Coatings, Adhesives & Sealants Industry (Mar. 2016): adhesivesmag.com/articles/94477-polyaspartic-coatings
  3. Epoxy (Wikipedia): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epoxy
  4. Covestro, Pasquick polyaspartic floor coatings: solutions.covestro.com/en/highlights/articles/theme/product-technology
  5. Simiron Polyaspartic HS product data sheet (PDF, 04/2026): simiron.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/SIM_Polyaspartic-HS_ProductData
  6. Simiron SimFlake SB 1-Day Polyurea system guide (PDF): simiron.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/SIM_SimFlake-SB_1-Day-Polyurea_
  7. Simiron SimFlake SB 1-Day Epoxy system guide (PDF): simiron.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/SIM_SimFlake-SB-1-Day-Epoxy_Sys
  8. Simiron MVB moisture vapor barrier sell sheet (PDF): simiron.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/SIM_MVB_SELLSHEET_8.5x11.pdf
  9. Sikafloor-261 CA product data sheet (PDF, Nov. 2021): cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0579/9483/8195/files/sikafloor-261-CA__Produ
  10. Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield water-based garage floor coating TDS (2018): rustoleum.com/~/media/DigitalEncyclopedia/Documents/RustoleumUSA/TDS/E
  11. Exterior Coatings, Aspartic 85 low-temp polyaspartic: exteriorcoatings.com/product/aspartic-85-low-temp-polyaspartic-concret
  12. ArmorThane, ArmorFloor aliphatic polyaspartic: armorthane.com/products/armorflooring-product-page/armorfloor-aliphati
  13. ArmorThane, ArmorFloor TopCoat: armorthane.com/products/armorcoat/armorfloor-topcoat-4/
  14. ArmorThane, WC-111 primer: armorthane.com/products/armorprime/wc-111/
  15. ArmorThane, HighLine 410 aliphatic polyurea: armorthane.com/products/armorline-products/high-pressure/highline-410-
  16. Dew point and the Magnus formula (Wikipedia): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dew_point
  17. OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1153, respirable crystalline silica: osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.1153
  18. OSHA, Isocyanates: osha.gov/isocyanates
  19. South Coast AQMD Rule 1113, architectural coatings (PDF): aqmd.gov/docs/default-source/rule-book/reg-xi/r1113.pdf
  20. The Garage Guide, garage floor coating cost (Mar. 2026): thegarage.guide/cost-guides/garage-floor-coating-cost
  21. Croc Coatings, polyaspartic vs epoxy cost breakdown (Sep. 2026): croccoatings.com/polyaspartic-vs-epoxy-cost-breakdown/
  22. ALLBRiGHT, polyaspartic vs epoxy cost (Dec. 2025): allbrightpainting.com/blog/2025/december/polyaspartic-vs-epoxy-cost-a-
  23. Bob Vila, epoxy garage floor cost (Apr. 2024): bobvila.com/articles/epoxy-garage-floor-cost/
  24. Garage Force, hot tire pickup explained (Sep. 2026): garageforce.com/2026/09/15/2026-hot-tire-pickup-heat-related-coating-f
  25. Danley's, polyaspartic over epoxy: danleys.com/blog/polyaspartic-over-epoxy/
  26. Stronghold Floors, polyaspartic vs epoxy garage floors: strongholdfloors.com/blog/polyaspartic-vs-epoxy-which-is-better-and-wh
  27. Resinwerks, polyaspartic vs epoxy vs polyurea (Dec. 2025): resinwerks.com/blogs/news/the-differences-between-epoxies-polyurea-and
  28. Garage Living, polyaspartic vs epoxy comparison (Jan. 2023): garageliving.com/blog/polyaspartic-vs-epoxy-comparison
  29. FloorTek Coatings, epoxy vs polyaspartic test results: floortekcoatings.com/posts/epoxy-vs-polyaspartic-coatings-real-test-re
  30. Garage Kings, polyaspartic vs epoxy flooring: garagekings.com/polyaspartic-vs-epoxy-flooring-a-comprehensive-compari

latest news & bLOGS

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Test the slab first. Then pick the chemistry.

A certified ArmorThane applicator can measure your slab's moisture, grind it to profile and quote a system built for it, such as a base coat under an ArmorFloor polyaspartic topcoat. Contractors: we make the polyaspartic and the polyurea, supply the equipment and train your crew, with no franchise fee and no royalties.

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