Epoxy Flake Floors in Dubuque, IA

Epoxy flake floors are coatings with vinyl color chips scattered into the wet base coat and locked under a clear topcoat. In Dubuque they are the most common finish we put in garages. The speckled pattern hides the gray film that dried salt water leaves behind, along with tire marks and sand, and the chips give the surface a slight texture underfoot. In a city that sees about 42.5 inches of snow a year, those two things count for a lot.

Full broadcast or partial broadcast

In a full broadcast, we throw chips onto the base coat until no more will stick. The result is a floor that is all chip, with no base color showing. It hides the most and has the most even texture. In a partial broadcast, chips are spread lighter, so the base color shows between them. It looks more open and uses fewer chips, but shows dirt a little more. Most garage owners here pick full broadcast. Partial broadcast is common in basements and workshops where salt is less of an issue.

How a chip floor is built

• The slab is diamond ground and vacuumed
• Cracks, pits and broken joints are filled
• A pigmented base coat goes on, often tinted close to the chip color
• Chips are broadcast into the wet base
• Once cured, loose chips are scraped and swept off, and the surface is lightly sanded
• One or two clear topcoats seal the chips in place

The topcoat matters most. It decides how much texture is left, how glossy the floor looks and how it stands up to UV and hot tires. A polyaspartic topcoat is a common pick because it resists UV and cures quickly.

Choosing chip size and color

Chips come in different sizes and many color blends. Larger chips read as bold and busy. Smaller chips look finer and more like stone. Gray, tan and black blends hide winter grime well. Lighter blends brighten a dark garage or basement but show more dirt. We bring sample boards to the estimate so you can see them in your own lighting, since a blend can look quite different under garage bulbs than in daylight.

Getting the texture right

More topcoat means a smoother floor that is easier to mop. Less topcoat leaves more chip edge showing and more grip. For a Dubuque garage that sees slush, we usually aim for a middle ground and can add grit to the topcoat near the door. Tell us how you use the space, and we will set the texture to match.

Beyond the garage

Chip floors also work well in mudrooms with concrete floors, basement laundry areas, workshops, and some small commercial spaces like salons, gyms and breakrooms. Where the slab is in a basement, we check moisture first and may use a moisture-tolerant primer under the base coat.