Failed DIY Garage Floor Coating Replaced With Orbit Flake in Lindale, TX
A garage floor coating can look good when first installed and still develop serious adhesion problems later. At this Lindale, Texas home, a DIY coating kit purchased from a paint or hardware store had been applied by the homeowner’s painter several years earlier. By the time Epoxy Coat Masters arrived, large areas of the coating were separating from the concrete, and hot-tire pickup had left additional damage across the floor.
The homeowners were ready for the peeling, worn coating to come off. Epoxy Coat Masters removed the failed material, mechanically prepared the concrete, and installed a new full-broadcast garage floor coating in Orbit, the blue flake blend also featured as Dream Blue in the ECM color library.
Project at a Glance
Project: Replacement of a failing DIY garage floor coating
Location: Lindale, Texas
Existing finish: Store-bought DIY coating kit
Original installation: Applied by a painter several years earlier
Primary concerns: Significant delamination, exposed concrete, worn areas, and hot-tire pickup
New system: Full-broadcast decorative flake floor
Flake color: Orbit, also known as Dream Blue in the ECM color library
Preparation: Removal of the old coating followed by mechanical surface preparation
Primary goal: Replace the failing finish with a professionally prepared and installed garage floor system
A Garage Floor With Significant Delamination
The old gray coating had released from the concrete in numerous areas throughout the garage. Some sections had small chips and irregular spots, while other sections had peeled away in large patches.
This type of separation is called delamination. It occurs when a coating loses its bond with the concrete underneath it. Once delamination begins, the damaged areas can continue growing as vehicles, foot traffic, temperature changes, and everyday garage use place additional stress on the surface.
Hot tires had also contributed to visible damage. Tires become warm while a vehicle is being driven. When the vehicle is parked, the heat and pressure can cause a weakly bonded coating to soften, stick to the tire, or lift from the concrete when the vehicle moves again. This is commonly called hot-tire pickup.
The before photos show how widespread the problem had become. The coating remained attached in some areas, while other sections exposed the concrete beneath it. The inconsistent surface made the entire garage look worn even though the original installation was only a few years old.
Why Store-Bought Garage Floor Coatings Sometimes Fail
Consumer garage floor kits are widely available at paint and hardware stores. Results can vary considerably based on the product, the condition of the concrete, the preparation method, the application, and the environment inside the garage.
Concrete may look clean while still holding contaminants or having a surface that is too smooth for a coating to develop a strong bond. Existing sealers, oil, tire residue, dirt, and other substances can also interfere with adhesion.
Application conditions influence the finished floor as well. Temperature, working time, product thickness, mixing, and cure time all need to align with the requirements of the coating being used.
It is impossible to identify one exact cause of this floor’s failure from appearance alone. What was clear was that the old coating had lost its bond across a significant portion of the garage. Applying another product over the peeling finish would have left the new system attached to material that was already coming loose.
Homeowners experiencing similar problems can review some of the common causes on our garage floor coating troubleshooting page.
Removing the Existing Coating
The old coating needed to be removed before the new floor could be installed. This stage required the crew to work across the entire garage instead of concentrating only on the visibly peeled areas. Coating that still appears attached can be surrounded by sections that have already started releasing from the slab.
Epoxy Coat Masters used professional grinding equipment and dust-controlled vacuuming to remove the failed coating and mechanically prepare the concrete. Detailed areas along the walls, corners, doorways, and other edges were addressed with smaller equipment and hand tools.
The preparation process created a consistent starting point across areas that previously had different levels of coating loss. It also gave the new base coat a properly prepared concrete surface rather than leaving it dependent on the bond of the old DIY product.
Preparing the Garage for a New Flake Floor
Mechanical preparation creates a surface profile that allows the base coat to bond with the slab. Garage floor preparation also requires careful work along walls, around doorways, and near the garage entrance. These transition areas are highly visible on a finished floor, so the coating system needs to continue cleanly through the space.
The installation photos show the crew applying the new base coat across the open garage and working carefully through the space. Completing the detailed areas helped create a continuous finish from wall to wall.
Choosing Orbit, Also Known as Dream Blue
The homeowners selected Orbit for the replacement floor. This blue, black, gray, and white flake blend is also represented as Dream Blue in the Epoxy Coat Masters color library.
The blue tones gave the garage a completely different appearance from the original gray DIY coating. Black, gray, and white flakes break up the blue and help the finished floor coordinate with the white walls, dark garage hardware, and other features in the space.
The flake was broadcast across the wet base coat to create full coverage. A full-broadcast system produces a dense, consistent decorative layer instead of leaving widely spaced flakes over a mostly visible base color.
A Complete Garage Transformation
The finished floor changed the entire appearance of the garage. Before the project, large exposed areas interrupted the old gray coating. Peeling sections, worn spots, and hot-tire damage drew attention throughout the space.
After installation, the Orbit flake created one continuous finish from the garage entrance to the walls and adjoining doorways. The blue blend added color while the smaller black, gray, and white flakes created variation across the surface.
The finished floor also makes the garage look cleaner and brighter. The flake pattern works across the open space without emphasizing every mark or variation the way the damaged solid-gray coating did.
This project shows why an existing failed coating needs to be fully addressed before a new system is installed. The transformation began with removing the old material and preparing the concrete underneath it.
Replacing a Failed Garage Floor Coating in Lindale
A peeling garage floor does not have to remain covered in loose coating and exposed patches. Epoxy Coat Masters can evaluate the condition of the existing finish, explain what will need to be removed, and recommend a coating system based on the garage and how it is used.
For this Lindale homeowner, replacing the old DIY kit required significant preparation before the Orbit flake could be installed. The completed floor now has a consistent decorative finish that looks intentional throughout the entire garage.
If your garage coating is peeling, lifting under tires, or separating from the concrete, contact Epoxy Coat Masters. We can schedule a time to look at the floor, discuss what is happening with the existing coating, and explain the options for your Lindale or East Texas garage.
