Epoxy Flake Flooring in West Allis, WI

Why flake works so well here

Winter in West Allis means a garage floor that is constantly dirty. Even after you sweep, a fine film of sand and dried salt comes back every time the car pulls in. On a solid-color floor, that film shows. On a flake floor, it nearly disappears. The random mix of colored vinyl chips breaks up the surface visually, so salt spots, tire marks, sawdust and dog hair are much less noticeable between cleanings. The flakes also create a slightly textured surface that gives your boots more to grab when they are wet with snowmelt.

There is a durability benefit too. A full-broadcast floor is thicker than a basic coating because the chips are locked between a base coat and a clear topcoat. That added build stands up well to dropped tools, bike stands and the scraping of snow shovels.

Full broadcast versus partial

In a partial broadcast, chips are sprinkled lightly over a colored base so some of the base shows through. It looks fine, but it does not hide dirt as well and it leaves less material over the concrete. In a full broadcast, we throw flake into the wet base coat until no base color can be seen. Once it cures, we scrape and vacuum off the loose chips, which leaves a dense, even layer, and then roll on the clear topcoat. For garages that take the beating ours do, full broadcast is almost always what we recommend.

The install, start to finish

Day one begins with diamond grinding to clean, open and flatten the slab. We vacuum it thoroughly, fill pits and cracks with repair material and grind the patches smooth. Then the base coat goes down and the flake is broadcast while it is still wet. Once the base has cured, we scrape the surface with a flat blade to knock off loose or standing chips, vacuum again and apply the topcoat. Many of our flake floors use a polyaspartic topcoat, which cures quickly, resists yellowing and holds up well to warm tires coming in from a long drive.

Picking a blend

Flake comes in dozens of blends and several chip sizes. Grays, blacks and whites are the most popular in local garages because they look clean and hide the grayish film that road salt leaves behind. Tan and brown blends are good choices for basements and mudrooms where dirt is more brown than gray. Larger chips read as bolder from across the room, while smaller chips give a finer, more granite-like look. We bring physical samples so you can compare them on your actual floor, under your own lights, before deciding.

Adjusting the texture

Flake floors already have some texture, but we can adjust the topcoat for more or less grip. In a garage where someone comes in from an icy driveway every morning, we may add a fine aggregate to the topcoat for extra traction. In a basement rec room where people walk barefoot or in socks, we keep the finish a bit smoother so it is comfortable and easy to mop. Tell us how you use the room, and we will fit the texture to it.

Beyond the garage

Flake floors are not just for cars. We put them in basement laundry rooms, mudrooms, workshops, three-season porches with concrete floors, dog kennels and storage rooms. Landlords like them for two-family basements because they clean easily and are hard to damage. Small businesses use them in break rooms, back rooms and showrooms where a decorative but tough floor makes sense.

Caring for a flake floor

Squeegee out standing water during the winter, sweep or dust mop when it looks dirty and wash it with a mild cleaner when needed. That is really all there is. Avoid harsh solvents, and use a pad under anything with a sharp metal foot. Because the flake hides so much, you will probably clean it less often than any floor you have owned.

Flake floor questions