Epoxy vs polished concrete: which floor finish works best at home?
Maybe you’ve been scrolling through home renovation posts and seeing all these glossy, professional looking flooring.
PM Industries are flooring experts and deal with people everyday wanting to know whether they should go with epoxy flooring or polished concrete for there homes.
Both options can look amazing but they are actually totally different.
They cost different amounts to install, And honestly alot of people dont really understand what their getting into with either option until after its too late.
What we’re actually talking about here
Epoxy flooring isn’t just paint. Epoxy is a coating over the floor that has multiple different layers to it and then hardens to create a hard glossy surface.
Polished concrete is basically taking your existing concrete slab and grinding it back with diamonds until you get this smooth, reflective surface. No coatings just the concrete polished up, pretty much what it sounds like.
Both can look amazing but they achieve that look in completely different ways and that makes a huge difference to how they perform long term.
The durability reality check
Here’s where things get interesting. Everyone assumes epoxy is tougher because it looks so industrial and shiny. But polished concrete is the most durable.
Polished concrete just keeps going. Any damage usually just blends into the surface character, and you can always re-polish sections if needed.
That said, epoxy definately wins for chemical resistance. Spill battery acid or engine oil on polished concrete and you might get permanent staining. Epoxy just shrugs it off.
Epoxy creates this tough surface that’s basically invincible to most chemicals and daily wear. We’re talking about a coating system that was originally developed for industrial applications where forklifts and heavy machinery run over it all day.
Polished concrete looks good initially but it’s still just concrete at the end of the day. It can still get stained by things and chip at the edges. If you have high traffic areas they can start to show up on polished concrete.
Installation realities and timing
There are DIY Epoxy flooring kits you can get from bunnings for about 40 bucks, but don’t expect hem to last long, especially in high traffic areas, around the edges and anywhere you drop something heavy.
Epoxy installation sounds straightforward but its actually pretty fussy about conditions. The temperature and humidity need to be just right and you cant have any moisture coming up through the concrete or the whole system fails and then you’re back to square one which is obviously not what anyone wants when they’ve just spent thousands on what should be a simple floor upgrade.
You also need to apply it quick, once you start mixing the epoxy you’ve got around thirty to forty minutes before it starts to cure in your bucket.
Polished concrete takes longer but its more forgiving. You grind down the concrete in different grinding stages with different grit diamonds and then densifying treatments, then final polishing. Could take 3 to 4 days for a decent sized area but you’re not rushing against cure times.
Maintenance and living with your choice
To be honest, most options are pretty low maintenance. But they’re not zero maintenance and the type of maintenance is quite different.
Epoxy needs regular cleaning to maintain that showroom look. It shows every footprint or dust particle and water spot. The glossy finish does show dust and footprints but cleaning is literally just mopping with regular floor cleaner. Takes minutes and you’re back to that showroom look.
Polished concrete is more forgiving day to day. Dirt and scuffs dont show as readily and you can be pretty casual about cleaning. But every few years polished concrete needs special cleaners and periodic re densifying treatments.
Neither option likes abrasive cleaning or dragging furniture around without protection. Furniture pads are essential for both.
Aesthetic considerations and what you can actually achieve
You can customise your epoxy flooring to match your taste so if you have particular design in mind you can make that. For example if you love marble flooring but its not quite in your budget then epoxy to be mixed like marble is an amazing option. Epoxy gives you more colour options and you can add decorative flakes or metallic effects.
Garages are obvious because of the chemical resistance but epoxy works brilliantly in kitchens, laundries, even living areas if you want that contemporary industrial look. The seamless surface makes it naturally hygienic which is why hospitals and food facilities use it.
But if you like a more naturally imperfect look then polished concrete is the way to go. Polished concrete keeps the natural character of the concrete including any imperfections, cracks or colour variations.
Gloss levels matter too. High gloss epoxy looks amazing when its clean but shows everything when its not. Polished concrete can be done to different gloss levels from matte to mirror finish.
Making the decision for you’re specific situation
Think about your life, your lifestyle and your daily routine. What’s it like? Think about how you actually live and what you really need form your floor.
If your in a garage working on cars and want something that looks professional and handles oil spills, epoxy makes sense.
If you want something for living areas that looks good without being too precious, polished concrete might be better. Its more forgiving day to day and ages more gracefully.
Budget matters but think total cost over time, not just installation cost. A cheap epoxy system that needs redoing in five years isn’t cheaper than polished concrete that lasts twenty years.
Consider your existing concrete too. If its already in good condition, polished concrete could be straightforward. If it needs major prep work anyway, epoxy might make more sense.
If you want a floor that’s going to look amazing day one and still look amazing in ten years with minimal effort, epoxy is hard to beat.
But make sure to take your time with your decision and talk with experiences installers. The installation quality matters way more than the specific product choice so focus on finding skilled installers who understand your goals and can deliver them!
