Epoxy Flake Floors in Bend, OR

Epoxy flake floors are the finish most Bend garages end up with, and the reason is practical. Bend crews spread crushed rock for traction on icy streets and magnesium chloride before storms. Both end up on your garage floor. A solid gray or white coating shows every grain and every dried brine ring. A flake floor, with thousands of colored vinyl chips locked in resin, hides that between cleanings and adds texture underfoot.

How a flake floor is built

The slab is diamond ground and repaired first. Then a pigmented base coat goes down, and while it is still wet, we throw chips across the floor by hand until the base will not take any more. That is called broadcasting to refusal. Once the base cures, we scrape and vacuum off the loose chips, and then roll a clear topcoat over the whole floor. The topcoat locks the chips in, sets the texture and takes the wear.

Full broadcast or partial

• Full broadcast: chips cover 100% of the base. It hides the most dirt and has the most texture. It is the usual choice for garages and shops.
• Partial broadcast: chips are scattered lightly so the base color shows through. It looks cleaner but shows more dirt, and the surface is smoother.

Most Bend homeowners with a working garage pick full broadcast. Partial broadcast suits a mudroom, a gym or a studio that sees less grit.

Picking colors

Chip blends come in many mixes of grays, tans, blacks and accent colors. Tan and gray blends hide the light dust and road grit most garages collect. Darker blends show light-colored dust. Lighter blends show tire marks. We bring physical samples to the estimate so you can see them on your floor in your own light, because a small swatch on a screen rarely looks the same.

Texture and grip

The chips leave a fine orange-peel texture under the topcoat. How rough the floor feels depends on how thick the topcoat is. A thinner topcoat leaves more grip, which suits a garage where snowmelt pools. A thicker one gives a smoother, glossier surface that is easier to mop. We talk through that trade-off with you and can add an anti-slip aggregate if you want more grip.

Topcoat choice

The chips themselves are vinyl. The clear topcoat over them is what faces the sun. HomeGuide rates polyaspartic UV resistance as excellent and epoxy's as poor to fair. For floors that get afternoon sun through an open door, we use a polyaspartic or other aliphatic topcoat so the clear layer does not amber over the chips.

Where flake floors work

• Attached and detached garages
• Mudrooms and side entries where boots come off
• Home gyms over concrete
• Workshops and hobby spaces
• Laundry and utility rooms on slab
• Small commercial spaces such as studios and break rooms