With the best clear coat for your garage floors, you can make your floor better absorb impact and you are less likely to experience hot tire lifts. You may choose to leave the floor as it is, but adding an epoxy topcoat has a plethora of benefits.
The clear coat type that you choose depends on whether you are applying it yourself or having it professionally done.
In this guide, we review the various clear coat options available to help you decide the one that best suits you.
Our Top Picks
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A Bird’s Eye View: Best Clear Coat for Garage Floors
- The RUST-OLEUM EpoxyShield Clear 292514 Premium
- The Supercoat SC550-KR-CL-0
- The KILZ 1-Part L377711 Epoxy Acrylic
- Rust-Oleum 293517 Rocksolid
- EPOXY-COAT Epoxy Floor Kit
- The Floor-Tex TopCoat
- The RUST-OLEUM Clear Finish – 320202
Top 7 Best Clear Coat for Garage Floors Reviews
In our buying guide, we compare the best clear coats for garage floors based on factors like their composition (epoxy vs acrylic vs polycuramine), finish (satin vs gloss), coverage (number of square feet covered), and other factors like antislip properties and durability.
The RUST-OLEUM EpoxyShield Clear 292514 Premium Floor Coating Kit
- Low odor, low VOC formula is ideal for use on interior coated or bare concrete surfaces including garages, basements, workshops and more
- Two part, 100% solids epoxy coating provides excellent adhesion, durability, chemical resistance and resists hot tire pick up
- Each kit covers up to 500 sq. ft. on painted surfaces, 250 sq. ft. on bare concrete
- Heavy duty coating is walk ready in 24 hours, vehicle ready in 72 hours and comes in an easy to use burst pouch that reduces waste
- High-gloss protective finish provides a show room quality floor that lasts
The Rust-Oleum EpoxyShied Clear Premium Coating Kit contains 100 percent solids, giving you excellent durability, adhesion, and resistance to chemicals, oil, water, and hot tire pick up. The EpoxyShield Premium Coating will give you a high gloss finish that will protect your floor for years to come.
Features
- Low odor.
- Burst pouch technology.
- Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) formula.
- 2 part, 100% solids epoxy coating.
- Covers around 250 square feet on bare concrete, and 500 square feet on painted garage floors.
- High-gloss finish.
- Comes with an anti-skid additive.
Pros
- Durable and resistant to water and chemicals.
- The kit comes with an anti-slip additive.
- Easy to use.
- Excellent adhesion.
- Hot tire pick-up resistance.
- Dries relatively fast. Car ready in 72 hours, and walk-in ready in 24.
Cons
- If spills are not cleaned straight away, they could degrade the coat.
Verdict
This is definitely a product to consider if you are looking for a remarkably durable and clear epoxy floor coating. It has a low odor and is low on VOCs which makes it safe to use.
It also dries up relatively fast. In 24 hours, it is walk-in ready. It is vehicle-ready in 72 hours. The fact that it is has a thick film means that you need fewer coats.
The Supercoat SC550-KR-CL-0 Waterborne Urethane Glaze Coat
- Breathable two component waterborne urethane, clear topcoat for Supercoat epoxy floors, non-yellowing
- Industrial grade, Good chemical resistance, High gloss finish, Resists damaged caused by gasoline, brake fluid, standing water and battery acid
- Protects epoxy floor from scratches, Encapsulates decorative flake, easy to clean
The Supercoat is non-yellowing and has excellent resistance to chemicals. The high-gloss finish is also resistant to scratches and spills. It is easy to clean and has exceptional heat-resistant properties, which will help with things like hot tire pick-up.
A 1-gallon can cover at least 500 square feet. Make sure to apply correctly in the time given, as you do not want any uneven areas on your floor.
Features
- Clear topcoat suitable for epoxy floors.
- Two-component waterborne urethane.
- Industrial grade.
- Includes decorative flakes.
- Protective antislip layer.
Pros
- Has no odor.
- Can cover a wide area.
- Provides excellent heat resistance.
- Satisfying final high gloss finish.
Cons
- You need to work quickly as it dries quite fast.
- It may cover less than 250 square feet for the first coat as indicated by the manufacturer.
Verdict
This is ideal if you already have a Supercoat epoxy floor. However, if you have any other epoxy floors, it still works fine. The decorative flakes are an extra detail that will make your garage floor even more alluring. We recommend the Supercoat.
The KILZ 1-Part L377711 Epoxy Acrylic Garage Floor Coating
- A good concrete floor paint is highly durable, easy to clean and won't scuff, fade, crack or blister easily, even from hot tires and other heavy activity.
- This single component, water-based floor paint is formulated to last in hard to clean areas like basements and garages. It's resistant to staining and damage from chemicals, Oil and gasoline.
- Use this high-durability floor paint on coated or uncoated concrete, masonry, stone and brick. This paint is ideal on high-traffic surfaces such as garage floors, basements, driveways and porches.
- KILZ concrete floor paint delivers a satin finish that applies smoothly and evenly to floors and horizontal surfaces. Dries to touch in 2 hours. Recoat in 4 hours. Not intended for vertical surfaces. Ideal for use on new and uncoated concrete or masonry surfaces or painted, stained or sealed concrete.
- 1 Gallon of KILZ Concrete & Garage Floor Paint covers 400-500 square feet on smooth surfaces and 300-400 square feet on rough surfaces. KILZ has been making premium primers and paints for 40 years. KILZ was named Paint Brand of the Year in 2015 in the Harris Poll EquiTrend Rankings.
The award-winning Kilz brings us this single component and water-based paint. It is highly resistant to stains and damage from oil, gasoline, and chemicals. You can use it on a variety of garage floor types, from coated or uncoated concrete, masonry, brick, and stone.
Features
- Can be used on concrete (coated or uncoated), stone, brick, and masonry.
- 1-part epoxy acrylic paint.
- Satin finish.
- It covers 400 to 500 square feet on smooth surfaces and 300 to 400 square feet on rough surfaces.
Pros
- Easy to clean.
- Applies smoothly.
- Dries fast. You can recoat in 4 hours.
- Resistant to scuffing, cracking, blistering, and fading.
Cons
- Not as durable as 2-part Epoxy Paint.
- Scratch resistance could be better.
- It takes a long time to dry. You may need to avoid walking on it for a few days.
Verdict
The Kilz is definitely worth checking out. However, you really need to give it time to dry, as customers have reported peeling after parking their cars, days after the coating was done. Give credit where it is due. It does a great job for a 1-part and water-based paint.
The Rust-Oleum 293517 Rocksolid Polycuramine Garage Floor Coating
- Durable, polycuramine concrete coating works on interior concrete surfaces including garage floors, workshops, basements, family rooms and more
- Self-leveling, buildable formula is 20X stronger than epoxy with low odor and low VOC - portioned in a two-part, patented burst pouch
- Complete projects quickly; coating is walk on ready in 8-10 hours and vehicle ready within 24 hours
- Each kit covers up to 500 sq. ft. depending upon surface porosity; no hot tire pickup
- Provides a terrazzo flooring look in a high-gloss finish that resists cracking, peeling, chemical spills, hot tire pick up and provides a showroom quality floor in 1-coat that lasts
The first thing that makes the Rust-Oleum Rocksolid the best clear coat for garage floors is the color. It is Mocha! The Rocksolid is made from polycuramine, which is way stronger than epoxy (up to 20 times).
Polycuramine is also highly resistant to oil, gas, salt, and chemicals making your floor maintain its look for longer.
Features
- Made from polycuramine.
- VOC free.
- Self-leveling and buildable formula.
- Each kit can cover 500 square feet.
- High gloss finish.
Pros
- Salt, chemical, oil, and gas resistant.
- Easy maintenance.
- No hot tire pick-up.
- Odor-free.
- Dries relatively fast. It is walk-in ready in 8 to 10 hours; car ready in 24 hours.
Cons
- You need to work fast as the coating in the pot dries fast making it difficult to apply. You might want to have more than one person working on it.
- The foam rollers do not last.
- The chips provided are not enough. You need to buy more.
Verdict
We love the Rocksolid!. It is made from durable material that is easy to maintain and resistant to chemicals, oils, and salt. Does it get better than the Mocha color? The only secret to a great finish is proper prepping.
For example, if your garage floor has cracks, you need to fix those first, as this coating will not fill them in. One downside to this paint, which is also its strength is the fact that it dries fast. It starts to dry even in the can while you are applying. This means that you need to work fast.
The EPOXY-COAT Epoxy Floor Kit – Clear
- Black with Gray Blend Flakes – 3 gallon kit
- Everything you need for project included in kit
- Lifetime Guarantee - Made in the USA - 10X More Durable than Big Box Store Brands and Water-based Epoxies
- No Odor- Slip Resistant - Easy Application - 100% solids - Resists chemicals, salt, oil, and hot tires
- The Original High-Performance Coating Kits
The EPOXY-COAT is another amazing clear coat for your garage door. It has a shiny finish which will make your garage floor look great. It is not slippery and is easy to clean. All you need to do is prep your floor thoroughly, and applying it will be easy.
Features
- 100% epoxy.
- Non-skid properties.
- More durable than water-based epoxies (10 times more).
- Comes with all the hardware you need (spike shoes, mixing buckets, flecks, gloves, etch).
- Covers 500 square feet.
Pros
- Shiny finish.
- Excellent coverage.
- Easy clean-up.
- Lifetime guarantee.
- Does not peel.
- No odor.
- Chemical, stain, and oil resistant.
- Slip-resistant.
- Walk-in ready in 24 hours, car-ready in 72 hours.
- Adheres strongly to the garage floor.
Cons
- The spike shoe straps break when tightened.
- You might need more than one kit if your concrete is old.
- Scratches easily. You need to put a rug underneath when moving items.
- It dries fast even when applying, so you need to work fast, and not leave it in the bucket.
Verdict
The EPOXY-COAT is 100% epoxy which makes it durable. As long as you prep your garage floor, you should have no issues with the application. It gives your garage a shiny finish and is not slippery. We recommend it.
The Floor-Tex Topcoat Clear Satin Sealer
- Provides non-slip decorative finish for your interior/exterior concrete and masonry surfaces
- Premium water-based acrylic formula cleans easily with excellent resistance to UV rays and chemicals
- Covers approximately 300 sq. ft. with two coats; dries to the touch in 1-4 hours with foot traffic in 24 hours depending on surface porosity and humidity
- Non-yellowing coating extends life of coated/uncoated surfaces with advanced non-slip technology, superior durability and low odor
- Applies milky and dries to a clear satin finish that hides imperfections, stains and discolorations with low VOC emission
The Floor-Tex is the first water-based clear coat that we have met in this review this far. It has a non-slip property. It has excellent coverage (300 square feet with 2 coats).
It dries fast (in 4 hours it will be dry to the touch, and be walk-in ready in 24 hours). It is also durable as it has a non-yellowing coating. It has low VOCs and low odor and a clear satin finish.
Features
- Non-slip.
- Water-based acrylic formula.
- Covers 300 square feet (2 coats).
- Non-yellowing coating.
- Clear satin finish.
- Low VOC.
Pros
- Cleans easily.
- Stain, chemical, and UV ray resistance.
- Dries fast (4 hours to the touch, 24 hours walk-in).
- Low odor.
- Easy clean-up.
- Easy to apply.
- Hides stains, discolorations, and imperfections
Cons
- Not durable.
Verdict
We would not recommend the Floor-Tex since it is not durable. However, if you are working on a short-term project, for example, if you want to move out of a house in a few months, and do not want to invest a lot of money in your garage floor coating, then by all means go for it.
The RUST-OLEUM Clear Finish Floor TopCoat – 320202
- Is Chemical Resistant
- For Use Over Bare Concrete
- Advanced Acrylic Formula
- Brand Name: Rust-Oleum
If your garage floor is bare concrete, or you had used a one-part paint, then the RUST-OLEUM clear finish is for you. It has a gloss finish that protects your garage floor from oil, gasoline, grease, and hot tires. It is durable and weather resistant. It is also easy to clean and will resist fading and peeling.
Features
- Gloss finish.
- For use on bare concrete or one-part floor paint.
- Advanced Acrylic Formula.
- Drive on in 5 days.
Pros
- Easy to clean.
- Oil, gasoline, grease, and chemical resistant.
- Resists fading and peeling.
- Weather-resistant.
Cons
- Some users complained that the product bubbles up under tire pressure and causes the paint to peel.
- Some customers have had tire marks appear.
Verdict
The Clear Finish is definitely on our recommendation list. It is an acrylic clear coat that holds up well on bare concrete or one-part floors. It also dries fast. It is car-ready in 5 days. For the best results though, apply 2 coats.
Types of Garage Floor Coatings
Garage floor coatings add an aesthetic appeal to your garage floor. It also becomes easier to clean and maintain. Most importantly, topcoats protect your garage floor. This means that your coating needs to be your garage’s strongest point. It needs to have a better performance than your base coat, if not an equal one.
It is important to know the types that you can find in the market, to make an informed decision. The type to buy is also determined by whether you are doing the application yourself or hiring a professional to do it.
Epoxy Clear Top Coats
Epoxy is the most popular garage floor clear coating due to its affordability. It comes in solvent-based, 100% solid formulations or water-based options. Water-based and solid formulations are low in VOCs. It requires fewer coats and can give your garage a 10 mil thick coat. It is also highly chemical resistant.
The downside to epoxy is that it has the least resistance to abrasions when compared to other topcoat types. It also easily scratches and can be yellow when exposed to sunlight. It also scratches easily and can get slippery when wet.
Polyaspartic Top Coats
This topcoat is high performance. It is made from industry-grade materials and is a type of polyurea. It is technically referred to as Polyaspartic Aliphatic Polyurea (PAP).
Polyaspartic penetrates deeper into concrete, making it more durable and water and chemical-resistant. It also does not suffer from hot tire pick-ups or abrasions.
Polyaspartic dries extremely fast, which means that you can complete your coating in a day and the floor is car-ready, even if you applied several coats. This works if you need to use your garage daily.
Polyaspartic films are thick (4 to 8 mils). Most times, you only need 1 to 2 coats. It has an impressive glossy finish and is low VOC.
The downside to polyaspartic is that it is one of the most expensive topcoats. It has an extremely short pot life (20 minutes), therefore, the application is usually done by professionals.
It can get slippery when wet. It is advisable to add an antislip coating. You might come across a formulation that is not battery-acid resistant, so be sure to confirm before purchase.
Polyurethane Top Coats
Polyurethane is a high-performance floor coating. It comes in solvent-based and water-based options, with the latter being available in states with VOC restrictions.
While water-based options have less performance when compared to their solvent-based counterparts, they still do a much better job when compared to epoxies.
Polyurethane is highly resistant to abrasions; 3 times more than epoxies. It is chemical resistant and U.V stable. It will not yellow when exposed to sunlight as fast as epoxy would. You can add a tint to make the polyurethane even more U.V. stable.
Polyurethane is more scratch-resistant than epoxy, making it more ideal for garage floors that easily show scratches, like metallic epoxies or darker colors.
Polyurethane has a longer pot life, thus does not dry fast during application.
The downside to polyurethane is will not adhere well to bare concrete, is more expensive when compared to epoxy, and you need multiple coats, as the film is relatively thin (2 to 3 mils, when compared to the 10 mil epoxy). Applying multiple coats, however, might result in bubbling and a poor cure.
Factors to Consider When Purchasing a Clear-Coat for Your Garage Floor
Now that we know the types of topcoats available in the market, here is a quick list of other factors that you need to think about as you look to purchase the next clear coat:
- Composition – we have looked at the main types you can find in the market – epoxy, polyurethane, and polyaspartic.
- Durability – you want to choose a top coat that you do not need to keep recoating every few months.
- Application – will you do the application yourself or hire a professional?
- Resistance – how resistant is the topcoat to U.V rays, chemicals, oils, and scratches?
- Finish – do you want to go for a glossy or satin finish?
- Film thickness – you tend to need fewer coats if the coat is thick.
- VOCs – you want to go for low VOC and no VOCs alternatives, due to your health.
- How easy is it to recoat?
- Coverage – what is the average square feet that the coat can cover?
- Basecoat – ensure that the base coat is compatible with the type of topcoat you want to go for.
- Antislip additives – if you need to add an antislip additive, then your clear coat should make it easy to do so.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here we answer common questions that most people have about the best clear coat for garage floors.
What is the Best Garage Floor Coating?
The best garage floor coating is the one that best suits your particular circumstances. It should also be durable, highly resistant to chemicals, oil, abrasions, and hot tire lift. It should suit your preferred finish, satin or glossy, and have excellent coverage. Low or no VOCs will be an added advantage. It should be compatible with your base coat, and antislip additive should you need to add a layer.
Should I Clear Coat My Epoxy Garage Floor?
By all means, yes. While it is not mandatory to add a topcoat, the whole point of adding an extra coat is to protect your garage floor, making it more durable, and resistant to scratches, oils, and hot tire lifts. The coat will help, but it really is a case of prudence than obligation.
Can You Apply an Epoxy Clear Coat Over Polyurethane?
The base coat over which you want to apply a topcoat can be quite tricky. This is due to the two coats having different surface tensions. The top coat’s surface tension needs to be lower than the base coat’s otherwise, the topcoat cannot adhere to the base coat. Applying an epoxy clear coat over polyurethane is generally not recommended, as these two do not adhere well to one another. A polyurethane topcoat is ideal. You of course need to inquire about their surface tension.
How Do You Clear Coat a Garage Floor?
First, ensure that the base coat is completely dry.
- Knead both sides A and B of the pouch, including the corners.
- Roll part B towards A to burst the pouch.
- Shake the pouch for approximately 2 to 3 minutes to mix the product.
- Snip a corner of the pouch and pour it into a bucket (you may add the anti-skid additive).
- Pour the clear-coat into a paint tray.
- Saturate the roller (use a ⅜ inch roller).
- Work in M and W patterns, in 4×4 sections at a time.
Our Top Pick
The best clear coat for garage floors is the Rust-Oleum EpoxyShied Clear Premium, hands down. Since it contains 100 percent solids, it means that you have a thicker film (epoxies generally have a film of around 10 mils).
- Low odor, low VOC formula is ideal for use on interior coated or bare concrete surfaces including garages, basements, workshops and more
- Two part, 100% solids epoxy coating provides excellent adhesion, durability, chemical resistance and resists hot tire pick up
- Each kit covers up to 500 sq. ft. on painted surfaces, 250 sq. ft. on bare concrete
- Heavy duty coating is walk ready in 24 hours, vehicle ready in 72 hours and comes in an easy to use burst pouch that reduces waste
- High-gloss protective finish provides a show room quality floor that lasts
You will therefore need fewer coats. It comes with an optional anti-skid additive (which we advise you to use). It is therefore a durable coat that adheres well and is resistant to chemicals, oil, water, and hot tire pick up. We could not ask for more.
