THE HONEST VERDICT
If your slab is stained, patched or cracked — which describes most Northwest Arkansas garages — epoxy is the more forgiving and better-looking result.
Flooring guide
EPOXY VS POLISHED CONCRETE
Both start with your slab. Polishing reveals what the concrete already looks like; epoxy lets you choose what it looks like — and covers the patches, cracks and stains polishing exposes.
| Epoxy | Polished concrete | |
|---|---|---|
| Hides slab defects | Yes | No — it highlights them |
| Color options | Any color, flake or marble veining | Gray, or limited dyes |
| Stain resistance | Non-porous | Porous unless densified and sealed |
| Slip control | Additive broadcast into the topcoat | Slick when wet |
| Cost | $4–$12 / sq ft | $5–$12 / sq ft |
Hides slab defects
Epoxy: Yes
Polished concrete: No — it highlights them
Color options
Epoxy: Any color, flake or marble veining
Polished concrete: Gray, or limited dyes
Stain resistance
Epoxy: Non-porous
Polished concrete: Porous unless densified and sealed
Slip control
Epoxy: Additive broadcast into the topcoat
Polished concrete: Slick when wet
Cost
Epoxy: $4–$12 / sq ft
Polished concrete: $5–$12 / sq ft
WHEN POLISHED CONCRETE IS THE RIGHT CALL
Pick polished concrete for a large, brand-new, clean commercial pour where you actually want the raw concrete look.
GOOD TO KNOW
- Does epoxy stick to polished concrete?
- Only after the polish is ground off. A polished surface is closed; resin needs an open, profiled slab to bond mechanically.
- Which is easier to maintain?
- Epoxy. It's non-porous, so spills wipe up instead of soaking in, and there's no periodic re-densifying.
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