You Don’t Need to Grind Your Garage Floor Before Epoxy (Yes, Really)

For years, homeowners and contractors alike have been told the same thing:

“If you don’t grind your garage floor or acid-etch it, your epoxy will fail.”

I used to believe that too—because I did it that way for years. Grinding. Muriatic acid. Harsh fumes. Extra cost. Extra mess.

But I decided to put that belief to the test on a customers garage floor… and the results might surprise you.

The Experiment: No Grinding. No Acid. Real Results.

No fancy grinders.
No acid etching.
No nasty chemicals.

And the floor looks amazing.

 

I installed the floor 2 years ago using a proper prep process and the right products, not brute-force grinding. Here’s exactly what I did.

The Prep Matters (Grinding Isn’t the Only Way)

Instead of grinding or acid etching, I focused on thorough cleaning and proper priming, which is what actually allows epoxy to bond.

 

Here’s the process I used:

• Cleaned the concrete with Krud Kutter Pro Neutral Industrial Cleaner & Degreaser. Spot cleaned with Krud Kutter Pro spray foam cleaner.
• Made sure the surface was fully clean and contaminant-free with a pressure washer
• Applied EP55 Epoxy Primer from Rust-Oleum (Citadel)
• Installed:
• Epoxy base coat Rust-Oleum (Citadel) PLE-100 FC
• Decorative Torginol flake coat
• Polyaspartic clear top coat Citadel Polyurea-1 HD
• Filled the saw cuts with Rust-Oleum (Citadel) PolyFlex 93 two part filler.

 

That’s it. No grinders. No acid burns. No chemical fumes.

“That Floor Will Fail in Two Weeks”

I heard it all.

People said:

• The epoxy wouldn’t last
• The saw cuts (a.k.a. expansion joints) would crack
• Hot tire pickup would peel the coating
• The floor would fail after one season

 

Well… none of that happened.

One Full Year Later: Still Looks Brand New

This floor has now been through:

• Freezing winter temperatures (down to around 0°F)
• Summer heat over 100°F
• Daily use
• Hot tires

And here’s the reality:

• No cracking in the saw cuts
• No hot tire pickup
• No peeling
• No scratches
• Still looks like glass

 

Honestly, it still looks brand new.

Why This Works

Grinding and acid etching are methods, not magic. What truly matters is:

• Removing contaminants
• Opening the surface properly
• Using a high-quality Rust-Oleum Industrial epoxy primer
• Following a proven coating system by Rust-Oleum

 

Rust-Oleum’s epoxy and primer system made this possible, and I’m genuinely impressed with how well it’s held up.

The Best Part? Safer, Faster, and More Affordable

By skipping grinding and acid etching:

• No grinder rentals
• No expensive equipment
• No breathing muriatic acid fumes
• Less mess
• Less downtime

 

For homeowners and professional painters looking for a safer, cleaner alternative that actually works, this method is a game-changer.

Final Thoughts

I’m honestly stoked about how this floor turned out—and even more excited that it proves you don’t have to grind your garage floor to get professional-level results when you use the right products and process.

 

I’ll be back next year with another update, but if this first year is any indication, this floor is here to stay.

 

Stay tuned. 👊