Metallic Epoxy Floors in Dearborn, MI

Metallic epoxy floors are poured resin floors with metallic pigment mixed in. As the resin is spread and worked by hand, the pigment moves and settles, leaving swirls, veins and depth that look like polished stone or liquid metal. No two floors look the same. This Old House lists metallic floors at about $5 to $12 per square foot.

Where metallic floors make sense

• Finished basements and rec rooms: a seamless floor that looks finished and has nothing to tear out if the basement takes water.
• Home gyms and media rooms: easy to clean, with a look that goes well beyond gray concrete.
• Dealerships and retail floors: a surface that stands out to customers and wipes clean.
• Car display garages: for owners who want the garage to look like a car dealership and do not park daily salt-covered cars on it.
• Salons, offices and studios: anywhere a durable floor also needs to look good.

Metallic in a Dearborn garage

We are honest about this. Metallic floors are smooth and glossy, and they show scratches and salt film more than a flake floor does. In a garage that takes a daily driver through a Dearborn winter, a flake system is usually the more practical choice. In a heated garage, a collector car garage, or a garage used as a workshop or gym, metallic can work well. We add a slip-resistant additive to the topcoat when the floor may get wet.

Choosing colors

Metallic floors are built from a base color and one or more metallic pigments. Grays and silvers read like brushed steel, coppers and bronzes look warm and earthy, and blues and greens can look like water or stone. Lighter colors brighten a basement with small windows. We bring sample boards and photos of finished floors so you can see how the pigments behave.

Prep matters more on a glossy floor

A metallic floor shows everything underneath it. Every crack, patch line and low spot can telegraph through the finish. So prep is thorough: diamond grinding, crack and joint filling, and often a skim coat so the floor is smooth and flat. On basement slabs we also take a moisture reading, because moisture can cause blisters that stand out on a glossy surface. If the moisture is high, we use a suitable primer or tell you to wait.

How it is installed

A metallic floor is usually built in layers. A primer or base coat seals the slab. A tinted base color goes down next. The metallic layer is poured, spread and worked by hand while it is still wet, and the pattern forms as it levels. A clear topcoat finishes it, often a polyurethane or polyaspartic that resists scratches and UV better than epoxy alone. Most floors take two to three days.

Living with a metallic floor

Sweep or dust-mop regularly, since grit is what scratches a glossy floor. Use felt pads under furniture legs and mats at doors. Wipe up spills with a damp mop and a mild cleaner. A worn topcoat can be lightly sanded and recoated later without redoing the metallic layer underneath.