Calgary & Alberta
Surface Prep
Flake, metallic, solid colour, high gloss, matte finish. The options are real but the decision is simpler than it looks. Knowing what each system actually does makes it easy to pick what works for your space and how you use it.
Most people walk into a floor consultation knowing they want something better than bare concrete. What they are less sure about is which system matches how they actually use the space. This is not a cosmetic decision only. Different systems have different performance profiles, and the right choice depends on the space as much as the aesthetic.
Vinyl Flake systems are the most widely used floor system for Calgary garages. Colour Flakes are broadcast into the wet base coat and then locked under one or two coats of polyaspartic topcoat. The Flake layer adds visual depth, hides surface imperfections in the concrete, and breaks up the reflective glare that comes with solid-colour floors. It also adds light traction texture through the variation in surface height.
Flake density is an aesthetic choice with a performance consequence. A full-broadcast Flake floor, where the base coat is completely covered with Flake, requires more topcoat to fully seal the surface because there is more surface area to cover. A lighter broadcast looks more like a terrazzo pattern and costs less in topcoat material, but the base coat colour shows through more significantly.
Metallic epoxy systems use pigmented metallic powders mixed into the base coat to create a flowing, three-dimensional look. No two metallic floors look exactly alike, which is part of the appeal. These systems are poured thicker than standard base coats and worked with rollers and air to create the movement in the metallic effect. They are more demanding to install and more sensitive to slab conditions.
Solid colour epoxy floors without Flake are common in commercial spaces, workshops, and utility areas where appearance is secondary to cleanability and chemical resistance. They are easier to clean because there is no Flake texture to trap debris, but they show tire marks, scuffs, and surface imperfections more readily than a Flake system. For a showroom garage or workshop with heavy foot traffic, a solid urethane finish can be the right call.
EFC Standard
We test moisture vapour emission on every slab using ASTM F2170-compliant in-slab probes. If the reading exceeds 4.5% relative humidity, we install a moisture vapour barrier before any coating goes down. It adds time and cost. It's also the only way to guarantee the system holds through Calgary winters.
Standard epoxy and polyaspartic topcoats have moderate traction when dry and can be slippery when wet, particularly with oils or water from melting snow. Silica sand or aluminium oxide can be broadcast into the final topcoat to add slip resistance. We recommend this for any floor that sees regular wet foot traffic: utility areas near garage doors, steps, and ramps. The texture is fine enough that it does not interfere with cleaning but coarse enough to provide grip.
A standard two-car garage used for parking and light storage does well with a full-broadcast Flake system and two topcoats. A workshop with heavy machinery and chemical exposure may benefit from a thicker build and a urethane topcoat for abrasion resistance. A showroom-quality garage with consistent lighting and aesthetic requirements might be the right application for a metallic system. The space and how it is used should drive the spec, not the other way around.
There is no wrong answer in the category of floor systems as long as the system is properly installed. A simple solid-colour floor with correct prep and two topcoats will outlast a metallic system that was installed over a compromised slab. The system choice matters less than the installation behind it.
Get a quote on a properly installed floor — one that holds through Calgary winters.
