Epoxy Flooring in Marion, IA

Most of the epoxy flooring we do in Marion is on garages less than 25 years old. Wikipedia reports that Marion's population went from 26,294 in 2000 to 41,535 in 2020, an increase of 58%. Housing units rose from 10,968 to 17,810 over the same years. Point2Homes, using 2019 to 2023 Census survey data, shows a median year built of 1994 and 41.5% of homes built in 2000 or later. That adds up to thousands of attached garages that were poured, broom- or trowel-finished, and left bare.

The trouble with a new, bare slab

A newer garage floor looks fine for the first few winters. Then the salt film starts. Marion's 1991 to 2020 NOAA normals, as listed on Wikipedia, show about 34.3 inches of snow a year, and every storm sends brine in on the tires. Bare concrete takes it in. Pitting and scaling show up first at the door line and in the tire lanes. A coating applied while the slab is still in good shape costs less than one applied after it is pitted, because there is less to repair.

Why smooth new concrete needs grinding

Builders often finish garage slabs with a power trowel. That leaves a tight, slick surface. It is good concrete, but a coating has little to grab. Many store kits tell you to acid etch, which often leaves that slick surface mostly in place. We diamond grind the whole floor so the base coat soaks in and bonds. We also check control joints. In newer subdivisions the saw-cut joints are often clean, so we can fill them flush or leave them open, depending on what you prefer.

What Marion homeowners usually pick

• Full epoxy flake floor in a gray or tan blend that hides dust between washes
• Polyaspartic topcoat so you can park sooner, which helps when a family has two cars and nowhere else to put them
• Stem wall coating along the bottom of the drywall so the whole garage looks finished
• Basement floor epoxy in finished lower levels, where many Marion homes have a family room or home gym

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The older side of town

Marion is not all new construction. Wikipedia notes it was incorporated in 1837, named for Revolutionary War figure Francis Marion, and chosen as Linn County's first seat in 1839. About 8.4% of the housing stock was built before 1940, and another 18.8% between 1950 and 1969. Homes from those years often have a narrower garage or a detached one, and the slab may have been painted at least once. Those floors get more prep: coating removal, crack filling and sometimes leveling low spots near the drain.

Mostly owners, mostly long-term

Census QuickFacts lists Marion's owner-occupied rate at 77.4% for 2020 to 2024, with a median home value of $241,700. Owners planning to stay usually want a floor that will last, so they ask about topcoat options and how to care for the floor in winter. We go over both at the estimate. We also put the prep, each coat and the square footage on the written quote, so you can compare it line by line.

Planning around a busy household

Census QuickFacts lists 2.45 persons per household in Marion. In practice, the garage holds two cars plus bikes, a mower and a freezer. Before the job we agree on where everything goes, and after it we give you written times for foot traffic, light items and parking. A garage that has to be back in service fast is a good fit for a polyaspartic system.