Garage Floor Fails: The Real Reason DIY Epoxy Starts Peeling in Winter

If you’ve ever walked into your garage after a long winter and noticed your epoxy floor bubbling or peeling, trust me, you’re not alone. Homeowners all over the Hudson Valley NY and New Jersey area are have the same story: they bought a DIY epoxy kit from a big box store… it looked good for a few months… and then winter came.

So, what really caused it to fail?

What Really Causes DIY Epoxy to Fail

1. No Concrete Grinding or Surface Preparation

Most DIY kits tell you to “etch with acid and rinse.” The problem? That doesn't open up the pores of the concrete enough for the epoxy to grip. Professional installers grind the concrete with industrial diamond grinders to create a perfect bonding surface.

No grinding = no adhesion = peeling.

2. Moisture Trapped Under the Coating

Concrete slabs breathe. Moisture vapor rises from the ground and pushes upward. When you roll epoxy on top without checking for moisture levels or using a vapor barrier primer, that moisture has nowhere to go, so it pushes up against that fresh coating you just laid causing bubbles and separation.

3. Store-Bought Epoxy is Watered Down

Those DIY kits are designed to be easy to install, not long-lasting. They’re low-solids, thin coatings with very little abrasion resistance. Hot tires from your car can literally soften and lift the coating off.

4. Salt, Snow & Hot Tire Pickup

Here in New York and New Jersey, winter brings road salt, slush, and extreme temperature swings. Salt eats into the surface while hot tires and freeze-thaw cycles break down epoxy that isn’t properly bonded to the slab.

Why Winter Makes Everything Worse

• Cold floors slow down epoxy curing times

• Warm tires + cold concrete = instant stress

• Salt + moisture = corrosion and spalling

• Freeze/thaw cycles expand cracks and break adhesion

DIY kits simply aren’t designed to handle Northeast winters.

Can You Fix a Peeling DIY Epoxy Floor?

Kind of, but it’s not as easy as just “recoating.” To fix it the right way, the old epoxy has to be completely ground off, the concrete needs moisture testing, and a new industrial-grade system must be installed. Anything less is just another temporary patch.

Final thoughts:

At Gorilla Tuff Coatings, we use a multi-step process that actually bonds to your concrete instead of just sitting on top of it.

✅ Diamond grinding to prepare the surface

✅ Moisture-barrier for humid or cold slabs

✅ Industrial-grade epoxy basecoat for flexibility

✅ Full broadcast flake for strength and texture

✅ UV-stable Polyaspartic topcoat that resists salt, oil, and hot tire pickup

This isn’t paint, it’s a permanent flooring system built for Northeast winters.

Ready to Never Worry About Peeling Floors Again? Hit the button below!

If your floor is already peeling or you want to get it done right the first time, we can help. Serving Hudson Valley NY, Northern NJ & surrounding areas.

To get a free quote just fill out our contact form.

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