Here’s the thing—when people think about a new garage floor coating, they picture that clean, glossy finish at the end. What they don’t usually think about is the step that matters most: the prep. It’s the unsung hero of the whole process. Without it, even the most expensive coating doesn’t stand a chance.
With our mix of weather and heavy garage use here upstate, you really can’t afford to skip prepping your concrete the right way. That may even be literal, as replacing a concrete coating can easily be more costly than having it installed right in the first place.
CSP: The Scoreboard for Concrete
Contractors measure how ready a floor is for coating with something called the Concrete Surface Profile (CSP). It’s basically a scoreboard that runs from 1 to 10:
- The sweet spot for garage floor coating sits right in the middle, at a CSP of 3 or 4.
- CSP 1 is slick and smooth—like trying to run in socks on a gym floor.
- CSP 10 is way too rough, almost chewed up.
That “Goldilocks zone” is where the coating gets just enough texture to grip without overdoing it.
Why Propane Grinders Deliver the Win
The best way to hit that CSP 3–4 range is grinding. And not just any grinder—propane grinders are the gold standard. They’ve got the power to chew through concrete evenly, the speed to handle large garages, and the mobility to work without dragging cords everywhere.
They’re also safer than most people realize. Propane has a narrow flammability range, and these grinders produce almost no emissions, so they can even be used indoors. In short: they’re efficient, reliable, and built for the job.
Where Other Methods Drop the Ball
Not every prep method makes the cut. Acid etching and low-pressure water jetting? Too smooth. They leave the floor looking fine at first, but the coating will peel sooner than later.
On the opposite side, aggressive techniques like sandblasting or rotomilling are overkill for a residential garage—they rough things up more than needed.
Even electric grinders, while cheaper upfront, just don’t have the horsepower. They’re slower, less effective, and usually add more labor time than they save in cost.
What Happens When Prep Gets Ignored
Skip the right CSP, and your floor will let you know. Peeling in high-traffic spots, cracks where your car tires roll in and out, and a coating that just doesn’t last—it all comes back to poor prep. No one wants to invest in a garage floor coating only to watch it fail early because the concrete wasn’t handled right from the start.
Bottom Line in Horseheads
At Garage Floor Coating of New York, we’re not interested in cutting corners. Concrete prep isn’t just a step in the process—it’s the step that makes the rest possible. That’s why we put in the work to hit the right CSP before laying down your coating.
If you’re ready for a garage floor coating that’s built to last, give us a call or send us an email today. We’ll make sure the prep is done right, so the floor you see at the end is as tough as it is good-looking.