Polyurea vs Polyaspartic Concrete Coatings

As experts in concrete coatings, Roe Paint continuously strives to learn more about all available products. There are lots of different concrete coating products available, and we have researched these different products extensively and used many of them, giving us first-hand experience with how they work to share with our customers. We get a lot of questions from our customers about which coating is better, polyurea or polyaspartic.

More About Polyurea & Polyaspartic Concrete Coatings

Polyurea and polyaspartic are similar products used to coat concrete. Polyurea dries more quickly than polyaspartic which can make it more challenging to apply. Polyurea can be more susceptible to UV, but many versions are UV resistant, which helps prevent yellowing. Polyurea is a synthetic material and is a subtype of polyurethane. It creates a durable seal for concrete flooring, and the flexible material helps to ensure long-lasting coverage.

Polyurea Concrete Coatings

Polyurea is very similar to epoxy and polyaspartic, but there are some differences. One of the biggest disadvantages of polyurea is its cure time. It cures very quickly, which can be challenging to apply and can result in application errors when not installed properly. The cure time also limits the amount of time the coating has to bond with the concrete. Proper “wetting out” time is needed to ensure proper adhesion.

Polyaspartic Concrete Coatings

Polyaspartic is a type of polyurea that has been modified to mitigate some of the issues associated with polyurea. Polyaspartic has an improved pot life which makes installation less challenging and provides better adhesion with the concrete. The UV resistance is also improved. Not all polyaspartic are the same and some do not have the same UV resistance. The aliphatic content of the material is how the risk of UV discoloration is determined.

Polyaspartic and polyurea coatings are both thinner than epoxy, which allows them to get into more of the concrete cracks, crevices, and pores. Epoxy is thick like molasses and can struggle to reach cracks and crevices while it cures, leaving weak or unfinished areas. While the cure time of these products can affect application, they are great for use. Polyurea and polyaspartic hoth cure much more quickly than epoxy. Polyaspartic coatings need about a day of curing while polyurea needs only a few hours, both significantly faster than the week of cure time epoxy needs. These faster cure times do not come with decreased durability either. Both products are more durable than epoxy.

The durability of polyaspartic is unmatched by epoxy and polyurea comes in close second. Polyaspartic coatings are excellent at resisting chemicals and can last a very long time.

Both polyurea and polyaspartic concrete coatings are great solutions for concrete floors. Many homeowners choose between these products based on aesthetics because they are so equally matched. Color combinations and flake choices are great deciding factors, as are contractor recommendations. Our team is great at helping our clients choose the perfect concrete coating for their home based on the condition of their existing concrete, UV exposure, and other factors.

Roe Paint has made it our passion to be a resource for our customers so they can make educated decisions about their coating needs. We know how important these decisions can be for our clients and hope that more information provided by our team on our products helps them make informed decisions.