Homeowners across Philadelphia are skipping the installer and coating their own garage floors. Our two part bisphenol A epoxy with quartz aggregate is built for that job, and the Philadelphia climate has a few things worth planning around before you open the first kit.
Every kit ships from our shop in Queen Creek, Arizona, and comes with free phone support from the people who mix and pack it. Call 602.600.0781 with questions before, during or after your install.
Philadelphia at a glance for epoxy work
| Typical July high | About 88°F |
| Typical January low | About 26°F |
| Average yearly snowfall | About 23 inches |
| Humidity | High in summer |
| Best pour window | April through June and September through October |
| Kits for a two car garage | 4 kits for 400 sq ft (1 kit = 100 sq ft) |
Temperatures and snowfall are rounded long term averages for the city and are meant for planning. Always check the forecast and measure your actual garage and slab temperature on pour day.
How Philadelphia weather affects your epoxy pour
With July highs around 88°F, Philadelphia summers sit comfortably inside the 41°F to 90°F application range on most days. The ideal cure temperature is 68°F to 77°F, which many Philadelphia garages hit naturally from late spring through early fall.
January lows near 26°F mean winter mornings can dip below the 41°F minimum. If you need to pour in the cold months, warm the garage for a day ahead so the slab, not just the air, is at temperature.
Summer humidity in Philadelphia often climbs above the 65 percent limit, so check a hygrometer before you mix. Lower humidity days give the cleanest finish.
Philadelphia averages roughly 23 inches of snow a year, which means road salt, deicers and meltwater on the garage floor all winter. A sealed quartz epoxy surface keeps that brine out of the concrete and wipes clean instead of soaking in.
Best time of year to pour in Philadelphia
For most Philadelphia garages, the most forgiving window is April through June and September through October. In that stretch you can usually count on the slab staying between 60°F and 85°F through the 72 hour cure, which gives you full working time and a consistent finish.
Prepping a Philadelphia garage slab
Rowhome and twin garages are often small and enclosed, which makes cross ventilation the priority. Winter salt and freeze thaw cycles are what a finished floor here has to handle.
Before anything else, do the water droplet test. Sprinkle water on the bare concrete. If it soaks in within about 30 seconds, the surface is ready to grind and coat. If it beads up, there is a sealer, paint or contamination that has to come off first.
For Philadelphia garages that have seen years of salt and freeze thaw, we strongly recommend a primer under the epoxy. It seals porous, weathered concrete and gives the coating a better bond.
Our full step by step process is on the installation instructions page.
Which kit fits your Philadelphia project
Indoor quartz sand epoxy self leveling floor kit. This is the kit for garages, workshops, basements and other interior concrete, in Marble Grey, Desert Grey or Black. The quartz aggregate gives a thicker, more textured and more slip resistant surface than standard garage floor paint or thin water based epoxy. It is made for indoor use and does not have strong UV protection, so keep it out of direct, all day sun.
Outdoor washed stone quartz epoxy floor kit. With as much sun as Philadelphia gets, patios, walkways and porches should get the outdoor system rather than the indoor kit. It comes in four stone colors and covers up to 100 square feet per kit. The washed stone finish lets water pass through, so it is not a waterproofing membrane. Over a basement or living space, a separate waterproofing layer is needed underneath.
Tools. To spread and finish the coating you need a 22 inch squeegee with pole, a 20 inch defoaming roller and an extension pole for the roller. Our epoxy tool kit adds a tool bag, spiked shoes for walking on the wet coat and five finishing trowels.
How many kits you need
One kit covers 100 square feet at the target thickness of about one eighth inch. No guessing. Measure the length and width of the floor, multiply, divide by 100 and round up. A one car garage is about 200 square feet and takes 2 kits, a two car garage is about 400 square feet and takes 4 kits, and a two and a half car garage is about 500 square feet and takes 5 kits. Do not stretch coverage, since a thin coat will not level properly.
Questions Philadelphia customers ask
When is the best time to epoxy a garage floor in Philadelphia?
For most Philadelphia garages the best window is April through June and September through October. You want the garage between 41°F and 90°F, ideally 68°F to 77°F, with humidity under 65 percent.
How much does a DIY epoxy garage floor cost in Philadelphia?
One kit covers 100 square feet, so a standard two car garage of 400 square feet takes 4 kits. At current pricing that is $996 in Marble Grey or Desert Grey and $1,200 in Black. If you do not own them, add about $95 for the squeegee, defoaming roller and extension pole, plus primer if your slab needs it. Professional installs are often quoted around $4 to $10 per square foot, which puts the same garage at roughly $1,600 to $4,000.
Can I use the indoor quartz epoxy kit on a patio in Philadelphia?
The indoor kit is made for garages, shops and interior floors and does not have strong UV protection, so it can yellow in direct sun. For patios, porches and walkways, use our outdoor washed stone kit. It covers up to 100 square feet per kit, and because the washed stone finish lets water pass through, it is not a waterproofing membrane.
How long before I can park on my new floor?
Light foot traffic is fine after 24 hours, the coating reaches full cure around 72 hours, and you can drive and park on it after about 5 days.
Will road salt damage an epoxy floor in Philadelphia?
A sealed epoxy surface keeps salt brine out of the concrete, which is one of the main reasons people coat their garage in snow country. Sweep and rinse salt off regularly through winter and clean with a pH neutral cleaner rather than harsh chemicals.
How do I clean an epoxy garage floor?
Sweep or dust mop to remove grit, then mop with a pH neutral cleaner in warm water. Avoid vinegar, citrus cleaners, bleach and harsh solvents, which can dull the finish over time. Wipe oil and chemical spills right away.
What is hot tire pickup, and how do I avoid it in Philadelphia?
Hot tire pickup is when warm tires soften a coating that is too thin or not fully cured and pull it off the floor. Prep the slab properly, apply at the full coverage rate instead of stretching kits, and wait the full 5 days before driving on it.
Can I epoxy my garage floor in one day?
Plan on a weekend. Cleaning, crack repair and grinding take 2 to 6 hours or more, and primer needs 4 to 24 hours to cure before the epoxy goes down. Most people prep and prime on day one and pour on day two.
Ready to start your Philadelphia garage floor
Talk to us about square footage, color and prep before you order. We are available Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm Arizona time.
Nearby and similar climate guides: Pittsburgh, PA, New York, NY, Charlotte, NC, Oklahoma City, OK, Nashville, TN. See all city guides.