This is our planning guide for a DIY quartz epoxy garage floor in Riverside. It covers local weather, slab prep, how many kits you need, what it costs and answers to the questions people ask before they start.
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.
Riverside at a glance for epoxy work
| Typical July high | About 95°F |
| Typical January low | About 42°F |
| Average yearly snowfall | Little to none |
| Humidity | Low |
| 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 Riverside weather affects your epoxy pour
Summer afternoons in Riverside average around 95°F, which puts many garages near or above the 90°F upper limit for application. Mid summer pours are possible if you start early and work in small batches, but spring and fall give you the full working time.
Winters are mild, with January lows around 42°F, so cold is rarely the limiting factor here.
The dry air in Riverside works in your favor during cure, though it also means the surface skins over faster in heat, so keep a wet edge as you spread.
Best time of year to pour in Riverside
For most Riverside 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 Riverside garage slab
Inland Empire summers are hot and dry, so most DIY pours happen in the morning or in the cooler months. Many newer homes are on post tension slabs, so grind the surface only and never drill into the slab.
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.
After grinding to a texture similar to 60 grit sandpaper, vacuum every bit of dust. Leftover dust acts as a barrier layer and is a common cause of peeling.
Our full step by step process is on the installation instructions page.
Which kit fits your Riverside 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 Riverside 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 Riverside customers ask
When is the best time to epoxy a garage floor in Riverside?
For most Riverside 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 Riverside?
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 Riverside?
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.
What is hot tire pickup, and how do I avoid it in Riverside?
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. In Riverside summers, letting tires cool for a few minutes after a long drive also helps.
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.
Can I put epoxy over a painted or sealed garage floor?
Not directly. Paint, sealers and old coatings keep the epoxy from bonding to the concrete. Do the water droplet test, and if water beads up, grind the old coating off down to bare concrete before you pour.
Is a quartz epoxy floor slippery when wet?
The quartz sand aggregate gives the surface texture and grip, which is a big part of why people choose it over smooth epoxy or garage floor paint. Slip resistance still depends on how the aggregate is spread and what is on the floor, so wipe up oil and standing water like you would on any floor.
Ready to start your Riverside 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.
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