Concrete & epoxy
Recoating a failing epoxy floor without knowing why it failed just buys you a year. Kitchener Prestige Flooring assesses, repairs and recoats worn, peeling and yellowed epoxy floors for homeowners, businesses and industrial sites across Kitchener and Waterloo Region.
With more than 16 years and 1,700+ flooring jobs, we have seen every way a coating can fail. Diagnosis is the service: we test adhesion and moisture before we quote, so you pay for a fix that lasts.
Our crew is licensed, insured and WSIB covered. Every recoat is backed by a written 1-year labour warranty.
New installations live on our epoxy flooring installation page. This page is for existing floors that are worn, damaged or starting to fail.
Recoating makes sense when the original coating is still well bonded to the concrete. The wear is on the surface, and a fresh topcoat restores protection and appearance.
Replacement makes sense when the coating is lifting, blistering or failing adhesion tests. Recoating over a failure just seals the problem in.
Diagnosis is the real service here. Each failure has a different cause and a different fix.
Coatings that peel in sheets, especially where tires sit, were usually applied over concrete that was only cleaned or acid etched. Without a mechanical profile, the coating never gripped.
The fix is full removal and proper diamond grinding.
Blisters, bubbles and peeling with a white or damp residue underneath point to moisture from the slab. It is common in basements and slabs without a vapour barrier.
We test the slab, and the new system includes a moisture mitigation primer.
Epoxy yellows in sunlight, and some coatings chalk and fade near garage doors and windows. The coating may be sound but looks tired.
A UV-stable polyaspartic or polyurethane topcoat fixes the look and stops it happening again.
Worn traffic lanes, scratches and dulling in a well-bonded floor are simple wear. This is the ideal case for a recoat.
We test before we quote, not after. A simple cross-hatch tape test shows whether the coating is holding to the slab.
For commercial and industrial floors, we can do pull-off tests that measure bond strength. We also check moisture in areas showing blisters.
The results decide whether we recoat, repair sections or remove the coating entirely.
A new coat bonds to a prepared surface, not to a dirty or glossy one.
For sound coatings, we grind the surface with diamond tooling to remove gloss, contaminants and loose material. That gives the new coat a mechanical grip.
Oil, tire marks and silicone are removed first, because they stop any coating from bonding.
When large areas are failing, we grind or shot blast the old coating off completely, back to sound concrete. Cracks and joints are repaired before the new system goes down.
It costs more than a recoat, but it is the only way to end the cycle of peeling.
Not every coating bonds to every other coating. Polyaspartic and polyurethane topcoats generally bond well to properly abraded epoxy.
Epoxy over old polyurethane, acrylic sealers or waxed floors can fail unless the old layer is fully profiled or removed. Some older coatings are hard to identify.
When we are unsure, we apply a test patch and check its adhesion before committing to the full floor.
Damaged areas, such as gouges from dropped tools or peeling at a garage door, can often be repaired in place. We grind out the area, rebuild it and blend it into the surrounding floor.
Flake floors hide patches well. Solid colours are harder to match exactly, so we end repairs at joints or natural edges where a slight difference will not show.
These intervals help you plan and budget for maintenance.
| Environment | Typical topcoat recoat interval |
|---|---|
| Residential garage | 8 to 12 years |
| Retail and showroom | 5 to 8 years |
| Commercial kitchen | 3 to 5 years |
| Warehouse aisles and forklift lanes | 2 to 4 years |
| Manufacturing floors | 2 to 5 years, by traffic |
Commercial and industrial clients can book recoats on a schedule. See our industrial flooring and commercial flooring pages for full maintenance programs.
Typical 2026 ranges in Waterloo Region:
| Service | Typical cost per sq ft |
|---|---|
| Scuff and topcoat refresh | $2.00 to $4.00 |
| Grind, repair and recoat | $4.00 to $7.00 |
| Remove old coating and new system | $7.00 to $12.00 |
If you are tired of coatings altogether, concrete polishing removes the coating and polishes the slab itself. All recoating work carries our 1-year labour warranty.
Keep exploring
Where this service is in highest demand:
FAQ
Straight answers to the questions we hear most. Still unsure? Call and ask.
Ask for a Free QuoteYes, if the existing coating is still well bonded. We scuff or grind it to profile, clean it and apply a compatible coat. If it is peeling or failing adhesion tests, it has to come off first.
The usual causes are poor surface preparation, such as acid etching instead of grinding, moisture pushing up from the slab, or a thin, low-quality coating that could not handle hot tires or traffic.
Home garages usually need a fresh topcoat every 8 to 12 years. Busy commercial kitchens and warehouse aisles may need it every 2 to 5 years. We set a schedule based on your traffic.
Often, yes. We grind out the damaged area, rebuild it and blend it into the surrounding floor, usually ending the patch at a joint or edge. Flake floors blend better than solid colours.
Free estimate
Tell us about the floor. We will call to book a time, measure on site, check the subfloor and moisture, and leave you a written quote.
Prefer to talk it through first? Call and speak to a flooring specialist directly.
Kitchener Prestige Flooring
137 Glasgow St, Kitchener, ON N2M 5E3
Monday to Saturday: 7:00am to 9:30pm
Sunday: 9:00am to 9:00pm