How Moisture-Vapor Transmission Damages Garage Flooring in Ohio
In the Great Lakes region, homeowners are no strangers to water—from spring rain and lake-effect snow to humid summers. But what many don’t realize is that water can attack your garage flooring from below. This silent process, known as moisture-vapor transmission (MVT), happens when water vapor rises from the ground, passes through porous concrete, and disrupts any surface coating it meets.
In areas like Toledo, where high water tables and dramatic freeze-thaw cycles are common, MVT can cause:
- Bubbling, flaking, or delaminating coatings
- Salt and mineral deposits (efflorescence)
- Moisture staining
- Cracks from repeated freeze-thaw expansion
GFC’s 2-Day System: Garage Flooring That Fights Back
Garage Floor Coating – The Great Lakes uses a 2-day installation garage flooring system, engineered to stop MVT before it causes damage. The system starts with a 100%-solids, moisture-mitigating epoxy base coat, which penetrates deeply into the slab and cures into a dense, vapor-blocking layer. This foundation is critical in humid, freeze-prone regions like northern Ohio. Into this “wet” base coat, we broadcast the customer’s chosen flake blend in a thick, full-flake spread.
Once cured overnight, the floor is finished with two separate, 100%-solids polyaspartic topcoats (not just one!), which resist salt, chemicals, and UV rays.
Why it works:
- Epoxy base = slowly and deeply penetrates and bonds with the concrete slab providing complete moisture mitigation; allowed to cure overnight for max penetration and adhesion
- Dual polyaspartic layers = highest durability including resistance to hot tire transfer
Why 1-Day Systems Fail in Great Lakes Conditions
“1-day” garage flooring coating systems use a fast-curing polyurea or polyaspartic as a base coat—but these coatings cure far too quickly (especially in the presence of moisture) to deeply penetrate and properly bond with concrete. The thin, poorly-penetrating base coat fails to adequately resist MVT. Without a true vapor barrier, moisture gets trapped, eventually bubbling or cracking the coating as seasonal conditions shift.
Seal Out the Damage—Upgrade with GFC Great Lakes
Garage Floor Coating – The Great Lakes delivers garage flooring designed for Ohio’s real conditions: moisture, freeze-thaw stress, and seasonal swings. Don’t settle for a shortcut.
Schedule your free quote and protect your garage with a system that’s engineered to last—from the ground up.