What an Automotive Floor Installation Actually Involves

Automotive shops present two challenges standard commercial flooring can't handle: vehicular traffic from lifts and rolling cars, and a constant cycle of oil, brake fluid, transmission fluid, and hydraulic fluid spills. A floor that isn't specifically formulated for chemical resistance will absorb those fluids over time, stain permanently, and become a slip hazard.

DTI installs a multi-layer system for automotive environments: a 100% solids epoxy base coat (minimum 10 mil DFT), a mid-coat broadcast with anti-slip aggregate in areas around fluid exposure, and a chemical-resistant polyurethane topcoat that resists automotive fluids without yellowing under hot tires or UV from open bay doors.

For service bays with in-ground lifts, we prepare the trench edges with coved epoxy mortar to prevent edge delamination from the mechanical stress of lift operation. Drain areas get a sloped urethane mortar base that maintains positive drainage without creating trip hazards.

We install automotive flooring throughout Central California — service dealerships, independent shops, quick-lube facilities, and fleet maintenance yards. Most installations (2,000–5,000 sq ft) are completed over a single weekend. Cure for foot traffic in 24 hours; full chemical resistance in 7 days.