Get matched with top epoxy flooring pros in Algona, IA

Concrete can take years to fully settle, but interior concrete floors are mostly settled after a year. Shifting and settling can occur throughout your home’s life, but most major settling happens the first few years after the concrete is poured. It’s not uncommon for minor cracks to appear in concrete floors over time—check with a concrete pro to ensure new cracks don’t indicate a structural issue in your home.

While you shouldn’t use thinset mortar on its own as a floor leveler, it can work alongside other products to help level floors. For instance, you could start with a self-leveling compound, let that dry, then apply backer board with thinset mortar to help fully even out the floors ahead of laying tile.

Epoxy tends to be the most durable concrete finish, holding up on garage and shop floors for years. Epoxy seals the slab's surface, will run into any cracks and crevices, and can help to level the surface, so it tends to be a durable finish for most applications. The downside to epoxy is that it can be difficult to remove once applied.

It costs between $600 and $8,400 to stain an average-size concrete patio of around 300 square feet. The wide price range accounts for intricate stains that incorporate multiple colors and stenciling, high-end sealers, and special touches, such as stamping or concrete polishing. Prices can also vary if you need to make multiple repairs to your patio before adding the stain and seal.