What a metallic floor is
A clear epoxy carries fine metallic pigment. The installer pours it over a colored base and moves it by hand — rollers, brushes, solvent mist, sometimes air — so the pigment settles into swirls and depth. Clear topcoats seal it. The result looks like polished stone or liquid metal, and it cannot be reproduced exactly, which is the point and the risk.
Decorative also covers custom flake blends, logo inlays, and two-tone layouts — less dramatic than metallic, more forgiving, and usually cheaper.
Where it works around New Orleans — and where it does not
Indoors is the fit
Finished garages, home gyms, game rooms, bars, salons, and retail floors. Inside, out of the sun and the rain, the gloss stays clear and the floor stays dry.
Moisture shows on a metallic floor first
Moisture in a slab can make a floor coating fail after it goes down, which is why coating makers generally require a moisture test first. On a flake floor that might stay hidden for a while; on a metallic floor it shows as pinholes and craters in the finish. Testing and a moisture-control primer matter more here than on any other system.
The air shortens the pour window
South Louisiana has a hot, humid climate, and humidity can matter twice for a coating: moisture in the slab, and condensation on a cool slab during application. A metallic pour needs steady conditions for the hour or so the pigment is being worked. Installers often run the room's air conditioning for a day ahead.
How the installation goes
- Pick the look on samples. Ask for a sample board in your colors — and expect the floor to vary from it.
- Test and grind. Moisture readings, then diamond grinding to a clean, open surface.
- Repair and level. Cracks and low spots are filled; on a metallic floor every patch can telegraph through.
- Prime and base. A primer matched to the moisture reading, then a pigmented base coat.
- The pour. The metallic coat goes down and is worked in one session.
- Topcoats. Clear epoxy, then usually a polyaspartic or urethane coat for scratch and UV resistance.
Foot traffic after about 24 hours; vehicles after three to seven days on an epoxy topcoat, or 24 to 48 hours on a polyaspartic topcoat.
What a metallic epoxy floor costs
$9–$15+ per square foot installed.
| Project | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Small room or entry (under 300 sq ft) | $3,000–$5,000 |
| Two-car garage | $4,500–$8,000 |
| Showroom or retail floor | quoted per design |
| Multi-color or custom pattern work | priced by design complexity |
Bids vary most on metallic work because the finish is applied by hand; compare the written prep, build, and topcoat, not the total alone.
Typical installed ranges for the Gulf South metro — planning numbers, not quotes and not our prices. NOLA Concrete Coatings does not price or perform work; the real number comes from the installer after a look at the slab.
What to expect from a hand-poured floor
- It will not match the sample exactly. Agree in writing on what “close enough” means.
- High gloss shows scratches and dust; satin hides them better.
- Furniture feet need pads, and grit by the doors needs a mat.
- Light scratches can be buffed out of the topcoat, and the topcoat can be renewed without redoing the pour.
Ask for it in writing
A written quote worth comparing lists four things as separate lines: prep, repair, the coating system, and the finish.
- 1PrepThe method (diamond grinding or shot blasting), the moisture test, and any moisture-tolerant primer that test calls for.
- 2RepairCrack and spall repair, removal of an old coating or sealer, and whether that number is fixed or an allowance the crew settles once the floor is opened up.
- 3Coating systemThe chemistry, the number of coats, and the total mil thickness, not just a product name.
- 4FinishSolid color, flake, or metallic; the topcoat; and the return-to-service windows for foot traffic and for vehicles.
Metallic floor questions
How much does a metallic epoxy floor cost in New Orleans?
Usually $9 to $15 or more per square foot installed: roughly $3,000 to $5,000 for a small room or entry and $4,500 to $8,000 for a two-car garage. Showroom and custom-pattern floors are priced by design.
Why does metallic cost more than flake?
More material, more coats, and much more skilled hand work. A flake floor hides small mistakes; a metallic floor shows every one, so the labor is slower and the installer's experience matters more.
Can a metallic floor go outside?
It is a poor fit. Direct sun yellows the epoxy, water makes the gloss slick, and outdoor slabs move more. Patios and pool decks are better served by a sealer or an overlay.
Is a metallic floor slippery?
The high-gloss version can be when wet. A fine grit in the topcoat or a satin finish adds grip at a small cost to the look — worth asking about for any floor near an exterior door.
Serving New Orleans and the surrounding metro, including Metairie, Kenner, Gretna, Marrero, Harvey, Chalmette, Slidell, Mandeville, Covington, and LaPlace.