Metallic Epoxy Flooring: What It Is and When It Makes Sense

Metallic epoxy flooring is a decorative system where metallic pigments are mixed into clear, 100 percent solids, self-levelling epoxy to create a shimmering, swirled effect. One Sydney installer gives its typical thickness as about 2 to 4 mm. One contractor estimates $4,000 to $6,000 for a double garage.

What it is

The system

The pigments are worked through a clear epoxy layer, which is why no two floors look alike. It is a self-levelling system, so the finish shows the surface beneath it. The base is epoxy, and the look comes from how the pigments are moved before the resin sets.

The topcoat

The same installer notes a UV-resistant polyaspartic clear coat is usually the best top layer. You can read the difference between the resins in polyaspartic or epoxy for a garage floor.

Metallic or flake?

How flake works

Flake systems scatter coloured chips onto a base coat and seal them. The flakes help hide imperfections and add grip, and one Sydney installer gives about 1 to 3 mm as typical thickness.

How metallic differs

Metallic is thicker, at about 2 to 4 mm, and is chosen for looks. It does not rely on chips to hide the slab, so the slab needs to be prepared carefully. For the basics of each type read what is epoxy flooring.

What it costs

The only sourced example

The only price we found is a contractor example: $4,000 to $6,000 for a metallic finish on a double garage of about 36 to 40 m2, against $2,800 to $4,500 for decorative flake on the same size. Those are marketing figures and indicative only.

Reading the gap

On those figures metallic costs roughly $1,200 to $1,500 more than flake for a double garage. More detail on what drives price is in what epoxy flooring costs.

When it makes sense

A decorative floor in a visible space

Metallic suits a space where the floor is part of the look: a showroom, a display garage or a feature area. The extra cost buys appearance, not a different level of durability.

When a simpler system is enough

For a working garage or shed, a flake or basic system may do the job for less. We found no independent evidence that metallic wears better, so do not pay extra for durability alone.

Before you commit

Questions about the system

Ask which resins make up the system, how thick it is, which topcoat is used and what slip resistance the finished floor has. Ask for a sample board.

Questions about the slab

Slab moisture can ruin any coating: see moisture barriers for epoxy floors. Ask how the slab will be prepared and whether it will be tested.

Care instructions

We did not find independent information on maintenance for metallic floors, so ask the installer for care instructions in writing.

Find installers

NSW Flooring lists 56 businesses with a confirmed epoxy service. A listing does not say which finishes a business offers, so ask whether they do metallic work. Examples: Western Sydney epoxy flooring businesses, epoxy contractors in South West Sydney and epoxy contractors in Newcastle & Hunter. Data is from Google Maps, retrieved 22 October 2026: see how businesses are selected for the directory. For the garage question see epoxy vs polished concrete for a garage floor.

Quick answers

Is every metallic floor different?

Installers say the effect varies with how the pigments are worked, so samples are only a guide.

Does metallic need a topcoat?

One installer recommends a UV-resistant polyaspartic clear coat. Confirm what the quote includes.

Is metallic harder to repair?

We found no source on repair. Ask the installer how a damaged area would be repaired and whether it would match.

Can I do metallic epoxy myself?

The sources we found describe professional systems, and the result depends on preparation and timing. We do not give DIY advice.