What Makes Metallic Different From Flake

Metallic epoxy gets its look from mica pigment powder mixed into the epoxy resin. When the applicator works it with a squeegee and a blower, the metallic particles move, separate, and layer. That movement is the design. Each area of the floor develops slightly different depth and shimmer depending on how the tool crossed it. The result reads as three-dimensional from most viewing angles.

Flake systems broadcast vinyl chips over a wet base coat for a granite-like look. More uniform, more predictable, and entirely appropriate for the majority of garages. Metallic is for the homeowner who wants the floor itself to be a statement piece rather than a neutral background.

River Marble: The Dominant Request in Frisco Right Now

Silver metallic over a flat black base. The silver pigment gets worked into channels and veins across the surface, which creates the impression of white marble with veining running through a dark field. Done well, it photographs like a high-end showroom floor. Done poorly, it looks muddied and busy.

The execution detail that separates good from great: the channel work. The silver is pushed into flowing paths that follow the room’s longest dimension rather than across it. That directional pull gives the floor a sense of movement instead of just texture. Cody’s background in live-edge resin work comes through in this specific pattern; he treats the floor the same way he treats a resin river table top.

Champagne Over Charcoal

A warm metallic finish with a softer, more residential feel than river marble. The charcoal base reads dark but not black. The champagne pigment has a yellow-gold warmth that photographs amber-toned in natural light and more gold under garage LEDs. Pairs well with white or light gray vehicles. Also the right call for garages that connect directly to finished living space where a starkly black-and-silver floor would create too much contrast.

This combination works particularly well for the newer Frisco builds where the garage is visible from the main entry and the homeowner wants the floor to coordinate with interior finishes rather than read as utility space.

Brushed Bronze Over Cream

A lighter floor overall, with a warm base and bronze metallic doing the layering. This reads as the most transitional of the three: it works in a traditional or transitional home where a very dark or very industrial floor would feel out of place. Also hides surface dust and minor scuffs better than darker finishes because the light base doesn’t hold shadows the same way.

The caution with cream bases: they show oil and automotive fluid stains more visibly than dark floors. For garages where vehicles actually get worked on, this isn’t the right choice. For garages that mostly stage and store, it’s fine.

How the Conversation Happens

Cody doesn’t use sample cards to close metallic jobs. He brings photos from previous floors and talks through the characteristics of each pattern: how it moves, how it changes in different lighting conditions, how it reads at the doorway versus midspace. Metallic floors are inherently one-of-a-kind, so the best he can do is show you what similar directions have produced and work toward what matters to you. That conversation happens at the site visit, not before it.

Frisco Metallic Epoxy FAQ

Can I specify exactly how my floor will look?

Not precisely. The metallic pigment moves during application and the result depends on temperature, humidity, tool angle, and the specific slab surface. Cody can aim for a direction (lighter/darker, more veining/less) but the floor will be unique. That’s what you’re paying for.

Does metallic hold up the same as flake?

With a polyaspartic topcoat, yes. The durability difference is in the base coat, not the metallic pigment. Diamond-ground prep + 100% solids primer + metallic epoxy + polyaspartic topcoat is the same system, different aesthetics.

Will it look different at night with LED lighting?

Yes. Most metallic floors shift noticeably under artificial light versus daylight. Cool white LEDs emphasize the silver tones; warm LEDs pull out the yellow-gold. This is worth discussing at the site visit so you can factor in your garage lighting.

What’s the metallic upcharge over standard flake?

Roughly 30-40% over the equivalent flake-and-polyaspartic quote. For a 2-car Frisco garage, that puts metallic a step above flake depending on prep requirements.

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