Quick answer: Fargo Epoxy coats shop, pole barn and outbuilding floors across Fargo, West Fargo, Moorhead and surrounding Red River Valley towns. Shop slabs get heavier diamond grinding, crack and joint repair, and a thicker epoxy system with a chemical-resistant, textured topcoat that handles snowmelt, salt, oil and equipment. Call (701) 815-5240 for a free estimate.
Shop and pole barn floor coatings in the Red River Valley
Around Fargo–Moorhead, a lot of the hardest-working concrete is not in a house garage at all. It is in a detached shop behind the house in Horace, a pole barn on an acreage near Kindred or Harwood, a farm shop where equipment comes in caked with mud, or a hobby shop where someone restores trucks all winter. These floors take more abuse than a typical garage: heavier vehicles and equipment, more chemicals, dragged steel, and months of snowmelt and salt brine coming off trucks. A coating for a shop floor has to be chosen and installed for that.
How shop floors differ from garage floors
- Bigger, heavier loads. Tractors, skid steers, service trucks and lifts put point loads on the slab that a car never does.
- More chemicals. Hydraulic fluid, diesel, antifreeze, fertilizer residue and parts cleaners all end up on the floor.
- Older or rougher slabs. Many outbuildings were poured without a smooth finish, have wide cracks, or have years of oil soaked in.
- Heat and drains. Heated shops with in-floor radiant tubing and trench drains need careful planning around temperatures and edges.
What we do differently on a shop slab
Heavier prep. Shop slabs are diamond-ground until the surface is clean, open and sound. Oil-soaked areas are degreased and treated, and spalled or broken concrete is repaired. Cracks and joints are evaluated: some are filled, while expansion joints that need to move are honored.
Thicker build. Instead of a thin coat, shops get a higher-build epoxy base and often a full flake broadcast or aggregate layer, which adds thickness and impact resistance.
The right topcoat. A chemical-resistant topcoat protects against fuel, oil and salt. A polyaspartic or urethane topcoat can add UV stability near big overhead doors and speed return to service.
Traction. Shop floors are often wet. Texture in the topcoat keeps the floor safer with snowmelt, oil or water on it.
Winter, salt and heated slabs
Red River Valley winters are long and cold, and most coating products have minimum slab and air temperatures. Unheated outbuildings are usually best coated in late spring through early fall; heated shops can often be done year-round with the heat managed during install and cure. Our cold climate epoxy guide explains temperature and dew-point limits, and why salt brine is one of the main reasons uncoated shop slabs scale and dust.
Commercial and ag businesses
If the shop is part of a business, such as a service bay, small manufacturing space, agricultural operation or equipment dealer, see our commercial epoxy flooring page. We can phase work and talk through downtime before the job starts.
Cost of coating a shop floor
Shop floors are usually priced per square foot. Bigger floors can bring the per-square-foot cost down, while heavy repairs, oil contamination and thicker systems add to it. See the Fargo epoxy cost guide for typical published ranges (not our quotes). We give a written estimate after seeing the slab.
Where we coat shop floors
Fargo, West Fargo, Moorhead, Horace, Kindred, Harwood, Mapleton, Casselton, Dilworth, Glyndon and Hawley. Call (701) 815-5240.
Frequently asked questions
Can you epoxy a pole barn or shop floor near Fargo?
Yes, if it is a concrete slab in sound condition. Shop and pole barn slabs usually need heavier grinding, crack and joint repair, and a thicker system than a house garage. Call (701) 815-5240 for a free estimate.
What coating is best for an ag or equipment shop?
Usually a thick epoxy base with a chemical-resistant topcoat, often with flake or aggregate for traction. Areas with tracked equipment, heavy steel or constant chemical exposure may need a heavier system; we recommend based on how the floor is used.
Can a heated shop floor be coated?
Yes. In-floor radiant heat is common in Red River Valley shops. The heat is turned down before and during the install per the product's temperature limits and brought back up gradually after cure.
How do I keep a shop floor from being slippery when wet?
Add texture: a flake broadcast or fine aggregate in the topcoat gives grip when snowmelt, oil or water is on the floor.
Will epoxy hold up to road salt and snowmelt from trucks?
A properly prepped, fully cured system with a chemical-resistant topcoat handles salt brine and snowmelt well. Squeegee standing water and wash salt off periodically to keep it looking good.