Can you install flooring over cracked concrete?

Yes, but the cracks need to be properly repaired first, not just coated over. A crack that isn’t addressed will almost always telegraph through a new coating or show up again under tiles or mats within a year or two, since the underlying movement that caused it hasn’t been resolved. For coatings, that means routing out and filling the crack with a flexible repair compound before grinding and applying the system. For tiles or mats, the crack matters less structurally since they’re not bonded to the slab, but a significant crack can still create an uneven spot underneath. Minor hairline cracks are routine and expected in most garage slabs; it’s active, widening, or stepped cracks that need real attention before installation.

Have visible cracks in your garage floor? Our St. Louis epoxy flooring installation includes crack repair as a standard part of the process.

Almost always, yes. Coating over an unrepaired crack just delays the problem. The crack will typically reappear at the surface within a year or two as the slab continues to move, which is why proper crack repair is a standard part of any quality installation.