Tools and Materials
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Choosing a Floor Coating
There are a few different options to choose from when it comes to painting your garage floor.
Garage Floor Paint: A cement paint for your garage floor gives the surface a protective layer that shields it from wear and tear. It also freshens the overall look of the space while reviving tired and worn looking floors. Garage floor paint comes in a wide variety of colors ranging from gray to blue to yellow and more, allowing you to create a more customized look.
Epoxy Garage Floor Paint: Epoxy garage floor paint is one step above regular garage floor paint. Epoxy enhances the durability factor, creating a hard, long-lasting finish that keeps dirt, spills and leaks from being absorbed into the porous concrete surface. Along with epoxy’s protective capabilities, it also enhances the look of your garage floor with its glossy finish. The color range isn’t as broad as garage floor paint, but you can still customize it by adding paint chips into the coating for a unique, speckled appearance.
Garage Floor Polycuramine: If you’re looking for extreme durability, a polycuramine coating is your best contender. Garage floor polycuramine defends against damage from salt, oil, gas and other harsh chemicals, has low VOC (volatile organic compound) for safer application, features a high gloss finish, and offers a long-lasting protective coating that’s easy to care for.
How to Clean Garage Floors
Before you power wash or paint and seal your garage floor, you’ll want to remove any oil, grease or rust spots. Give yourself a day or two for cleaning and removing stains before applying garage floor paint.
Get Grease Stains Out
- Cover grease stains with a layer of sawdust or cat litter. Baking soda is also a good option. These materials absorb excess oil remarkably well. Leave the sawdust, cat litter or baking soda on the floor for at least one day before proceeding to the next step.
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Use a push broom with rigid bristles to sweep up the sawdust, cat litter and dirt.
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Pour dry dishwasher detergent or a concrete cleaning agent on the stain. Let the detergent sit for 45 minutes. Then pour boiling water on the area and vigorously scrub the stained section with the broom.
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For stubborn stains, use muriatic acid. Apply the acid according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Allow it to soak for a few seconds and then rinse. Use baking soda on the cleaned area to neutralize the acid and rinse with a pressure washer set to at least 1200 PSI.
Remove Rust Stains
For stubborn rust stains, you’ll first want to combine 1 ounce of trisodium phosphate (TSP) in a gallon of hot water. Wet the concrete with this solution and use a push broom with rigid bristles to scrub. Let the solution soak into the concrete for 10 to 15 minutes and then rinse thoroughly.
Fill the Cracks
You can fill small cracks with an epoxy paste. Once you’ve filled the crack, scrape excess epoxy so that it’s flush with the floor. After the repaired area dries completely, do some light sanding for a smooth finish.
For larger cracks, overfill with an epoxy paste. Let the repair dry and then grind the area so it’s flush with the floor.
How to Prep Your Floor
Perform a Moisture Test
If you think that moisture issues might prevent paint or sealer from bonding, there’s a simple way to find out. Cut out a 3-foot-by-3-foot square of plastic sheeting and tape it down completely to your garage floor. If, after a day or so, water collects on the underside of the plastic, you’ll need to put down a vapor barrier before the primer coat.
Perform a Sealant or Etching Test
If you’re unsure whether your garage floor has previously been sealed, you can pour water on it to perform a simple test. The water should soak into the concrete relatively quickly. If it beads up or just sits there for a long time, the cement has been sealed before and probably needs to be etched before you can reseal or paint the garage floor.
Etch the Floor
To etch the floor of your garage, apply a commercial concrete etcher, being careful to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If the etcher fizzes up as it’s applied, you know that it’s working. Let the floor dry overnight. The concrete will now have a grainy texture, which offers a better surface for the paint to grip.
How to Seal the Floor
To prevent future staining, minimize concrete dust and make it easier to sweep, you can seal your garage floor. If you’re also planning to paint your garage floor, applying sealant can act as a primer. Priming prior to painting can help achieve better adhesion if moisture is an issue or if the concrete is dusty and weak.
Choose a concrete sealant that’s either a water-based floor epoxy or a solvent-thinned epoxy. Use a nylon brush along the edges of your garage and use a lint-free, all-purpose solvent roller that’s water-resistant with a medium nap to apply the rest of the sealant. Apply sealant liberally but be sure to roll it out evenly. If you’re going to paint the garage floor, allow the sealant or primer to dry thoroughly for at least eight hours.
How to Paint the Garage Floor
When selecting concrete paint for your garage floor, make sure to choose epoxy paint created especially for garage floors. Mix the paint well and apply a thin, even first coat. Cut in along the edges of your garage with a brush and then use a roller with a medium nap to apply the rest of the paint. Let the first coat dry thoroughly. Check your paint instructions for the required drying time (generally about 24 hours).
An extension pole handle on your roller will make for easier paint application.