Are you dissatisfied with your car sitting on an oily and old concrete slab? Do you feel uninspired setting upon entering your garage? Well, it is time to do something about it and transform that dull garage floor into a brilliant showroom.
Prepare to have a long busy weekend and set aside several hundreds for the project. Rest assured that it will be more than worth it: Epoxy coating is a rock-solid choice as it is able to handle heavy traffic, oils, chemicals, and other substances better than any other paint.
So, ready to make your garage a space that is a joy to drive and park your car into?
Breathing new life into the floor
An epoxy coating gives you that desirable pro look and provides prime functionality. Namely, it resists oil stains, grease, and other substances that would ruin other garage floors. Moreover, it is easy to wipe clean, much like a kitchen countertop, and it beads water.
Thus, make no mistake: Epoxy is a tough, versatile, visually-appealing, and long-lasting option.
For this project, you probably need to free up your whole weekend. The first stage revolves around cleaning dirt and in the second, you apply the epoxy paint. The process is pretty straightforward and those who had painted walls before will be familiar with the basics.
So, start by selecting a durable epoxy paint in the colour of your choosing. Coatings usually come bundled with other supplies, but the kit doesn’t always give you enough for more than one coat, which manufacturers recommend.
Setting the stage
One crucial thing to remember is that prep work is the key to finishing the project without any mistakes. The actual application is the easiest part.
In order to bond well, the epoxy pain requires a surface that is even, clean, and slightly rough. Therefore, assess your concrete’s condition. If the concrete is sealed, you need to remove the sealer with a special machine or a chemical stripper if you need to.
Furthermore, patch any holes and cracks and give them time to heal. Other elements that could inhibit epoxy adhesion are dirt and grease, so take your time to thoroughly sweep, clean and etch.
Protect your walls with taped plastic along foundation floor and hose down the floor. Clean the surface with a bristle broom and a suitable cleaning solution. When handling chemicals, you have to make sure to use rubber boots, protective gloves, and safety glasses. But, in case you want to make cleaning a breeze and avoid elbow grease, rent a floor maintainer.
A fresh coat of paint
Once cleaning is sorted out, the main thing you have to keep a close eye on is not precision, but timing. Ideally, you should start painting when the temperature is between 50 and 80 degrees and the weather is dry.
Also, bear in mind that upon mixing a paint and hardener, you basically have 2 hours to complete the section with it. To make things more complicated, between each step, you have to wait 12 to 24 hours. Planning is the key because you have to paint yourself out of the garage in the end.
So, take baby steps first. Stir the epoxy paint and slowly pour the hardener. The components need to fully blend, which happens after 3 minutes of stirring. Use a roll on to apply epoxy in 10-by-10 foot sections and wait for a designated period of time. Start in the corner farthest from the exit.
Spread colour flakes evenly if you wish to beautify the concrete surface and finally coat it. Optionally, you can also use the antiskid additives that give a great grip even on snowy days. The granules inside them give your floor a finished, sandpaper-like appearance. Finally, those who want a layer of top coat should follow the same procedure as for the rest of the painting job.
When all’s done, you can sit back and relax, but also hold off parking your car for 72 hours.
Get the show on the floor
Deliver a nice finishing touch to your garage with epoxy paint and tie the space together. You will have a feeling you are entering a showroom every time. So, pick a durable, professional-grade epoxy coating. Plan ahead of time and do not neglect the prep work, which is quite labour-intensive and tedious. Evaluate whether your concrete floor will be able to hold the coating and roll up your sleeves.
Witness the gleaming magic as a reward: Your garage floor will be sparkly clean and attention-grabbing for years to come.
