Is your garage floor stained, dirty or cracked? You can easily rejuvenate the look of your garage floor by painting it with an epoxy sealant. But don’t break out the roller cover and paintbrushes just yet. Read the following five tips for painting a garage floor, get the job done the right way and enjoy your newly painted garage floor for years to come.
1. Preparation
Before you begin, be sure to thoroughly clean the floor. It’s a good idea to use a bit of oxygenated bleach mixed in a few gallons of water to scrub the floor. You may also want to use a pressure washer to loosen any stubborn stains. Just be careful with water in the garage! You certainly don’t want to hit any drywall. I personally like to tape some plastic to the walls with painters tape before I use any water in the garage. This way, the walls won’t get wet and you’ll also keep any paint splatters under control as well. Allow the garage floor to dry for 48 hours before moving to the next step.
2. Sealing Cracks and Chips
Sometimes cracks will develop and pieces of concrete can become chipped when heavy objects fall on them. Once the floor is nice and dry, you can use a concrete/mortar repair caulk (which is basically butyl) to fix cracks and chips. Rub it into crack, allow it to dry and then add another layer of caulk. Fill chips then scrape off the excess with a scrap piece of wood. Allow the caulk to dry overnight before moving to the next step.
3. Etch the Concrete
This step may or may not be necessary. Etching the concrete with muriatic acid allows the concrete to best accept the epoxy for a solid bond. To test to see if you’re concrete floor needs to be etched, simply drop a little water on the surface. If it absorbs quickly, no etching is needed. However, if the concrete won’t absorb the water right away, then you need to etch the concrete. Not sure where you stand on the water test? It’s best to etch the concrete if you’re unsure.
To etch concrete with muriatic acid (you can also use a premixed floor etcher), simply mix one gallon of muriatic acid with five gallons of water. Spread the mixture onto the floor with a steam mop and allow it to sit for a few minutes before rinsing it off with a garden hose. Allow it to dry for 48 hours before moving to the next step.
4. Prime
It’s important that you use a primer that is compatible with the floor epoxy you’ll be applying on your garage floor. First, cut in the edges of the floor with a 6-inch chisel tipped brush. Next, roll the rest of the flooring (starting from the back to the front) with a heavy nap roller cover. Apply a very thin coat and allow it to dry for at least four hours before applying a second coat. Allow it to dry 24 hours before moving to the next step.
5. Paint
Just like the primer coat, you’ll first want to cut in the edges of the floor with a 6-inch chisel tip brush. After that, apply the paint to the floor with a thin nap roller in a very thin coat. Allow it to dry for four more hours before adding a second and third coat. Wait at least 24 hours before walking on it and wait at least one week before you drive on it. Enjoy your new garage floor paint!
