A garage floor takes a lot of abuse. The garage is expected to handle cars, chemicals, and more. Further, the garage floor is supposed to do all this without staining. The reality is that your garage floor probably doesn't look clean, even when it is. Painting your garage floor with latex or epoxy might be the right coating for your garage floor. A painted floor can make your garage look better and also improve its durability. Painting your garage floor can be inexpensive and very easy to do. There are two common ways garage owners paint their floors: Latex paint or Epoxy coating.
Preparation is Key
Preparing your garage floor to be painted is a time-consuming, but necessary step to ensure a good final job.If your garage floor has been previously painted, it is necessary to remove the old coating. This might involve chemical strippers or grinding the surface, depending on the type of coating. The first step to take if you want to paint your garage floor correctly is to ensure that the concrete is as clean as possible. A pressure washer is the best solution. Many home repair companies like Lowe's and Home Depot have pressure washers for rent.
If a pressure washer is out of the question, use hot, soapy water and a deck broom or heavy scrub brush. The key is to get as much of the grease and oil as possible off the concrete. You can use dry dishwasher detergent mixed one cup to a gallon of hot water to clean the floor. You can also use commercial concrete cleaners after ensuring they do not leave a residue.
Rinse the garage floor thoroughly after cleaning to remove all traces of soap. Use a broom to push as much water out as possible, then use a wet-or-dry shop vacuum to dry the floor. You must fill cracks and holes in the concrete before painting. Use a concrete patch mortar to fill small cracks. Fill larger cracks and holes in layers with adequate drying time. Make sure to clean up excessive mortar before it dries or you will have more work to do later.
If your garage floor is smooth and shiny, it will need to be chemically etched. Etching breaks up the smooth surface and exposes the porous concrete that you can paint on. For garage floors that are rough already, etching is not necessary.
Picking out Paint
There are essentially two products on the market for painting garage floors. You can choose between latex paint and epoxy. The latex paint will cost less, but will not hold up as well as the epoxy. Latex paint will have more available colors for you to choose from, while epoxy will be limited to neutrals and clear. Neither latex nor epoxy will adhere well if you do not make sure the floor is clean before painting.
You can purchase garage floor paint at your local home improvement store. Prices range from about $30 per gallon. These specialty latex paints are designed to endure a ton of abuse. Companies often market latex garage paints as single-stage epoxy paint because a small amount of epoxy resin is mixed in for durability.
Epoxy resin is a two-part application consisting of the epoxy and a polyamine hardener. Epoxy gives the appearance of polished concrete and is very durable. An epoxy coating can stand up to hot car tires, chemicals, and general wear better than a painted floor.
Epoxy produces a shiny, smooth texture that can be applied in interesting ways.A latex-painted floor will be less slippery than an epoxy floor. It will have less sheen. A latex-painted floor will last about two years under normal use, while an epoxy floor can last twice that or longer.
It is a good idea to add a slip-resistant material to the paint or epoxy. An anti-slip additive will give the garage floor a coarse texture.
Application of Latex and Epoxy Garage Floor Coatings
Latex
Latex paint is easier to apply for the average garage owner than epoxy. Latex paint can be applied to a garage floor the same way a wall in your home would be painted. Most people use a brush to paint the edges of the garage floor, then use a roller to paint the remainder. Remember to avoid painting yourself into a corner!
A latex-painted garage floor looks clean and tidy and is durable enough to handle most projects.Epoxy, on the other hand, can be a bit more of a challenge to apply correctly. The DIYer needs to ensure the garage floor is clean and free of moisture, oil, sealants, and paint. Epoxy will not adhere to these surfaces. Most people who choose to epoxy coat their garage floor will use an acid etch or a floor grinder to ensure the concrete is prepared for epoxy.
A really neat trick some installers use when applying an epoxy coating to their garage floor involves using the acid etch to sear colors and patterns into the concrete before applying a clear coating. This process can create stunning, artistic garage floors.
Epoxy
Epoxy is poured onto a floor before being spread out rather than rolled on like paint.DIYers should read the epoxy instructions carefully. The manufacturer will indicate the drying time for the epoxy. Professionals recommend that two people work together when applying epoxy to large garage floors. Garage floor epoxy coatings are also sensitive to temperature and humidity. The manufacturer will include a range that the DIYer should follow. Most epoxy coatings apply best between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
There are several types of epoxy coatings. Professional epoxy installers pour epoxy in ribbons onto the floor, then back roll for a smooth finish. Specialized tools often used by epoxy installers include spiked shoes that prevent leaving marks in fresh epoxy.
Epoxy can take up to 24 hours to dry and typically requires a second coat. The initial coat is usually a primer coat, while the second coat contains the mixed-in color. Installers apply the second coat thicker than the first coat.
What is the Right Coating For your Garage?
Epoxy coating provides a more durable, longer-lasting, and more attractive finish than latex paint. Epoxy is more expensive, more difficult to apply, and more challenging for the DIYer to repair if the surface gets damaged.
If the surface preparation was not done well, epoxy will quickly fail, leaving a bigger job to repair.Garages that see a lot of leaky cars, big projects, and heavy use, an epoxy coating is probably the best choice. The ability of epoxy to withstand abuse and chemicals makes it a great choice for garage owners.
Latex paint is a perfect choice for many garages that see limited abuse. Latex paint holds up well to wet conditions and can take quite a bit of traffic without being damaged. Damaged sections can be easily and affordably repaired by grinding and repainting. A latex painted garage floor is a good choice for owners that typically use their garage to park cars in, but also do some repairs like oil changes.
Conclusion
Garage owners that choose to paint their garage floor will be happier with either latex or epoxy over bare concrete. The improvement that a painted floor in your garage makes is undeniable. Both coatings are superior to bare concrete in terms of cleanability and wear.
Have you considered painting your garage floor or already have? Share your experience and tips below!
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