Once you’ve decided to paint your garage floor, the next step is to decide how to get it done. You could hire someone to do it, but if you have the free time, why not do it yourself? That way, you save some money and work on your own schedule. It’s easier than you may think to get a great-looking painted garage floor. Take a look at the steps you need to take to paint your garage floor.
1. Prep and Clean
You don’t want to just paint over the dirt and grease spots that are on your floor. Before you do any painting, you’ll need to give your floor a good cleaning. If your floor already has paint or sealant on it, then you’ll have to use chemical strippers to remove those layers.
If you’re starting with a bare concrete floor, you can go directly to cleaning. The simplest way to get your garage floor clean is to use a power washer. If you don’t have a power washer, you can make do with a high-pressure hose nozzle and a stiff-bristled brush. If your garage has a lot of grease or oil spots, make sure that you use a degreaser along with the soap and water. Let the floor dry thoroughly before proceeding.
2. Fill and Etch
Do you have cracks in the concrete? You can’t just paint over them. You’re going to have to fill them in before you can apply your paint. You can find concrete repair compound at your local hardware store. That will suffice for a small crack. If you have very large or deep cracks, you’ll need to get a concrete patch instead.
You may also need to etch your garage floor. This is a way of opening up the pores of the concrete so they can better absorb the paint. You can determine if your floor needs etching by spilling some water on the floor and watching how quickly the concrete absorbs it. If it pools on the floor, you’ll need to purchase a commercial etcher to open up the pores. If it soaks right in, you’re good to go without etching.
3. Prime and Paint
Primer helps the paint stick to the floor and helps prevent the paint from peeling or cracking. Applying primer is simple – you’ll need to use a paintbrush to paint the edges of the floor near the walls, and a roller to apply the primer to the rest of the floor. Make sure to let the primer dry sufficiently before you apply the paint.
When it comes to painting, you can choose either latex acrylic paint or epoxy. The latex acrylic paint is cheaper, but it also chips more easily and needs to be reapplied more often. Epoxy paint is more chip-resistant and lasts longer. As with the primer, you can paint the edges with a brush and then apply the rest with a paint roller. For maximum durability, apply two coats, and apply the second coat in the opposite of the direction that you used for the first coat. For example, apply the paint width-wise first, then length-wise.
Make sure to let your paint dry thoroughly before walking on the garage floor. It will need at least a day to set. For more ideas about renovating your garage, contact us for a free design consultation and estimate.{{cta(‘4e0ca529-46da-44c8-acce-dd815d6ec4bc’,’justifycenter’)}}
