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by radiospike photography

Paint the Garage Floor

Painting the Garage Floor

For many homeowners a painted garage floor is a must do project to give the garage a professional appearance. This is a great project for the “do-it-yourself” homeowner. A painted garage floor looks great and makes cleaning the garage much easier. It takes approximately three days to complete the project, less if the weather cooperates.

Floor paint for heavy traffic and work areas should be selected with care. Epoxy paint has a hard finish and holds up well to heavy traffic. It comes in many different colors. It consists of an epoxy resin with a polyamine hardener. It is a two part mixture that must be mixed on the job just before application. Most epoxy paints have a short shelf life, meaning that there is a limited time between mixing and applying the paint. Most epoxy paint manufactures recommend that it be used within two hours after mixing.

The critical step in painting the garage floor with epoxy paint is the cleaning process of the floor. The floor must be thoroughly cleaned of all grease and oil stains or the paint will not adhere to the surface. After a thorough cleaning the concrete must be etched with an acid solution. The best concrete etching solution is a 50/50 mixture of muriatic acid and water; however, there are other commercial products available. Etching the concrete will help remove any residual oil that is in the pours of the concrete.

How to do it

Remove all items from the garage including items that cover floor space that you want painted.

Insure that the garage is fully ventilated

Clean the floor by sweeping and scrubbing to remove all traces of dirt, grease, and oil.

Fill any large cracks with concrete crack filler and let dry.

Use a 50/50 mixture of muriatic acid and water or equivalent product to scrub the floor. Wear protective gloves, goggles, and a face mask during this step as the muriatic acid has a toxic odor and may be harmful to your skin.

Let the floor dry thoroughly.

Apply masking tape between the wall and the floor to avoid getting paint on the walls.

Mix the two part epoxy paint according to the manufactures recommendations.

Apply the paint with a roller covering the entire floor in one application. Use a brush in hard to get areas such as corners.

Let dry for twenty four hours before moving items back into the garage.

  

Materials

Epoxy paint Floor cleaner detergent / bleach Concrete crack filler Muriatic acid or equivalent for concrete etching and final cleaning

Tools

Paint roller Pressure washer for cleaning the floor Safety goggles Face mask Rubber gloves Stiff-bristled brush Scraper Paintbrush

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