The time has come that you want to turn your broken down, dingy garage floor into a fresh and attractive one. You’ve sold most of your unwanted items, threw out all the junk, swept and power washed, but now what? You want your garage floor to be unique and attractive, but there are so many options. The most popular ways to do this is either using some sort of concrete paint, or use an epoxy floor kit. What is right for you all depends on your situation. It is time to make a decision.
Hours upon hours of your time has been spent cleaning your garage, just to get to this point, but you are not done yet! No matter what floor coating you choose to use, it’s very important to strip your concrete of all previous coating and stains such as oil or transmission fluid. To make sure the paint or epoxy sets well to your floor this step is the most important. The littlest stain or left over coating can cause for some unwanted results.
When thinking of buying epoxy flooring kits it is important to do your research. Every company can contain different items in their packages. The more quality companies should include everything you need for cleaning and installation, including strippers, brushes, and a full list of detailed step by step instructions. When done correctly, this may be your most time and cost effective option you’ll make. Even after application this will give you a non-slip, durable and easy to clean garage floor. To make it fully customizable, epoxy floors can come in a variety of colors, which will last for years. All manufacturer’s recommendations should be followed, because if it is too hot, too cold or even too humid the epoxy may not set properly. While mixing the compounds together, protective face coverings is also recommended so you do not breath in the fumes.
If you decide to go the paint route it’s also very important to do some shopping around. You must make sure that you get a product specifically for concrete or it won’t adhere properly and ultimately it won’t last more than a month. You will also have to purchase floor stripper, tools, brushes and other necessary items separately, for most floor paint options do not come in kits. Paint is slightly simpler to apply than epoxy but you need to be prepared to lay down at least 2 coats of color and a sealant over the top to increase the durability. Paint is also much more prone to chipping and “hot tire pick-up” than an epoxy coating. Expect to be stripping and repainting approximately every one to two years.
If you choose paint or if you choose epoxy for your garage floor, be sure to weigh the pro’s and con’s of each. Make sure that you take into consideration what will work best for you and your situations in order to be completely happy with your decision. To have a more durable, longer lasting, easier to maintain floor, go with epoxy, even though it may be more expensive. If you have the time year after year, and you have the money year after year to maintain your garage, paint may be the option for you. If everything is done correctly either way will make your garage be more attractive and durable, but it is up to you to decide what is the right way to go for your personal situations.
Check out the Car Guy’s Flooring interactive floor design site to play and see what your garage floor could look like.
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