Andrew Stratton

Epoxy Painted Garage Floors

 A great way to finish a garage is by painting the floor. An epoxy product is your best choice.

Once a garage has been cleaned out and organized, one final step in making it a beautiful and functional environment is by painting its floor. Not with just any paint, mind you, but a high quality epoxy product should be selected. Here are the steps to take for this do-it-yourself:

- Preparation: As with any painting project, the prep job will make or break it. Sweep, clean, fill all cracks and imperfections in the cement. If the home is brand new, it should be noted that cement must be two months old to properly adhere to the new finish. The surface should be even, but not perfectly smooth. A bit of roughness will help the bonding of the cement with the epoxy.

- Clean: The surface must be thoroughly stripped of dirt, grease and oil in order for the project to be a success. This may be done by hand with a bucket, sponge and de-greasing cleanser or can be done with a machine called a “floor maintainer.” The floor maintainer can be rented at your local tool rental company.

- Weather and temperature: The temperature outdoors should be neither too hot nor too cold. Temps between 50 and 80 degrees are perfect. It should be a dry day, too, as rainy weather will hamper the drying process.

- Mix the epoxy: This will come in two containers, a hardener and a color portion. Some of the more popular colors are grays, browns and beiges. It is outside, after all, with vehicles driving over it. You’ll want to select a color that will work with the environment. Mix the hardener and color together and get ready for application.

- Apply it: A roller with an extension pole is an ideal way to apply most of the product. A paintbrush will be needed for the corners and edges.

- Color flakes: This part of the process gives the floor its garage-decor personality. These flakes will be either tossed from the hand or sprinkled from a shaker can like parmesan cheese. The flakes give a heavy duty confetti look which is a signature look of epoxy floors.

- Top coat: The final topping is a milky white product that dries clear and makes the surface appear finished and contributes to its durability. The top coat will also need to be applied with a clean roller and brush and will need to set for a full twenty-four hours before being walked or driven on.

All done? There you have it; a beautiful finished garage. With shelves, peg boards, containers labeled by contents such as sporting goods, electrical, plumbing or carpentry tools, and now a sturdy flooring, the car’s home has become one of the most organized and functional rooms in the house.

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