Painting Your Garage Floor: Using Epoxy Floor Coating

Garages are incredibly versatile spaces. We use them to store our cars, as workshops for our various DIY or business projects, and even as spaces for entertaining guests.

Because we get so much use out of our garages, it’s important to keep them in the best possible shape, including the floors. So what is the best floor covering for your garage? For a clean, versatile, and stylish material, look no further than an epoxy garage floor coating.

 

Top 4 Benefits of Epoxy Garage Floors

epoxy floor coating in mnExtremely Durable

Epoxy is an incredibly hard-wearing garage floor coating. Once the preserve of commercial garages, epoxy flooring is now more available for home use. Epoxy floor coatings can take heavy punishment due to being chip-resistant and able to stand up to abrasion.

Depending on the application, epoxy floor coatings can also be moisture-resistant, making them ideal for garages in colder areas. Mold and other moisture-related problems are less of an issue with epoxy floors.

If you’re using your garage for working on your car, an epoxy floor is ideal since they’re resistant to chemicals, oils, and fluids that are common spills when working on a car. These spillages also won’t leave stains or marks because they’re stain resistant as well. 

 

Easy To Keep Clean

Because they’re resistant to spillages and other marks, epoxy floors are easy to keep clean. This will give your garage a sleek, professional look at all times. It is also dust resistant, unlike cement flooring which can cause dust to collect. Epoxy floors can be cleaned quickly and easily with a broom or soap and water.

 

Professional Looking

Unlike craggy concrete floors or flaking paint, epoxy flooring gives your garage a sleek, professional look. Epoxy floor coatings also give you the feel of a car showroom inside your own garage, with a glossy, smooth look, creating the perfect environment to show off your pride and joy.

 

Great Cost Value

While epoxy floors are a slightly more expensive option than simply using paint, it is more cost-effective in the long run. This is because it is more hard-wearing than paint, which normally only lasts a couple of years before looking tired and damaged. In contrast, epoxy floor coatings will usually last at least twice as long before needing maintenance.

 

An Important Note About Epoxy Floors

While epoxy floors are great for most garage applications, they aren’t invincible. Some activities can still cause damage to an epoxy floor. The main activity to avoid is welding on this surface, which can damage the flooring due to the slag given off during the process. This can burn the floor and leave a nasty mark.

Epoxy flooring is also not great in garages with extremely high moisture levels. While it can tolerate some humidity, levels which are too high may cause the epoxy resin to delaminate, ruining that pristine finish and breaking the seal.

 

How Is Epoxy Flooring Installed?

epoxy floor coveringWhile it is possible to install an epoxy floor yourself, it’s often best left to the professionals. Here’s a basic rundown of painting a garage floor with epoxy.

Most garages will start from a concrete base, but this needs to be prepared correctly. Any existing damage to the concrete, such as cracks, will need to be filled. A thorough cleaning is also required, especially to remove any previous chemical spillages.

The concrete will likely need to be sand or grit blasted, or smoothed with a grinder, to create a smooth, porous surface for the epoxy to attach to. Acid cleaners are not recommended. Once the concrete feels like sandpaper, it’s ready for the epoxy coating.

A primer should be applied first to create as good a surface as possible. This is especially true in garages that suffer from damp. In these cases, an epoxy damp-proof membrane should be applied.

The first layer of epoxy will now be applied, and multiple coats are usually used. Epoxy is a resin that is mixed with a hardening agent to create the durable floor. It needs to be cured, rather than dried.

If you require a slip-resistant floor, add in a anti-slip quartz aggregate with the first layer of epoxy. Subsequent layers will seal this into place.

The first coating establishes the color of the epoxy flooring. At least two coats of epoxy will be applied, and the final coat will be a clear layer which creates that classic glossy finish.

 

Epoxy Floor Coating Specialists In Twin Cities, MN

All in all, the incredible durability and professional look of epoxy floor coating  is more than worth the investment, especially when applied by a professional company. Cascadia is a reputable epoxy floor coating specialist, with over seven years of experience and experienced, licensed professional fitters. Contact Cascadia today for more information.