4 DIY Garage Floor Coating Tips & Tricks

You may seal your driveway regularly, but have you considered the same for your garage floor? Even though it doesn’t receive the same exposure to the weather, the flooring’s finish will eventually stain with discoloration caused by dirt, road salt and exhaust drippings. Fortunately, a DIY garage floor coating project can quickly improve its look, restoring the floor to its former glory in just one weekend.
Why You Should Coat Your Garage Floor
Garage flooring is subject to wear and tear. If you park your vehicles in the garage, the added weight on the floor, along with dust and dirt, will eventually wear the finish and may cause cracking. Settled dirt and dust will also kick up and mar your car’s finish. And if your garage is attached to your home, then dirt, peeled paint and dust can easily be tracked inside. Even with regular cleaning, you’ll want to coat the garage floor every few years.
How to Coat Your Garage Floor
If you’re planning a DIY garage floor coating project, set aside two days to get the work done. You’ll apply two coats, which can be done on back-to-back days like a Saturday and Sunday.
1. Choose a Garage Floor Coating Kit
First, shop for a garage floor coating kit. Such kits contain either a standard or hybrid epoxy. Hybrid epoxy blends the epoxy resin with polymeric resins to create a more durable finish, including increased peel strength and quick curing properties at optimum temperatures. Your kit should also contain various chemicals, including acid and coating, as well as a brush, roller, ruler and gloves. Carefully examine the kit’s instructions for prepping the garage floor and for choosing the optimum weather conditions to get the job done.
2. Clear Out the Garage
Before you begin the project, remove everything in the garage that’s on the floor or touches the baseboards on the perimeter, and securely store it elsewhere. This might be a good time to remove everything else from the garage, especially if you plan to paint the walls once the floors are done.
3. Prepare the Garage Floor for Coating
Referencing the coating kit instructions, you may find specific instructions on how to clean the garage floor before coating. In general, though, you’ll want to start by sweeping the floor. Then, bring in a garden hose and wash the floor to remove the remaining detritus. Next, blend the kit’s acid and water in a plastic watering can and apply it to the concrete, using scrub brooms to penetrate the entire floor. Use a wet vac to remove the remaining acid bead particles. Then, rinse with a hose and allow the floor to dry; use fans to expedite the process.
4. Coat the Garage Floor
Two separate epoxies are included in the kit; you’ll mix the two to create the epoxy that’s applied to the floor. Work in small areas at a time, overlapping to penetrate the concrete. Allow 24 hours for the coating to cure before applying a second coat.
Once done, you’ll have a garage floor that looks as great as it did when you purchased your home. Paint the walls, add new shelving and consider selling or giving away excess clutter for a truly polished look.
Check out all the garage coating products available on NAPA Online or trust one of our 17,000 NAPA AutoCare locations for routine maintenance and repairs. For more information on DIY garage floor coating, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your local NAPA AUTO PARTS store.
Photo courtesy of Pexels.
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Matthew C. Keegan View All
Matt Keegan has maintained his love for cars ever since his father taught him kicking tires can be one way to uncover a problem with a vehicle’s suspension system. He since moved on to learn a few things about coefficient of drag, G-forces, toe-heel shifting, and how to work the crazy infotainment system in some random weekly driver. Matt is a member of the Washington Automotive Press Association and is a contributor to various print and online media sources.