If you are looking for a more durable and longer lasting flooring for your garage, the epoxy floor option is considered one of the best choices. How to apply them is not that hard as long as you have all the materials you need. These are:
- Mixing paddle
- Paint stir sticks
- Containers that can be used for mixing smaller quantities
- 5 gallons of Pails that are used for mixing bigger quantities
- Latex gloves
- Rags
- For cleaning up, you can use an acetone or 1 gallon of Xylene
- 9” roller frame
- Size 3/8” and ¼” nap premium lint free rollers
- Standard paint tray
- Pole extension for roller frame
- Chip brushes of at least 3”
- Drywall taping knife that is at least 10”
- Heavy duty painters tape
- Plastic drop cloths
- Epoxy (the amount would depend on the size of your garage)
Once your materials are ready, here are the following tips to follow for epoxy floor application.
- Inspect your garage floor and check its moisture. Keep in mind that if the concrete is not dry and temperate enough, the epoxy would not adhere to it. As a result your floor would look bloated and the epoxy would peel off. Also, if your garage floor is sealed and painted, you need to clean it up. Use a cure and seal product and apply it on the concrete. If it will not work, then you will need to remove it through grinding. To check whether your concrete is sealed, take a small amount of water and pour it into the floor. If the water beads up and the surface did not darken, then it means that the concrete is sealed up. If the water doesn’t bead and the surface will darken, then it is not sealed so it would mean that you are good to go.
- Clean the garage floor and ensure that there are no oils or greasy residue left on its surface. If the floor is new, you can just sweep it up with a broom. To ensure that your walls are protected before you start working, tape it up with plastic drop cloths.
- If your floor has cracks on them, make the necessary repairs before you apply the epoxy. To achieve a seamless look for your epoxy floor make sure that they are smooth and flat.
- After ensuring that your garage floor is clean and that you are done with your repairs, you can start mixing your epoxy coating.
- After mixing, apply the first coating. This will serve as your primer coat. Wait for at least 24 hours before applying your second coating. When you leave off, ensure that all the windows surrounding your garage are sealed off to avoid insects from crawling into your floor. Leave your garage door open to at least a foot, but do not seal it off completely or else you might have trouble opening it.
- After 24 hours, apply the second coat for your epoxy floor and leave it for another 24 hours before applying the topcoat. During this time, you can add the anti-slip additives before applying the final coating.
With this DIY guide, you will have your garage floor ready in no time. However, if you want your garage floor to be done by professional individuals, Hoffman Floor Covering Corporation is the perfect choice. Contact them at 631-454-8011 for more details.
