Garage Flooring Options

Garage Flooring Options - 8 Steps to Garage Floor Paint

2009-07-20T11:41:00.002-04:00

This is the first post in a series on Garage Floor Paint.

My post will give you a down and dirty quick 8 step guide to painting your garage floor. Many garage owners will overthink the process, and eventually deem it to be too labor intensive. Relax. Whip through these tips and you'll have the basics to get started with the job.

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that when your garage floor is painted, it looks better, cleans easier, and won't hold stains like unfinished concrete. With that in mind, garage floor paint will make the largest visual difference in your stable ! Purchase paint that is specifically designed for garage floors as it will handle the abuse of heat, chemicals and weight that are placed upon it. Brush up on a few tips to make this job simple yet will yield fantastic results...

1. Check how porous your concrete floor is by dripping a small amount of water on the floor. If the water beads, your floor was sealed in one way or another and order for the paint to achieve maximum adhesion, it will need to be etched. (More on this later.) If the water absorbes and doesn't bead, continue to step 2.

2. Clean the floor to remove grease and oil spotting. Use a general degreaser like Simple Green and a hard brush. Once completed, wipe with a clean towel. Don't skimp here. The cleaner the surface - the better.

3. Repair any and all defects the floor may have. Cracks and breaks can be filled and smoothed. I throw this step in here as you'll want to make repairs now, allow time for them to cure, and then perform the clean-up.

4. Ensure the surface is completely free of any debris you may paint over. Use tools like brooms, power washers, blowers, etc. The beauty of this project relies on a defect free floor. Put in the work here as well !

5. Wash that floor one last time to ensure a smooth, grit free surface. Remove any standing water with a blower, squeegee, of vacuum. Ensure the floor has completely dried before moving on.

6. Prime the surface using the provided primer. Apply with a pole roller. Give sufficient time to dry entirely.

7. Blow the surface again to ensure any grit is removed. Seems like we're being picky, but the finish step of painting is coming up. Do it once, and do it right !

8. Paint using a new roller and brushes for the edges. After the completion of one coat, wait at least 24 hours before applying the second coat. Maximum adhesion and drying of each coat is important.

That is pretty much all of the basics. The important things to remember - take your time. No need to rush and try to get it all accomplished in one day. Prep is the key to a great looking garage floor. Put in the leg work, and the finished results will be astounding ! Allow yourself the better part of the weekend and then some for additional paint coats. In the end, the time invested will pay you back many times over !

Visit Garage Flooring Options for more !

Garage Flooring Options - Garage Floor Coverings

2009-05-19T15:19:00.006-04:00

With the wide varieties of choices available - which garage floor covering is best for you?

Before deciding, here are a few things to consider;

What is the current condition of your garage floor ?

In the last article, garage flooring choices ,we briefly touched on the products that were available in garage floor coverings. Paint and ceramic tile require a crack-free, smooth, even surface. Newer poured concrete surfaces are are ideal as they have the fewest flaws.

Floors that have wide cracks or frost heave breaks resulting in uneven surfaces can benefit from a garage floor covering such as carpet or modular tiles. These will require the least amount of floor repair to make them look great.

Stains typically need not be completely eliminated to use carpet or modular tile. The floor surface will need to be cleaned using a concrete stain remover in order to use the garage floor paint option. This is strictly to allow for maximum adhesion of the paint when applied to the floor.

How much prep work are you willing to put in ?

As with any job, you get out of it - what you put into it. The garage floor covering choices that require the most preparation are, once again, paint and ceramic tile. The floor, in both of these options must be etched (more on this later), rinsed, dried, and possibly etched again depending on the concentration of staining. Taping of areas like adjoining sheetrock, pipes, and drains will also be necessary to keep paint and grout off these surfaces.

Modular garage tiles and carpeting require almost no prep work other than having a dirt free surface upon which to place the flooring on.

How long are you willing to wait to use your garage floor ?

This is one aspect many do-it-your-selfers don't anticipate. After the completion of the 2 or 3 prep stages, a rinse of the floor is necessary. Once completely dry, you can now begin to paint. The paint stage itself may take 2 to 3 coats depending on the square footage. Once completely dry you can apply the glossy top coat and decorative speckles (if included.) Once that is completely dry, most garage floor paint manufacturers will estimate at least 48 hours before foot traffic can be applied and 2 to 3 days before vehicle traffic can be introduced. This may be a major consideration for those that NEED the garage for storage and vehicle parking.

The installation of ceramic tile is best left to a professional, but the duration to complete the job and allow the tile and grout to set up could be considerably longer depending in the size of the garage floor.

Modular tile will require some assembly time to snap together the sections, but it can be used immediately - as can garage carpeting.

Some things to consider when deciding on your choice of garage flooring.

Visit Garage Flooring Options for more on prep, coverings and upgrades for your garage !

Garage Flooring Options - Choices

2009-05-12T16:31:00.003-04:00

Garage Flooring Options can seem overwhelming.

With so many choices available, what is the best for you ? What is available, and what will the cost be ? Lets first take a look at the choices of garage flooring that are currently on the market.

For years, the garage was viewed in one of two ways. First, for those wealthy enough to have one, it was a luxury. Your vehicles were enclosed within the structure of the house and afforded a means of getting in and out of the cars without having to deal with inclement weather. Second, some used (and still do) the garage strictly for storage. Anything that didn't fit inside the house, or was too dirty or out of place got dumped in the garage.

Today, the garage has become a combination of workshop, storage, and vehicle parking. For the true enthusiast, the garage is the focal point of the home.

Looking at the physical characteristics of the garage atmosphere, the walls get paint and pictures. Appropriate lighting, an energy efficient door and quiet operating opener round out the staples of this room. For those wishing to propel this spot head and shoulders above the neighbors - we look to beautify the biggest garage area - the floor !

Anyone who owns a garage has one. A floor. Typically it is one of the ugliest parts of the room, but has the greatest impact once it has been covered in some way. And for those looking to do the job - it can seem overpowering. In this article, lets look at some of the most common options to make your garage floor the envy of the neighborhood. I will look deeper into each garage flooring option individually in later posts, but this will give you a quick overview of the choices available.

Garage Floor Paint

Garage floor paint is one of the first ways we think of to spruce up the floor. Understand that just any paint won't do. Remember, your garage floor is constantly under attack from chemicals (that oil-leaking harley or gas-dripping lawnmower) as well as pressure and heat from vehicle tires. Foot traffic, dropped tools and water also add to the assault. Your choice of paint should be able to withstand abrasion, adhere to the concrete without peeling and make the floor look great as well. Manufacturers of garage floor paint are many, and as with any purchase - you get what you pay for.

Carpet and Mats

There is much less prep work involved in using carpet or mats as garage flooring. The only prerequisite here is obtaining the correct size for your floor. Your main consideration with using mats and carpet is the amount and nature of traffic on the floor. Using this option, you will need material that is moisture and chemical resistant, and can be maintained with a push broom, vacuum or water hose. The benefit to this garage flooring choice is that mats and carpet are much more forgiving to older floors that may be stained, uneven, or cracked.

Tile - Ceramic or Plastic Modular

Plastic modular flooring is chemical resistant, quieter to walk on, and is very cost effective. These individual, plastic tiles snap together and can be removed individually if they become damaged. There are many different manufacturers of plastic modular tile and most come in a wide variety of colors to match.

Ceramic tile is the ultimate garage flooring solution. The installation would more than likely require a professional, but the results are astounding ! Choose a heavy duty commercial thickness tile as many residential applications will not tolerate the weight of a vehicle. The surface of ceramic tile is virtually maintenance free and is impervious to chemicals like gas and oil. Price is certainly a consideration as well as needing grout, thinset, spacers and tools to do the job. If price is no object, this option will make your garage outshine any on the block !

There you have the most popular choices in garage flooring available. More on each of these in future articles !

Stay tuned to the Garage Flooring Options blog for more articles, reviews and tips and techniques to make your garage the talk of the town !