• Join Now
• |
• Sign In

How To Apply Epoxy Floor Paint To Your Garage (page 2 of 5)

Images from this article

javascript:void(0);

Applying Epoxy Paint To Your Garage's Floor: Test Your Concrete

As with any other paint job, success lies in the prep work. Plan to spend the first day removing oil spots, cleaning/degreasing the floor, etching it with a mild acid, and scrubbing, vacuuming and rinsing (a lot!). Day two is for filling cracks and applying the first coat of epoxy, which is followed by a second coat on day three.

This job doesn’t require many special tools. But to do the best job (and save your back), we recommend that you rent a walk-behind power floor scrubber with a stiff brush attachment ($25 per day). Brushes work better than scrubbing pads on concrete, but buy two pads ($8 each) if a brush isn’t available. Also, rent a wet vacuum ($18 per day) if you don’t own or have access to one.

Analyze the Floor and Weather
Before you even consider epoxy paint for your floor, test to determine if dampness is coming up through the concrete from the ground. If moisture is evident, your floor isn’t suitable for epoxy. Also, forgo the project if a concrete sealer was previously used (you’ll know a sealer has been used if water beads up when applied to the surface). If you’re dealing with a new slab, you must wait a minimum of 28 days, preferably two months, for the floor to cure and dry thoroughly before applying a garage floor coating. And if you’re dealing with a previously painted floor, the best advice is to remove the paint, especially when you’re applying a solvent-based epoxy that could soften any that remains.

If your concrete passed these tests, make sure the weekend weather passes too. The temperature of the concrete must be a minimum of 55 degrees F, with an air temperature between 60 and 90 degrees for optimum epoxy curing/drying.

Sorting Out Epoxy
The final critical decision is what type of epoxy to use. Epoxy floor paints are tough resins that come in two separate parts that you mix together just before you apply them. You can divide them roughly into three types: 100 percent solids, solvent based and water based.

The 100 percent solid type is almost pure epoxy; it doesn’t contain solvents that evaporate. These products are expensive and difficult to handle because they harden so rapidly. They’re best left to the pros.

The solvent-based epoxies typically contain from 40 to 60 percent solids (epoxy). They penetrate and adhere well and are the choice of most pros. And they’re often available in a wide range of colors, which is one reason we chose this type for our demonstration. But they do have some drawbacks. The solvents are powerful and potentially hazardous; you MUST use a respirator (a 3M 5000 series respirator with an organic vapor/acid gas filter, $14, or the equivalent in another brand). The respirator must fit tightly to your face so you don’t breathe the fumes. In addition, you must ventilate the garage well and keep other people away from the odors.

Solvent-based epoxies also may be harder to find. Some paint specialty stores may carry them (Sherwin-Williams and ICI Dulux, among others), but otherwise you’ll have to go to an industrial supply-type store. Check the Yellow Pages under “Paint, Wholesale & Manufacturers” or “Industrial Equipment & Supplies,” or look on the Internet.

The water-based epoxies also have two parts that you mix just before application. And they also typically contain 40 to 60 percent solids. The benefit of this type of epoxy is that there are no hazardous solvent fumes. And, at least one brand, Rust-Oleum’s EpoxyShield Garage Floor Coating, is widely available at home centers. (Colors are limited to gray or tan. See Buyer’s Guide for details.)

CAUTION: Wear appropriate gloves, eye and lung protection, and rubber boots, according to the product labels. Turn off gas to the water heater or any other appliance located in the garage. And take precautions to keep children and pets away from the garage and driveway.

Whether you’re working with solvent- or water-based epoxy, we recommend that you apply two coats to get enough build for long-term wear and durability. “Build” refers to the thickness of the dried epoxy film. Typically, an epoxy with a higher solid content will give a higher build. And, in general, prices tend to reflect the amount of epoxy in the mix -- the more epoxy, the higher the build and the higher the price.

For a two-car garage (450 sq. ft.), you’ll need 2 to 3 gallons per coat (depending on the percent of solids in the epoxy you buy -- read the container). The price of epoxy for two coats will range from $150 to $300. Check the cans for coverage to make sure you buy enough.

TIP: Consider adding epoxy paint to the bottom 4 in. of drywall, wood or concrete wall along the floor to protect it when you hose the floor clean in the future.

• • Floors
• • Garage
• • Painting

• How to Wire an Unfinished Garage
• How to add outlets and lights to an unfinished garage.
• 
• Organize Your Garage: Three Storage Projects
• Organize, cut the clutter and tools, clean up the workbench and garage floor.
• 
• How to Patch Chipped and Pitted Concrete Sidewalks and Stairs
• You can repair broken corners, cracks, crumbling surfaces and spalled areas of concrete with a durable concrete patch.
•