If you've ever considered using a garage floor epoxy system to protect and enhance the look of your garage floor, there are a few things you should know before purchasing one. Most home improvement stores carry epoxy floor kits designed for the do-it-yourselfer and you've probably heard differing opinions on how well they work. Some will say it's an excellent product and others will tell you not to waste your money. Well, there is usually an easy explanation as to why this product fails for some floors.
One reason for failure is not every concrete floor is ideal for applying an epoxy coating. Many floors have too much hydrostatic pressure, meaning water moves from the under the slab up to the surface in a process called capillary action. Moisture then collects on the surface, which breaks the bond between the concrete and the epoxy coat. If the floor ?sweats? even when it's dry outside or there are areas that seem to stay moist for long periods of time, then an epoxy coating will almost certainly fail. It will gradually chip and flake away. Even if you don't think there is a moisture problem, it's a good idea to apply an efflorescence or salt blocker before the epoxy. This will help prevent moisture from causing problems.
The most probable reason for failure is improper surface preparation. The floor must be completely clean and stripped of all other coatings. Any stains or foreign substances (oil, grease, paint, etc.) will prevent adequate bonding between the concrete and epoxy, resulting in chipping and flaking. Most contractors will apply a coat of sealer to a garage floor after installation. It can take several years for the sealer to wear off completely. This sealer must be removed for epoxy to last. Although acid etching is an important step, it will not remove sealer and most stains. Etching will only open up the pores of bare concrete, therefore you must do all cleaning and stripping before etching with acid.
Before purchasing a garage floor epoxy system, you need to first decide if your floor is right for it. If it sweats often or there are areas that are constantly wet, then forget about it. Be sure that you are willing to take the time to prep the floor properly, as this is the most critical part. It also helps to put one or two coats of clear concrete sealer on top to serve as a wear coat. Water based acrylic sealers are ideal for indoor residential use. Despite any bad reviews you've heard about the do-it-yourself garage floor epoxy system, it can be a successful project if it's done correctly.
Home Away From Home
A man feels at home in his garage because, more often than not, that is where all his stuff is. He has his tools, his work space, his stash of magazines (wink), and his projects. His garage is his kingdom. So what happens when the floor of his kingdom gets cracked, smeared with oil, grease, saw dust, paint, chemicals, and blood (every man sheds blood in his garage)? Well, he can get on his hands and knees, patch the cracks, scrub the yuckies off the floor, and pray to God that whatever it was you just inhaled wasn't lethal, or you can just cover the whole thing with protective garage flooring.
Garage Flooring: Saving Your Kingdom From "The Yuckies"
With the many different sized, shaped, and conditions of garages you'd wonder if anyone could come up with a universal way to keep the garage floor clean for you.
Someone did. It's called: protective garage flooring. Garages are homes too, not only to the male of the species, but also: tools, cars, storage, a mooching child, your son's band, and maybe a banished cat or two, so why would you want to take the chance that the garage flooring you have now will last through all of that damage unscathed?
These days, garage flooring is tough, durable, easy to clean, doesn't warp, crack, stain, or require continual replacement.
Garage Flooring At A Glance
Here is a list of some styles of garage flooring that might have you running to your nearest dealer.
Ribbed Heavy Duty Garage Floor Covering: This type of covering is resistant to stains, wear, and because it is a ribbed pattern, it channels liquid and debris out of the garage.
Coin Grade Garage Floor Covering: This type of garage flooring is made from PVC and makes working and walking in your garage easy and clean. It protects your floor from spills, is insulated, and is slip resistant.
Diamond Pattern Garage Floor Covering: This type of flooring has all the benefits of the Coin Grade but is thicker than even the heavy duty Coin Grade flooring. The diamond pattern is designed to mimic the chrome diamond plate flooring that you would often see in many trailers.
So, men, now that you can save your garage...er kingdom's floors from "The Yuckies", are you going to do it? Or should I just nag you until it gets done?
Both Kirk Muhlhauser & Scott Fromherz are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Kirk Muhlhauser has sinced written about articles on various topics from Install Flooring, Home Improvement. Kirk Muhlhauser offers ideas and instructions for enhancing your home's concrete surfaces. Find information on concrete stains, paints, and sealers at