How to Seal Concrete Garage Floors
The concrete of your garage floor is susceptible to damage from salt, moisture and spills. Over time, the concrete becomes stained and cracked from wear. Applying a sealant to your garage floor can make an old floor look like new and help prevent a new garage floor from becoming damaged. There are several types of sealants available, such as epoxy resin, acrylic and urethane. Epoxy and urethane last longer than acrylic, but acrylic is more resistant to fading. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Concrete cleaner and etcher
- Painter's tape
- Sealant
- Hardener (if necessary)
- Bucket
- Brush
- Paint tray
- Paint roller
Instructions
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1
Measure your garage floor to determine how much sealant you need to buy. Multiply the length of the room by the width to find the square footage. In general, 1 gallon of sealant will cover 200 square feet, but read the label to find out what the manufacturer recommends.
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Choose a sealant that will work best for your climate, weather conditions and budget. If you plan on painting your garage floor, make sure that the sealant you choose can be painted over. You may also need to get a hardener if your sealant requires it.
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3
Sweep up any debris from your garage floor and then apply a commercial concrete cleanser and etcher. Let the cleanser soak into the floor for about 15 minutes and then rinse with clean water. You may need to treat stains for a longer period of time to remove them. Let your garage floor dry completely. This may take a few days.
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Apply painter's tape to the moldings, pipes and appliances around your garage. Garage-floor sealant will stain whatever it touches.
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Mix the sealant and hardener in a large bucket. Pour some of the sealant into a paint tray and apply it around the edges of the room with a stiff brush, making sure the sealant gets into the corners.
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Roll the sealant out onto the concrete floor using the roller. Begin at one end of the room and work toward the door so you don't paint yourself into the corner. Work in small sections and maintain a wet edge. Leave the garage door open to provide ventilation and allow the floor to dry completely. Keep the door between your garage and house closed to keep the fumes out. Once the floor has dried, wait at least a day before putting anything on the floor.
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Tips & Warnings
You can use a large fan to help the sealant dry faster. You need to reseal your concrete garage floor every few years.
