How to Apply Epoxy Paint to Your Garage Floor
The garage is the place in your home where you're most likely to be doing all those do-it-yourself jobs, be it automotive or otherwise. Having an epoxy-painted garage floor can give your property a clean, professional and, most of all, durable feel. Epoxy is water-resistant, easy to clean and available in a variety of colors. Epoxy can resist grease, oil and several other substances which can spoil any other regular paint. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Garage broom
- Stiff-bristle brush
- Degreasing solution
- Walk-behind floor scrubber (optional)
- Muriatic acid
- Spray nozzle
- Acid respirator
- Water
- Epoxy resin filler
- Putty knife
- Epoxy paint
- Paint brush
- Nonskid granules
Instructions
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1
Measure the floor to get an idea of the area. This will tell you how much paint is going to be needed. Also, look for any cracks that may need to be taken into account when it comes time to pour the paint
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Clean out any imperfections, dirty areas or oil spots so that the floor is spotless and the concrete is ready to be painted. This step is essential so that the epoxy paint forms a proper bond with concrete. It is much harder to carry out spot repairs on a damaged floor than it is to get it right first time. For removing oil spots, use a strong degreaser/cleaner solution. Apply the solution to the oil stain, then use a stiff-bristle brush to scrub the surface. Repeat until the grease is gone. You can even rent a walk-behind floor scrubber to avoid manual work. Use garage broom to clear out any debris.
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3
Etch the concrete surface with muriatic acid. Use 1 part acid to 10 parts water, and make sure that the solution is sprayed over all areas of the concrete. (A watering can is fine for this job.)
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Scrub the entire concrete floor. After the scrubbing, rinse the entire area with copious amounts of water. Keep this up for at least 10 minutes. Do not worry about any environmental concerns--muriatic acid can be flushed down drains when diluted with enough water. The surface of the concrete should feel like fine-grade sandpaper. If it does not, repeat the etching process.
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Fill out any imperfections with epoxy resin filler. Use a putty knife to make sure the filled area is flush with the rest of the concrete surface. It will take up to four hours for the epoxy resin filler to dry.
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Start applying the epoxy paint in the rear of the garage. A first coat on a typical two-car garage will normally take around an hour. Leave this first coat to dry overnight or at least 16 hours. Once the first coat is dry, the second and final coat is ready to be put on.
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Add some nonskid granules to the second coat to provide a level of grip in moist conditions. Apply the second coat after the first coat of paint is dry.
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Tips & Warnings
The floor will take approximately one month to cure completely, but you may park cars on it within seven days.
Always add acid to the water, not water to the acid.
Always wear a respirator when you start the painting to avoid inhalation of fine paint droplets in the air.
References
- Photo Credit Tiled floor image by Simon Amberly from Fotolia.com
