Given their function, garage floors undergo a lot of alterations. Suffice to say that our team of professionals in floor crack repair was able to observe many damages on the garage floors. The many comings and goings of vehicles, as well as deterioration due to certain negligence are factors contributing to weakening the condition of your coatings.
That’s why many people decide to bring the floor of this room back to life through an epoxy coating. This seems to be the ideal choice, firstly because its installation is fast, but also because it confers many advantages.
Here are the different steps to follow to apply this coating in your garage and why you should think about this option.
Epoxy for your garage floor: a 6-step installation
Even if it is feasible by non-professionals, calling on a qualified person can be valuable for the successful application of the coating. Indeed, a very damaged floor could pose a problem of adhesion that would be visible after a few years.
On the other hand, if your floor is in a correct condition, take the opportunity to install the epoxy resin yourself by following the process indicated below.
1. Sweep your garage floor
The first step is to get everything out of your garage. It must remain empty for up to 48 hours after the application of the last layer of epoxy; So prepare a cover tarp if you leave your belongings outside.
You will need to remove dirt and debris from the garage using a workshop broom. Use a smaller broom to clean corners.
2. Take the necessary precautions
Starting work without taking precautions is one of the mistakes not to make when working with your favorite coating.
Equip yourself with the equipment you need for your safety and be aware of what to avoid by reading our article on the 5 things not to do when working with epoxy.
3. Clean dirt embedded on the floor
Chances are your concrete floor is pretty dirty. You must clean the floor as much as possible before applying the epoxy:
- Use a stiff bristle brush to clean oil stains: apply a few concrete degreasers (easily found at your favorite store) to each oil stain, let it soak for a few minutes, then rub.
- Use a sander to remove embedded paint drops. A razor can also do the trick.
Another great tool for removing dirt from the floor is the wet concrete polisher. If you have one, it will allow you to easily remove paint drops and other dirt. But its investment is expensive and not necessarily necessary.
4. Sand and dry the entire soil
Once you’ve focused on cleaning, it’s time to fix your garage floor. For this, the ideal tool is a diamond sandblasting machine that makes it easy to remove all imperfections from the soil. Polishing concrete will also give the epoxy a better adhesion surface.
If you don’t have one, use a hose to wet the entire surface, pour a little cleaner on the floor and scrub with your brush.
Once you’re done sanding, use a squeegee to remove all the water from your garage. Ideally, the floor should be allowed to dry for 24 hours before applying the coating.
5. Apply the first layer of epoxy
To apply the epoxy, you need a rubber squeegee and a roller. We advise you to choose a solvent-based kit: they adhere very well and are the most durable.
Start towards the center and then move closer to the walls. Once you’re done, use your roller to get a nice uniform layer of epoxy on top of the rest of the floor. It is better to work in small sections, so the paint is not dry when passing the roller.
Let the first layer dry overnight.
6. Apply a 2nd layer of epoxy and vinyl flake
The second layer will give the floor a complete appearance. As with the previous step, choose an application in small sections.
You can then place vinyl flake on the floor: sprinkle them randomly right after painting each small section. The scales will fall into the wet paint, giving your floor a look called terrazzo.
Let your second layer dry for 48 hours. Once dry, you can put the items back in the garage.
Ideally, wait until the coating fully hardens before bringing a vehicle into the garage. This can take between 5 and 7 days.
The 6 advantages of an epoxy garage floor
As illustrated, epoxy flooring offers long-term peace of mind. Apart from its utilitarian side, its great appeal also comes from the fact that this polymer offers a beautiful finish, while being eco-responsible.
1. A durable garage floor
Concrete floors tend to crack if exposed to moisture. The latter poses many problems in Quebec, even if methods can be used to combat water infiltration into concrete floors.
Salt or snow that sticks to your car during the winter and melts when it spends a night in your parking lot are also factors that accelerate the wear and tear of the floor. A surface protected by a layer of epoxy offers it a more than appreciable hold in the long term despite intensive use. Indeed, this polymer prevents the degradation of the floor by its impermeability, its resistance to continuous exposure to corrosive chemicals and its great strength.
2. Epoxy requires little cleaning and maintenance
The porosity of concrete requires more demanding cleaning and recurrent maintenance. Difficulty cleaning concrete causes problems that are difficult to solve, for example with pyrite that causes hazards in garages and basements.
Epoxy is then appreciated for its ability to seal imperfections while giving the surface a seal and uniformity that is both aesthetic and practical. Cleaning is then greatly facilitated.
No more frequent and expensive maintenance!
3. A safe coating
An interesting advantage of epoxy comes from the fact that it makes the area used safe by its anti-slip capabilities. In addition, it helps in fire prevention by its resistance to fires. It also has good resilience to temperature variations and large impacts. Given the Montreal winter and its effects on concrete floors, this is a real relief.
4. Aesthetic flooring
Indeed, epoxy is available in several shades. If you want to bring a little cheerfulness to your garage flooring, you have the choice in an assortment of colors and patterns that harmonizes better with your tastes and the look you want to give to your garage. While losing none of its durability, you will enjoy a more charming décor.
5. A bright garage
In addition, it is possible to choose a level of coating gloss to impress you. The brightness is thus increased and at the same time improves the lighting of the entire room. This is a point not to be underestimated as this room can be dark.
6. A green facility
The ease of installation of epoxy coating, due to limited use of material, gives an ecological appeal to its use. Instead of replacing an entire floor, its application is enough to minimize additional damage by giving your garage floor a second life. Also, the epoxy coating is LEED certified, which means that it helps promote sustainable development.
The specialists at Fissure Expert repair your cracked garage floor
It is clear that covering your garage floor with epoxy offers many advantages in terms of utility, aesthetics or ecology. In addition, its application remains quite easy, even for beginners. Only a damaged floor can give you a hard time.
If this is the case with yours, do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to help you repair cracks in the garage floor to allow easy installation and durable adhesion.
