Garage floor is essentially made out of concrete due to which its original color is drab and depressing. Most people do not pay much attention to garage floor paint, however appropriate painting of the floor can keep it from cracking and protects it from long-lasting acid or oil stains. The garage is one place that can always be used as a Jam room or a gaming zone so one might as well make it look welcoming.
First decide what characteristics you would want your garage floor to have after getting it painted. There are three distinct kinds of paint that you can choose from.
The most popular among garage floor paints is epoxy since it provides durability and complete protection from grease, oil stains and cracks. It is a specialized kind of paint custom-made for garage floors however it is not DIY-friendly. Within epoxy there are further variations to consider- solid types, solvent based and water based. Latex on the other hand is a smart choice if you have no experience in this department. Unlike epoxy, you may not power wash or excessively etch the area and simply clean the dirt before beginning. Also if you would want to undo the paint, you can simply wipe it off with water.
Oil based paint is not as hard to apply as epoxy however it is tedious to take it off. Therefore there should be some amount of experience prior to experimenting with oil-based painting.
A whole new way of coloring the garage floor is by using concrete stains. Concrete stains include mineral salts, water and acid. The salts are color pigments that provide the shade to the flooring by settling into the concrete’s pores. Although concrete stains provide abundant protection to the floor, you might not be satisfied with the color range they offer since they are mostly semi-transparent. They do not completely hide the color variations or the grey areas in the concrete. Also due to the acid ingredient, heavy-duty cleaning of the surface is a must before applying the stain. If you are doing the job yourself and mainly just want the garage floor to look attractive, go with latex.
Checking the moisture of the garage floor is a must. You can do this by taping a plastic bag to the surface for 24 hours and checking for trapped moisture underneath. If the result is positive, rule out the option of using epoxy. Also if you have previously used a concrete sealer, you cannot apply epoxy since water beads tend to form. Remove any kind of dust and dirt in the garage before you proceed with any kind of paint. You will also have to degrease the floor and etch it with muriatic acid before applying epoxy.
Painting the floor will change the personality of the entire garage so consider the eventual look you are aiming for. If you are simply painting the floor to make the garage look less drab, go with shades of white, grey or brown. However some people enjoy giving the floor more attention with louder shades like glossy maroon or shiny black. If you are taking professional help, then consider patterns such as checkers or popular logos.