If you are looking for the best garage floor epoxy paint for concrete, there are several things to look for to ensure you get the best epoxy floor paint for your concrete garage flooring. First, it’s important to realize that different types of epoxy floor paint will do different things. If you get the wrong type of epoxy floor paint for your concrete garage floor, it could end up cracked, chipped, or just flat. So, it’s best to know what kind of epoxy floor paint you need for your concrete garage floor before you start shopping.
Best Garage Epoxy Paint For Concrete Garage Floor
There are two basic kinds of epoxies: a hard coat and a slow-set epoxy. Both are pretty good at providing a durable barrier between the concrete and the ground, but there are some differences in how they work and how they’re applied. The Best Garage Epoxy Floor Paint For Concrete comes in both of these kinds.
Hard Coated Epoxy – This kind of epoxy has a coating that’s two parts thick. It’s a high-quality paint and one of the most durable. Some people prefer this kind because it has better coverage than the other types of paints available, which means it can cover a larger area and last longer. It also does a nice job at resisting stains, which is helpful if there are a lot of greasy oils or chemicals on the floor.
Slow-setting epoxies are typically sold in quart-sized tubes. These are easy to apply because you just mix them up with the proper amount of water and then apply them using a brush, roller, or sponge. They do have a higher risk of blistering compared to the hard coating epoxies, so they should only be used in an area that’s relatively clean. Garage floor epoxy finishes keep a surface better protected from oil and grease build-up, but they are not meant for permanent protection.
Garage floor paint should be applied over a clean surface. It is best if the surface can be absolutely clean, no residue or dust is left behind. One way to make sure the floor is clean is if it’s directly exposed to the sun, which will cause it to fade over time. You may want to avoid applying an epoxy floor coating to a cement floor because cement is usually a petroleum product that warms up quickly under direct sunlight. If the sun is your only source of exposure to the epoxy, then this won’t be a problem but if it’s constantly coming into contact with concrete or the garage is always sunny, then an epoxy floor coating is probably a bad idea.
Applying epoxy floor paint is fairly easy, but there are some things you need to remember before you start. The first is to make sure the floor is clean; any chemical spills or anything that could potentially destroy the bond between the concrete and the epoxy should be cleaned up immediately. This includes concrete cleaners or other types of products that may damage the concrete before the epoxy has a chance to harden properly. Some cleaners also have a built-in chemical suspension that allows them to work better in damp or wet areas, but this should be avoided where possible. After cleaning the floor, it’s time to mix the epoxy and the water-based floor epoxies to mix. The ratio of epoxy to water-based coating is generally about three to one.
Now, to prevent a buildup of salt or other weathering chemicals, which will inhibit the hardening process, you should wait until the floor is fairly dry before applying the coating. If you apply the epoxy paint directly to a wet floor, it can harden too quickly because the chemicals are unable to be suspended in water. However, if your concrete is relatively dry, then applying the epoxy paint will just harden over time.
There are a number of ways to protect your new floor coating, as well. In addition to using the best garage floor paints, you should also use concrete sealers to help prevent concrete cracking. Epoxy and concrete sealers are not compatible with each other, but they work well together when combined. These sealers provide a clear protective coating on the concrete while the epoxy bonds chemically with the concrete. This provides a stronger seal than just regular concrete sealants alone. Other additives that you may want to consider for your epoxy primer and coating are floor paints, floor finishers, and other products that will provide a barrier against weathering.