Archive for the ‘Epoxy garage floor’ Category
Garage Floor Paint – How To Choose The Best
Monday, October 12th, 2009Garage floor paint selections are vast. Some are easier to work with than others. Some last longer than others. Some are more dangerous than others. There are different grades to choose from. Many variables are presented that need to be considered once you’ve decided to apply paint and protect your garage floor for the first time.
Garage floors are often overlooked when homeowners start to jot down their list of decorating and home improvement projects. But there are two important reasons to paint the garage floor, especially if it is made of porous concrete. Painting the garage floor seals the concrete to prevent unsightly cracking at the same time it eliminates the problem of dust by giving the floor a nice polished finish.
What is the best garage floor paint to accomplish this? Epoxy paints and latex paints both have decided advantages. And having a painted garage floor makes oil and grease spill clean-ups much easier because they can’t soak directly into the concrete and make a permanent stain.
Epoxy paints are proven winners in providing excellent and durable garage floor coverage. Because epoxy paints are water-resistant, there will no trouble having them adhere to the concrete, enabling the paint to do an good job of completely sealing the surface. Epoxy paints have a smooth finish with an attractive luster to them that also allows for easy clean-up either using a broom or a damp mop. Covering the garage floor with an epoxy paint can also stand up to the punishment of kids playing ball or the normal wear and tear of heavy work boots. Even oil stains are a quick fix using an anti-grease based detergent cleanser.
The second best garage floor paint option, latex paint, is less expensive than epoxy paint. Some people like the fact that it can easily be made to resemble a more expensive stone floor finish. Unlike epoxy paint, however, you need a protective coating over the paint to provide a permanent finish. An application of latex paint requires up to three full days of drying time before your move your car and storage boxes back into place.
If your garage has a skylight or gets a fair share of direct sunlight, latex paint will tend to fade quickly due to sunlight exposure. After an application of latex paint, it’s important to run a brush or broom over the drying paint to texture the surface so that it is not slippery when fully dry.
Whether you opt for latex or epoxy garage floor paint, be sure you start with a clean, dry floor as your canvas. Having a painted garage floor will provide a more pleasant environment whether you use your garage as a workshop , play area or strictly for storage.
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Epoxy Flooring – What It Is And How To Apply It To Concrete
Monday, October 12th, 2009Epoxy flooring can not only add a tremendous amount of value to your home, but also a great deal of aesthetic appeal, and even protection to your garage floor.
If you dislike the dirty look of your concrete basement floor, think about applying epoxy flooring to give it a shiny, clean, and brighter look while adding value to your home.
What exactly is epoxy flooring and how do you select the right one for your floor? For example, take a dealerships showroom and garage, their floors are clean, and shiny with a high luster. Their garage area looks great even though cars are fixed there, and driven over the concrete repeatedly. That is the beauty behind epoxy flooring. Epoxy floor coating is a resin and a hardener, when mixed together, the bonding results in a thermosetting reaction. The result is a sealant that is tough, strengthens concrete, cleans easily, resists chemical absorption, and provides a show room look to your concrete floor.
The application of epoxy floor paint to a basement floor, is not difficult to do with the proper tools. The items needed prior to getting started are: Protective clothing, rubber gloves, mask, goggles, paint pan, roller, paint brushes, masking tape, mixing sticks, gallon bucket, 5 gallon bucket, and thinner. Once all the listed supplies are in order, the measurements of the concrete flooring that is to be epoxied with epoxy floor paint is needed. In general, one gallon will only cover an area that is 24×24.
The next step involves prepping for the epoxy flooring. This is done simply by washing it with plain dish soap and water, and allowing it to dry completely. Also pay attention to any stains that are on the floor from oil and paint, remove these stains from the concrete using thinner. After removing the stains, rinse thoroughly with water, and allow to dry.
In this next step, protective clothing, gloves, mask, and goggles are needed, as an application of muriatic acid and water are going to be applied to the concrete floor. The formula to follow is, one cup of muriatic acid to one gallon of water. Mix the two ingredients in a bucket and pour some of mixture onto the concrete floor. Take a broom that has stiff bristles, and brush it over the entire floor. Follow up with another plain cold water rinse.
Next, if the epoxy flooring is a one step epoxy like epoxy floor paint, skip this step. If it is the two step epoxy paint and hardener, they will need to be mixed together into a five gallon bucket for five minutes. Allow this mixture to sit for an additional 30 minutes before applying.
Using the masking tape, tape off the edges of the wall along the floor to prevent epoxy from getting onto the walls. Using a flat narrow paint brush, paint along the edges of the walls, and any other small areas that are unreachable with a roller. Next, pour some of the paint into the roller pan, roll the paint roller into the paint to coat the roller, and start to roll the epoxy paint onto the floor starting at the far edge of the room, working your way outwards. Allow the paint to dry completely for at least 24 hours before walking on the floor.