Archive for the ‘garage floor paint’ Category
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Garage Floor Protection Can Add Value And Beauty To Your Home
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010The garage floor may be overlooked as you venture from a room in your home to your car on a daily basis, but as you probably already know the garage floor can also get pretty ugly and messy very quickly with the oft traveled daily use.
It would be a tedious task for anyone to maintain a garage floor in its best condition all the time. Most of the time we disregard it until it becomes coated with oil, other car dirt and debris, grease from bikes or even the grass and leaves that the winds blow in.
With your garage floor you have a wide range of choices for maintaining it. Here are some valuable tips for protecting your garage floor:
The simplest way would be to paint it with an epoxy floor paint, which is durable and water resistant, and does not need to be reapplied very often. To paint it would really take some effort but it is a good way to make the floor last for a long time as long as you have also after coated the epoxy with a good sealant to aid in the prevention of moisture and other debris getting between the coating and the floor itself.
Some garage floor options are more costly than others. While some ways of protecting your garage floor might give you a hard time with the application or installation, the best decision is to research all your options, whether it be rubber mats, concrete staining, epoxy paint, tile, stamping, or anything else to decorate it, and determine what is not only going to be most cost effective, but also what you will be able to do yourself versus having to hire a contractor to do the job because it’s too challenging or you simply don’t have the tools or equipment to get the job done right.
The garage usually starts out nice and neat, but over time it becomes more of a storage unit. And after months or years of parking your car in it there are usually unwanted oil and other fluids staining the areas on the floor under the engines of your cars. It may usually just be bare concrete, but it still needs to be maintained and protected. So, here are some steps to help you in effectively protecting your garage floor.
The first thing you need to do is to clean the floor well. This can most easily be done by first sweeping out the loose dust, leaves, and any other debris, then remove all boxes or other junk that may have accumulated. Once the entire garage is empty, then power wash the floor using some kind of cleaner. If you don’t have a power washer you can always rent one, or you can simply use your garden hose with a pressure tip. You need to sweep and wash the floor thoroughly. If you see some engine oil and car dirt, then you need to apply some heavy duty cleaner or degreaser in order to get it as clean as possible. Once the floor is clean, then you can let it air dry or use a blower to dry it faster.
Once you’ve chosen the method you’re going to use to protect your garage floor, which is often paint or stain, you simply apply it according to directions, then apply a sealer to the floor for added protection.
A simple overview, these are valuable tips and advice for your floor can add value to your home as well as providing you with a nicer place to park your car or tinker on the weekends.
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Garage Floor Epoxy – How To Apply
Monday, February 8th, 2010Garage floor epoxy coatings are an essential part to your garage if you want your floor to look good and last for a long time. It can be as easy as 1-2-3 to apply as long as you use the right products and follow the proper instructions. There are many options for you to choose from with garage floor coatings, like staining, depending on your needs and preference.
In applying a garage floor epoxy coating, you must never forget the primary step of preparing the surface. This would be about fixing up cracks and filling up holes. One of the leading reasons why a lot of coating fails is due to the absence of proper surface preparation. To be successful on this, you must do the following steps:
To etch a solid garage floor needs some gel acid. Acid etching is the usual process that even expert contractors do in resurfacing. Liquid acid has always been an all time recommendation by a lot of manufacturers. And as modern times come, the gel has been combined with acid to make it easier to roll in the concrete floor. Liquid acids emerged to be more troubling due to its being diluted. Many consumers are not even aware that they are buying mere water instead of a genuine acid solution.
Second step is to fix the cracks and holes in the floor. Do not buy a crack filler that is much too thick. If you will use not a thin crack, you will only get to fill the top portion of the crack. This process is what you call bridging the crack. So for best options to use as crack fillers, you need to go for the more modern polyureas.
Choose the right coatings for your floor. Do not settle for instant home improvement epoxy kits, since they would only look good on the same day that you apply them. You must only go for the high quality and high performance coatings to make it last for years.
Deal with moisture issues. You need to use some tools to measure the content of moisture in the floor. You can place a rubber floor mat or tape plastic on it. After 3 to 4 days, you have stumbled upon some moisture underneath, then it is time you buy a waterproof epoxy which will be applied first before you apply the embellishing system of epoxy. You can also apply a sealer for added protection after you are done applying the epoxy.
As you follow these steps and choose the ideal garage floor epoxy, you can be sure to make your garage floors looking new as ever.
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Lifespan Of Epoxy Floor Coatings And How To Reapply
Saturday, January 23rd, 2010The main reason epoxy floor coating is used to protect the concrete flooring from corrosion and atmospheric pollution. It also gives boring concrete flooring a nicer look. This is perfect for garage flooring, warehouse flooring and anyplace else you may use concrete flooring. Epoxy floor coatings are considered one of the most durable coatings available because it bonds so well with concrete. Another upside of the epoxy floor coatings is with proper maintenance it can last up to seven years and still look great.
The easiest to clean and apply is the epoxy floor paint. This particular paint is mostly used in large industrial warehouses. When several coats are applied it gives the flooring a nice shiny look. Epoxy floor paint is odorless, oil resistant, water resistant and extremely durable. One let down for this type of paint is it is slippery when wet, which may not be ideal in car shops or other places where water may be spilled.
You can purchase epoxy coating with anti-skid properties. This is known as rough coat epoxy concrete floor paint. The rough coat paint is water based and very thin. Because it is so thin it can not protect against cracks in the flooring. However this paint is economical friendly and very simple to apply which makes it ideal for residential flooring.
If you are reapplying or applying epoxy floor coatings for the first time, it is very simple. Below are a few instructions and tips on getting your floor coating just right.
Make sure the floor is clean, don’t forget to dust out the corners.
Etch the floor – Mix solvent in a watering can and follow directions from the manufacturer. Always wear protective gear when mixing and using chemicals.
Begin mixing epoxy paint. Pour the hardener into the paint, it usually takes about 3 minutes of stirring to get the paint mix properly.
Start painting. The solution must be used within 2 hours of mixing. Remember to make sure the area is well ventilated.
Distribute color flakes evenly before applying the top coat. Apply as if you are laying grass seed, let the chips sift through your fingers until all flooring has even amounts. Allow to dry for 12-24 hours
Mix top coat and hardener for 3 minutes. Apply the same as the other coats were painted on. The top coat will look milky until it is dried. Allow 72 hours dry time before parking a car.
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Important Facts About Garage Floor Sealer
Monday, November 2nd, 2009Today’s garage is more likely to serve double-duty as a workshop for the do-it-yourselfer in the family in addition to being a parking place for the family’s automobile. All the more reason to considering applying garage floor sealer to preserve and protect this much-used and heavily trafficked space. How do you choose the right one? Through research.
The garage floor is subjected to a variety of substances which can stain it, including gasoline, oil, antifreeze , de-icing salt and other grime carried onto it by your car wheels. Because concrete floors are porous, these substances can not only discolor your floor, they can also cause it to crack, weather and deteriorate. A garage floor sealer not only protects the garage floor from damage, it also enables you to walk and park onto a smooth, attractive surface that resists slipping and staining.
Epoxy concrete sealers are among the most popular for the durable finish they offer. There are many garage floor sealers available that include a non-slip additive as one of their ingredients, and this makes your garage floor a safer environment especially when the floor gets wet.
Garage floor sealers are tailor-made for the do-it-yourselfer as they are easy to apply so long as your prepare the surface properly and follow certain directions. Garage floor sealers require a thoroughly clean surface so that they will adhere properly, so sweep over your garage floor with a heavy broom and then use a commercial oil degreaser to remove any existing grease stains.
After the garage floor has been washed and brushed, be sure it’s completely dry before applying garage floor sealer. Because garage floor sealer contains chemicals that can prove toxic if splashed onto the skin or inhaled, it’s important to wear protective gloves, eyeglasses and clothing, including a mask while applying the sealant. Also make sure the area is well ventilated. Keep the garage doors fully open or bring in a fan for ventilation. You can make your sealant more colorful by adding a little bit of acrylic paint to the mix prior to the application.
It’s important to apply the sealer evenly with a long-handled roller brush, working from the farthest corner of the room all the way to the exit door so that you don’t have to track over the freshly applied sealant while it is drying. Take care that there is no area of the floor where the sealer is too thickly or thinly applied.
Garage floor sealer takes as much as three to four days to completely dry, so plan your sealer application project over a long weekend or a time when you won’t need to use the garage for parking or workshop projects.
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Epoxy Floor Coating – Is Your Pet Safe?
Monday, November 2nd, 2009An epoxy floor coating will do many things for your garage floor. Many people are turning to it to improve the look and safety of their concrete floors. Although it is being used in many homes, it is often questioned whether or not it is safe for pets. Also, how do you select the right one?
Epoxy is a floor coating that is applied to concrete floors. It resists grease, oil and many other substances. It creates a surface that is easier to clean, and often increases the life span of a floor. Epoxy usually comes in two parts that are mixed together right before they are applied. One part is the resin, and the other part is the hardener, and when mixed together create an extremely strong bond. They are found in either a solvent or liquid based form when purchased for noncommercial, home based projects. The liquid that forms can be painted onto the floors surface.
When epoxy is in liquid form it can be dangerous. While it is being applied it is important to keep children and pets away, and also to turn off any appliances that are located in the area. When applying an epoxy floor coating it is also important to wear protective clothing so it doesn’t come into contact with skin, and to make sure the area is well ventilated. Pets should be kept away from a floor that has been painted with epoxy until it has completely hardened. This could be up to 7-10 days depending on the product.
Once epoxy is dry and has hardened, it is perfectly safe for pets. In fact many kennels are using it. Since they are often made with concrete, applying epoxy to the floors in a kennel makes the cleaning a much easier process. New kennels along with those that are making improvements are turning to epoxy. It can also be skid resistant which makes it a popular choice with many kennels. Veterinary clinics use epoxy in their operating rooms for the ease of cleaning, and the skid resistance.
Although there may be information around that leads to the belief that epoxy is toxic to animals, This is only the case before it has hardened. You do want to make sure that pets are kept away during the process of applying the paint, and while it it drying. But, after it has hardened, epoxy is a safe floor covering to have in your garage, basement or any other surface in your home or business where you will keep your pets.
It will also serve as a safety precaution to prevent you from falling, particularly when it’s wet. This type of non slip floor coating, when properly applied will look shiny and smooth, but won’t let you get injured from a fall.