The 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.

Stained concrete can turn a garage floor into artistic masterpieces, and applying them can be cost effective whether you’re doing it yourself, or paying a professional. Choices and options are endless with stained concrete because texture, gloss, color, and detail appearances vary depending on whether you use spray stain, roll on stain, high gloss, low gloss, or styled concrete.

Even if you have your heart set on travertine tile or slate flooring, don’t cross stained concrete off of your list. It’s easy to style cement to look like tile flooring by using a cookie cutter effect while it is still wet. After staining and gloss is complete, the tile like grooves will have a beautiful stone effect that flows throughout your home at less than half the price of porcelain tile.

It is important to note the difference between painting concrete and staining it when choosing what type of flooring to install. With paint, you have a layer set on top of the concrete itself and dries as one solid color. Stained concrete changes the structure at a molecular level using an acid-base to mix with the compounded minerals. This is why, depending on the color of stain being used, stain has a varying rustic pattern as real stone or slate would.

Besides color patterns, you can also choose your texture gradient based on the thickness of the stain you’ve opted for, whether it be roll on or spray on. Several layers and tones will change the way it feels or lays. Match it to your kitchen theme, or stone fire place setting and furniture. Either way, your guests will be amazed to find that your unique flooring style is not imported from Spain or Italy, but is actually your own variation of stained flooring.

The quality of stained concrete is competitive. Wood flooring can easily warp or lose its luster, but a concrete stain is durable and holds its shape and shine for years. Tile flooring can crack, but once concrete is sealed, not even water or heavy furniture can damage it. Stained concrete is easy to clean and doesn’t stain or scratch like carpet or some woods will, yet it is just as beautiful as some of the most expensive stone floors.

When choosing a flooring for your home, office, or even outside porches and barns, be sure to take stained concrete into consideration. Whether you’re on a tight budget or have a few extra dollars to spend, want a stone texture or porcelain shine, stained concrete is an appealing variation over your standard flooring choices that can be molded to fit your exact expectations.

Other popular options are epoxy paint and concrete polishing, which are entirely different processes, yet still very durable and beautiful if done correctly.  Sometimes cracks will occur down the road with polishing, but don’t let this scare you away.  It is still easily fixable.

Concrete is a durable and versatile element that works equally as well for a patio or porch flooring as it does for a garage floor or driveway. If you think that a concrete application in some area of your home might be too boring, then you need to consider concrete finishing for added flair and pizazz.

Concrete finishing refers to any of several processes that are applied to concrete to help increase its durability, or create a change in its texture or appearance. Using special tools, concrete surfaces can be leveled, troweled, edged or textured to resemble materials other than concrete. Concrete on a driveway, for instance, can be finished to give it the appearance of more expensive stone construction.

There are three methods of concrete finishing fast gaining in popularity with homeowners today. The first of these is concrete stamping, a finishing technique that creates a new texture on the surface of the concrete designed to have it look like other material, such as stone, tile or brick. Stamping can also create the texture of leather when used on concrete walls and counter tops. Concrete stamping is best applied for new concrete applications.

Another concrete finishing technique making concrete more versatile than ever is concrete staining.

This technique provides a new refreshed look for concrete applications that are free from discoloration and signs of aging and offers a less expensive option to achieve that new concrete appearance without actually ripping out the old installation and pouring new concrete.

The third aspect of concrete finishing is concrete painting. This is the least expensive concrete finishing technique, but the results achieved are endless, left only to the imagination. Applying a quality grade epoxy concrete paint on garage or porch flooring, for example, can help to make the flooring waterproof, add new color to the concrete, improve the safety of the area by providing a non-slip surface when wet, and extending the lifespan of the concrete surfaces which are painted. Although this method of concrete finishing wears the least well of the three, it is still a viable way to upgrade the concrete’s appearance and durability without spending a great deal of money.

Concrete finishing allows concrete, a versatile and durable yet relatively inexpensive substance, to masquerade as many more high quality materials in a variety of applications, ranging from flooring and driveways to walkways, counter tops and fences. For any concrete surface that needs a make-over, concrete finishing transforms the old and boring into the new and exciting.

Without a coating, concrete floors will become stained, and also chip and crack over time. There are different types of floor coating for protecting concrete.

Epoxy concrete floor coating can be applied to a new floor or used to fill in chips and cracks in an old one. Epoxy floor coating comes as a primer and a topcoat. The epoxy topcoat can be clear or pigment can be added to it; decorative flakes can also be added. It provides a smooth surface. There is also the option of adding an epoxy stipple coat over the topcoat, which provides a surface much like an orange peel. Epoxy floor coating is resistant to automotive fluids and chemicals. It takes about three days to set up. Epoxy floor coating is often used in hospitals, detention centers, factories, and warehouses.

A concrete floor urethane sealer can also be used. Urethane sealers are high-gloss. They also involve putting down a primer and a topcoat. The topcoat is clear, but pigment may be added. Urethane sealers are also resistant to automotive fluids and chemicals, and they take about three days to set up. Urethane sealers are often used in retail stores and showrooms.

Although epoxy floor coatings and urethane sealers are largely used in industry, you can purchase epoxy kits for your garage that include a degreaser, topcoat, and decorative nonskid flakes. Measure your square footage so you know how many to buy. The epoxy floor coating is fully set in seven days.

Another option for a concrete floor coating is oil-based enamel paint. It resists automotive fluids. It cleans up with soap and water. But moisture or heat from tires may lift it off the floor surface. Some experts advise that you never use oil-based paint on a concrete floor.

Stains can also be applied to concrete floors. Stains have the advantage of soaking into the concrete instead of sitting on the surface of the floor. However, they don’t stand up to snow and rock salt well. For that reason, they’re used more in the South than any other part of the country.

Whichever concrete floor coating is used, it’s important to prepare the floor before applying it. The floor needs to be as clean and dry as possible. Use a degreaser, and, if necessary, a pressure washer. Remove all peeling paint. Give the floor several days to dry out. That way, all your work will pay off.

Applying a concrete stain to garage floors and other concrete surfaces achieves a more attractive appearance is a rapidly growing design trend. Concrete stains are an affordable way to give your concrete floor or wall a decorative appearance using a procedure that isn’t all that complicated. But there are ten things you should consider beforehand when shopping for a concrete stain.

(1) Evaluate whether you want to work with an acid-based concrete stain or an acrylic stain. Acid-based concrete stains require more safeguards because they contain chemical compounds that can cause irritations along with strong smells and results can be more unpredictable. Acrylic stains, on the other hand, are more like water-based latex paints, with less corrosive elements and a much lower threshold of detectable odors. Acrylic stains are better if you want better coverage of existing flaws because acrylic seeps down into the concrete’s pours.

(2) Since concrete stain is usually applied with a sprayer, be sure you can cover and protect nearby areas and landscaping from inadvertently being stained.

(3) Realize that any stain you apply will magnify the concrete’s existing variations as well as blemishes, rather than hide it the way an application of paint would.

(4) Explore the full range of colors available in concrete stains.

(5) Recognize that you must test a patch of concrete once you select your color, especially is choosing an acid-based stain. Every stain application varies in color depending upon the stain’s reaction to the concrete surface, so test first and don’t expect an exact match to the samples you saw while exploring.

(6) It’s a good idea to practice the staining procedure in a small test area before tackling a very large job. Consider hiring a professional with staining experience because too little stain will leave the area devoid of color and too much stain will cause uneven colorations.

(7) Be sure that the concrete surface to be stained has been neutralized with all traces of residue removed.

(8) Expect to apply a sealant after the concrete stain application, and this, too, must be applied evenly and properly to eliminate any telltale application marks.

(9) Your results can only be as good as the canvas you start with, so don’t expect to transform extremely old or blemished concrete into a beautiful masterpiece of staining.

(10) Hiring a professional staining applicator just may prove to be the best investment of your money if you don’t have the patience to practice staining prior to undertaking a large project.

The only thing more attractive than the final product of your stained concrete floor, is the amount it will cost to get done. Even if you select a super high end stain for your project, concrete stain costs a fraction of the amount that other flooring choices like carpeting and hardwood floors would. In fact, if you do it yourself you can get all your materials for only $.50-$1.00 per sq/ft. If you do not want to do your concrete staining project yourself you can hire a professional to do a basic job for $2-$4 per sq/ft, while a more intricate design that will increase your concrete staining costs to anywhere from $4-$10.

If you have ever done any other DIY project then you will be able to easily handle concrete staining. If you are not doing any highly detailed designs with multiple stain colors, doing the concrete staining yourself makes the most sense. When doing it yourself, additional concrete stain costs will include purchasing or renting any of the equipment needed to complete the job. In our how to stain concrete floors guide we have a full check list of supplies needed. All of the items are very inexpensive, and you can rent the wet vac and sprayer for only a few bucks a day.

Compared to other DIY projects concrete stain costs are a very inexpensive home improvement. Your guests or customers will think you spent tens of thousands of dollars to get that beautiful stained concrete look.