How to Harden Your Garage Floor with an Epoxy Coating

Hardening your garage floor with an epoxy coating is a wonderful way to protect it and keep it looking its best. So many people use their garage for much more than parking their vehicles and storing some of their belongings. Are you one of them? If so, read further to find out why you should consider this upgrade, which is thought by many to be the absolute best way to protect your concrete floor.

What is Epoxy Floor Paint

Typical garage paint is just that, latex paint. Epoxy floor paint, on the other hand, is a thermosetting resin. It’s the result of mixing one part polyamine hardener with one part epoxide resin.

Unlike paint that just dries, epoxy cures as it hardens. This is what makes it so durable and long‑lasting, strong enough to take a beating.

What are the Benefits Over a Plain Floor Paint

Because it’s thicker than paint, epoxy does a much better job of covering up small imperfections. It also doesn’t create dust like a cement floor does. This is an appreciated perk, for those who always seem to be tracking dust into the house.

Epoxy is stain and chemical‑resistant, which means if you accidentally spill oil or even gasoline it wipes up quickly and easily. Because it’s so strong, once it hardens, you don’t have to worry about damaging it with things like jack stands and toolboxes on wheels.

If you live in a severe winter weather climate, consider adding a slip‑resistant aggregate to the final coat of epoxy. This gives you a safer, more slip‑proof surface.

How to Paint the Floor

A garage floor has to be properly prepped before epoxy is applied. If you don’t take the time to do this, the epoxy won’t stick. The first step is to shot blast or acid etch the floor so you can better apply the primer.

The primer is extremely important. It attaches to the concrete and provides something for the subsequent layers of epoxy to stick to. Some primers have ingredients that act as a moisture barrier as well.

Next, the color (base) coat is applied. Acrylic paint chips, in the color of your choice, get mixed into the epoxy. It’s up to you to decide how much density and texture you want the color coat to have.

The last coat is a polyurethane top coat. This ensures that the color underneath won’t turn yellow, as it sometimes does when subjected to sunlight over a long period of time.

How to Clean and Maintain the Floor

This type of coating resists moisture naturally. If you live in a cold weather climate, this is a plus. All it takes to clean the floor, even when it’s covered with rock salt and slush, is a bucket full of mild soap and water. When the floor is dry, simply sweep it with a soft broom or dust mop.

This is just a brief overview of epoxy garage floor coatings and the benefits of using one of them. As you can see, it’s a major step‑up from a basic concrete slab. Because there are many colors to choose from, this type of coating even shows off a bit of your personality. Why not start painting with garage floor epoxy today?

While looking at the floor, you may decide it’s time for a new garage door, so don’t hesitate to ask a free quote or visit our Design Centre.

For all your garage door needs contact us now. We serve DesMoines, Ankeny, Ames areas.