Home Improvement Articles

Before you apply a floor coating it is imperative to repair and properly prep the surface first. This is most important when your garage floor is on grade and subject to ground movement, moisture pressure, salts in concrete and cracks. In cold climates freeze/ thaw issues have a significant impact on the well being of your floor.

Longer Life Span

Applying a coating or floor paint to a concrete floor is not like painting the side of your house. Even houses need to be repainted every few years. A concrete floor needs to be etched or mechanically ground or shotblasted first. This preparation removes bond breakers such as oils in the floor and adds surface area for your epoxy coating. If you use one of the new polyureas on the market grinding the floor first will open the pores of the concrete so the coating can absorb into the surface. When repairing cracks the best filler is a polyurea that will flow to the bottom of the crack, usually four inches and will dry below grade. Too often cracks are filled only at the surface with a product that will never dry.

Money Saving

The biggest expense is to do it wrong. Over the years I have seen countless times a property owner has not done the proper research for a diy project or did not ask their contractor the right questions. It’s amazing that a successful executive will ask tough questions when interviewing a prospect for a job but only looks at the price of a contractors proposal without asking what they are getting. The best solution is to become educated about the flooring project then invest in the right solution. The right professional with the proper tools and equipment can fix a floor that looks like it has no hope.

Ensuring Durability

Most concrete garage floors have issues. You may notice dark spots which may be caused by moisture below your slab. You may also notice that your floor has perpetual dust on the surface. That’s efflorescence or actually salts that are pushed to the surface from moisture vapor pressure. Make sure you have a surface prep solution and are using a floor coating that can handle this issue. Consider etching your concrete with a gel acid or grinding the floor then applying a polurea coating that will absorb into the concrete rather than just sticking to the surface. Beware of thick crack fillers that do not flow to the bottom of the crack.

Where To Find Garage Floor Repair

Make sure you know the right questions to ask before interviewing a professional. Just because someone is in construction doesn’t mean they know the right solution. Even going to your local masonry or home improvement store doesn’t mean they have the answer. These sources might know everything about a home but when it comes to concrete floors you’re dealing with a different animal. Many concrete repair products don’t work. They may seem to work initially but all those factors I mentioned will undo the efforts of repair with the wrong products and installation methods. Polyurea products are extremely effective for repairing spalling and cracks. These products are frequently available online from companies that specialize in repair products.

Edward Winslow is a 20 year veteran of real estate and frequently writes and speaks nationally about solutions for improving the value of residential homes and commercial properties. Ed is the founder of the National Garage Network and frequently writes about solutions for proper garage floor repair. Visit http://blog.themetropro.com/