AA&D's process for garage floor restoration and
painting
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Steps:
- The garage in our demonstration -- before the
paint job -- had cracks in the floor
(figure A) as well
as stains and deterioration showing.
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- This project requires epoxy paint (figure
B), a tough finish that will hold up to wear and resist
cracking and peeling.
Important: The
air and floor-surface temperatures need to be between 50 and 90
degrees Fahrenheit for the paint to adhere properly.
- Before we begin painting, we will sweep and clean
the floor thoroughly. Then, we remove stains using a 3-to-1
water-to-bleach mixture or a commercially prepared concrete or
driveway cleaner (figure C). We spray the cleaner on the stains, allow it to
soak in for a few minutes, then scrub the stain using a
stiff-bristle brush.
- After we have scrubbed the floor, we will rinse the
entire area well with clean water -- starting at the back of the
garage and moving forward. For tough stains, we may use
a pressure washer to clean the concrete quickly and thoroughly (figure
D).
- Once the floor is clean and dry, we will repair any
cracks in the concrete using concrete/mortar-repair compound for
smaller cracks (figure E) or concrete patch for larger
ones.
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- Next, we will to etch the surface
of the concrete if need be (etching is a process that opens the pores of the
concrete surface so that the paint can be absorbed better). We
will
check whether your floor needs to be etched, by sprinkling a small
amount of water on the floor. If it is absorbed into the
concrete quickly, the floor probably doesn't need etching. If
the water does not absorb quickly, we will apply a commercial concrete
etcher (figure F).
- After etching, we will allow the floor to dry
thoroughly (at least overnight) before we begin painting. Fans
will help speed the drying process. The properly prepared
surface will have a texture roughly similar to medium-grit
sandpaper.
- Before applying paint, we will apply a primer coat
using a long-handled paint roller (figure G). A good
primer coat is the key to a long-lasting paint job. We allow the
primer to dry for at least 8 hours before applying the paint
top-coat.
- There are many types of paint and primer
products available for this type of job. We make sure that the paint is well mixed and
then apply a thin even
first coat (figure H). We then allow the first coat to dry for
about 24 hours before deciding whether or not to apply a
second coat. We apply the paint using nylon brushes and
lint-free, all-purpose, solvent- and water-resistant roller
covers.
- Avoid applying more than two coats. Wait
about 24 hours before walking on the newly painted surface, and
wait about a week before driving on it.
You'll likely need to do touch-up work on the
heavy-traffic areas of the floor every year or so.
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Figure A
Figure B
Figure C
Figure D
Figure E
Figure F
Figure G
Figure H
Before
After
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