Home Removal Services Blog

I’ve done quite a few articles on garage floor coverings and coatings, but I realize that a lot of people can’t afford to buy such things on a whim. Unfortunately, it’s those people that don’t have a lot of money that tend to change their own oil, which is probably the easiest way to stain your garage floors. Personally, I once had a Subaru that had this wonderful plastic cover whose bolts went up behind the bumper cover, going over the drain bolt. They were nice enough to leave a hole to get to the bolt, but unfortunately the oil did not drain in the direction that they must have intended, because I generally ended up with an overhead oil sprinkler. Great fun.

Preventing Garage Flooring Stains From Happening In The First Place

Now, I probably should have just paid for a garage floor mat to park it on or, if nothing else, a small compartment mat just for changing the oil, though there may not be a compartment mat big enough to contain this kind of mess. Regardless, the end result was a very gross, very stained floor.

Clean That Spill Up ASAP!

Getting the oil off the concrete as quickly as possible helps minimize the staining. The longer it sits, the worse it will be. Try to clean the spill with a rag or paper towel or something, and you will have a much easier time getting the stain up later. Even if it’s just a little bit of oil, the stain will be bigger and darker the longer you leave it there. Concrete, being porous, will soak in pretty much anything, but the rate at which it absorbs is fairly slow, and most chemicals that stain are on the thick side. They make crystals that will soak the chemicals up, but they can be pricy. They’re usually easy to use, though, and work just by sitting on the chemicals, but they rarely get it all. All you have to do is let the crystals sit on the spill for the specified time period, then sweep them up and toss them in the trash. Some people use kitty litter, and I tried that once, but although I didn’t get the type that was supposed to clump, it clumped anyway, and I basically had a few oily hills on my stained concrete.

Using Garage Floor Stain Remover

I’ve had, and heard of, mixed luck with garage floor stain removers. They seem to be hit or miss, and I haven’t heard of any cure-all. Even the best ones tend to leave a slightly visible blemish on the concrete, so I don’t know if that’s really worth it to you. They generally run around ten bucks for a bottle that’s meant to treat a smallish area, so if you have a big oil spill in your garage, you might need to find a bigger bottle.

If You Can’t Remove The Garage Floor Stain…

If nothing else, you can always buy a garage floor covering whenever you do get the money. These can be expensive, though. Sometimes you can use an epoxy garage floor coating once the floor is cleaned to the kit’s specifications, but you’ll have to find one that supports this. There’s also the option of just buying a set of snap-together garage floor tiles, or one of the many garage floor mats out there, and not worrying about the staining, or even future stains as both garage floor tile and mats are generally stain resistant. However, if you end up with a really big stain that just won’t go away, don’t use the peel and stick type of tiles since the sticky stuff won’t last very long placed up against oil. The stain may not want to come out at your behest, but it will have no problem eating the bottoms of garage floor paint or other garage floor coverings.

Visit Sweet Garage Floor for more information about every kind of garage floor out there.

It’s not difficult at all to apply an epoxy garage floor coating, but if your body isn’t up to it, it can be a chore. The first thing you should ask yourself, if you plan to install your own epoxy is: can I bend over for hours on end? If you cannot, then plan either to have someone apply the epoxy garage floor coating for you, or maybe consider a different flooring option altogether.

Follow Directions When Applying Your Epoxy Garage Floor Coating!

If you’ve decided that you’re both willing and able to install your own epoxy garage floor coating, feel free to read the rest of this to get a summary of what you’re going to be doing when you do the install. Always remember, though, that the instructions from your kit come first, and anything found here or elsewhere should be considered only as a rough guide. Only the instructions that come with your particular epoxy garage floor coating kit can tell you the best way to install that coating. Do anything else, and you’ll probably end up with a mess for garage flooring.

Picking Your Epoxy Garage Floor Coating Kit

Deciding, then picking up the epoxy garage floor coating kit of your choice is your obvious first step. As this is something that really can’t be damaged in transit, buying epoxy online is a really good way to pinch some pennies. If you’ve never done anything like this before, definitely try to get a kit that has a DVD for instructions. They generally don’t cost any more than those without, it’s just an added feature that some companies put in their kits. If color is important to you, be picky. With all of the options out there, there’s no reason to settle, especially since an epoxy garage floor coating will probably last decades. Most people don’t put their garage flooring on their grand tour of the house, but there’s no reason to be embarrassed by it.

Preparing For Your Epoxy Garage Floor Coating

The very first step, after you have your kit, is cleaning your existing concrete garage floor. Even if there is already paint, you can still generally lay your new epoxy garage floor coating right over the top. Be sure to check the directions in the kit, though, as not all kits are designed for this. You may also get better results if you sand the original coat of paint down to the surface of the concrete garage floor before you begin cleaning.

Applying The Epoxy Garage Floor Coating

The instructions in most kits will begin with the mixing. After the concrete garage floor is cleaned up, mixing will likely be your next step. Follow your directions to the letter since a mistake in the mixing can foul up the whole thing. Mixing is generally not difficult, but since this is the foundation of everything else, pay very close attention. Before you start, read the whole of the instructions a few times over; you’ll be glad you did. After the epoxy is on the floor, the color flakes, should they be present and you choose to use them, will come next. They are in no way necessary, and will not help protect your floor, but they do add some color. After the specified amount of drying time, the paint itself goes down. If everything has been done right by this point, it’s just a matter of waiting for the garage floors to dry, and they’ll be all shiny and professional looking!

Check out Sweet Garage Floor for more garage floor information.