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Installing Your Own Epoxy Garage Floor Coating

November 27th, 2009 No comments

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.

Choosing Your Quikrete Garage Floor

November 25th, 2009 No comments

If you’ve been perusing the various Quikrete garage floor solutions, then you have likely noticed that there is no lack of options, and it’s sometimes hard to tell which will be best for your garage floors. Everyone’s situation is a little different, after all. In this article, we will look at the options so that you can see which would be best for your particular situation.

Quikrete High Gloss Sealer

This product can go straight on an untreated concrete garage floor, but it’s probably best used in situations where you want to protect the current treatment. Actually, it can even be used on aggregate, masonry, bricks, pavers, and slate. You will get a great, deep shine, and even better chemical stain protection if you put this over Quikrete garage floor paint. Used on untreated concrete, the protection is not nearly as good as with epoxy garage floor paint, but there will be some gain in resistance against staining and cracking. Considering it’s only half the price of epoxy, it is cheaper, and it is also a lot easier to install since it doesn’t have to be mixed. This may be the product for you if your only goal is to add some shine and a modicum of protection. If you have further needs, though, you will want to read on.

Etching Stain

First off, stain does not provide any protection. It is only used to give the concrete color. In fact, Quikrete states that their stain must be sealed with their Quikrete Garage Floor Stain Sealer. That being said, stain is pretty neat in that it does give a the concrete a very interesting and unusual color, and this particular product is a one coat affair, making it far simpler to apply than epoxy garage floor paint. Compared to their other garage flooring solutions, Quikrete’s stain is pretty pricey, and even after you add the sealant you’re not getting as much protection as with epoxy paint. Use this product only if all you want is an old world looking earth-tone color on your concrete. This cannot be used on concrete that already has any other type of treatment on it. Treated concrete will have to be stripped.

Clear Epoxy Coating By Quikrete

Quikrete states that, although this product can be used on a garage floor, it is intended to be used primarily indoors. However, if you decide to stain your concrete, this will be the best protection, indoors or out. With this product, you get a nice, low gloss look, and fairly good protection from chemicals and the elements. Unless you have stained concrete, or are offended at the idea of high gloss, the cheaper Quikrete garage floor high gloss sealer is probably a better option.

Epoxy Garage Floor Coating By Quikrete

This is the most comprehensive Quikrete garage floor option. It will give you the absolute best protection and great color. The kit includes color flakes and cleaner, and is actually fairly cheap. Unless you have a specific reason to look elsewhere, this should probably be your garage flooring solution. It should be mentioned, though, that epoxy garage floor coating can be the hardest coating to install, even if it is the most durable.

Learn more about Quikrete garage floorsolutions at Sweet Garage Floor