Most Effective Way To Prep a Garage Floor And Apply Epoxy

If you have a concrete floor then you will appreciate it is a durable and practical choice. However, it is not the most attractive choice. This is why many people consider the best floor coatings for concrete floors and realize that one of the best solutions is epoxy floor coatings.

The good news is that this isn’t just a practical solution, it is possible to prepare and lay an epoxy flooring yourself, you just need a little help:

Roughen the Surface

When you want a smooth epoxy finish it may seem surprising to start by roughening the existing floor. However, this is an important part of the process. Roughen the floor removes dirt and grime from the top and makes it easier for the epoxy floor coatings to stick

The easiest way to roughen the floor is to use an industrial floor grinder. You will be able to hire one near you and you simply walk it around the room, allowing it to do its job.

There are other options such as shot blasting on a concrete roughening tool. But, the floor grinder is the easiest and simplest option.

Cleaning

The next stage in your epoxy flooring application is to clean the floor. The best way to do this is to use a vacuum to remove all the dust and debris. You can sweep first but this generally moves the dust around as opposed to actually eliminating it.

An industrial vacuum cleaner will remove all the dirt, dust, and debris, whether it was created by the grinding process or not.

To make sure the floor is dust-free it’s a good idea to run a damp mop over the floor after you’ve vacuumed. This will help to pick up any dust that has been missed. As a bonus, dampening the floor helps with the next step.

Create Your Border

You want the epoxy floor coating on the floor, not the walls. This means it is best to apply a wide masking tape to the edge of your room, effectively protecting the first 2-3 inches of the walls.

You’ll need to make sure the walls are clean and dry before applying the tape.

Apply The Epoxy

Epoxy is a mixture of resin and hardener. Once you mix the two together you will have a limited amount of time to do the floor. It is usually okay for a couple of hours. Don’t forget you can create a variety of colours and patterns when doing this.

Starting at the point furthest from the door, simply brush the epoxy flooring generously onto the floor. A long-armed roller or even a soft sweeping brush can be effective for this.

Work your way toward the door, covering the entire floor.

You can then leave the epoxy to set.

To Finish

Don’t forget to give it enough time to harden properly before you walk on it. You’ll then be able to remove the masking tape from the walls and admire your finished handiwork.