Do-it-yourself concrete floor painting in the garage

Painting the concrete coating in the garage protects the surface from premature wear and dust, and also gives the room a more aesthetic appearance. A garage is the place where the surface is constantly exposed to adverse factors: physical activity, aggressive chemicals, temperature changes. Therefore, not every paint is suitable for painting a garage floor. How to paint a concrete floor in a garage and what paint should be, will be discussed below.

Content:

• The requirements for the coloring composition
• Paint selection
• Floor painting

The requirements for the coloring composition

When choosing paint for the floor in the garage, you must take into account the specific operating conditions of the coating in the future. The following factors should be taken into account:

1. The coating must be wear-resistant, as cars will ride on it.
2. Moisture may get on the surface, therefore the floor must be moisture resistant.
3. The surface must be resistant to aggressive chemical environments, since drops of oil, anti-corrosion compounds and non-freezing liquids, as well as motor fuel will fall on it.
4. It’s cold in the garage in winter and hot in summer. Thermal stability of the flooring is another requirement. Resistance to temperature changes is expressed in the elasticity of the paint material - it must shrink at a low temperature and expand at high. This will prevent the formation of cracks and defects.

Paint selection

Most often, the following paints are used to paint the floor in the garage:

1. Polyurethane based formulations. There are one-component and two-component polyurethane paints. Their distinguishing feature is the best mechanical resistance among all paints. For example, shoe soles are made from polyurethane, which indicates the resistance of the material to abrasion. Polyurethane also has all the characteristics necessary for a paint for a concrete floor in a garage: moisture resistance, the ability to tolerate temperature changes, the effects of chemistry, and UV resistance.

2. Epoxy paints. Almost as durable as polyurethane paints. According to their parameters, epoxy paints and varnishes are excellent for painting a garage floor. Epoxy-based coatings can be used even outside the garage - in the open.
3. Acrylic or latex formulations. Latex paints are cheaper than acrylic, but the latter are considered better. Such paints and varnishes are characterized by environmental safety (they are often preferred because of the lack of toxins), a wide range of colors, vapor permeability, temperature resistance, wear resistance and resistance to aggressive chemical environments. It should be understood that acrylic paints are inferior in strength to polyurethane and epoxy paints.
4. Alkyd-urethane paints and enamels. Such paintwork gives the surface a beautiful glossy look. However, rarely anyone puts the beauty of the garage floor at the forefront. And although alkyd-urethane compounds are characterized by resistance to wear, they are inferior in this parameter to the above options.

Note! The use of alkyd, oil and organofluorine paints and varnishes made on the basis of soluble resins is not recommended. If in the future there occurs contact of the soluble resin with motor fuel, spreading and changing the color gamut of the coating is possible.

Floor painting

Below is an instruction for self-painting a concrete floor in a garage:

1. First of all, we prepare the surface for processing with a primer, impregnation and paint. To do this, eliminate all defects, bumps, cracks on the garage floor. We cover the potholes with cement mortar, and remove the roughness with a grinder. After finishing work, we clean the surface of dust and debris that has formed.
2. The next operation is a surface primer. We choose the composition recommended by the manufacturer. Please note: some types of epoxy paints can be painted without prior coating. The primer is applied with a brush or roller. After application, wait for the surface to dry.
3. The surface can be treated by impregnation. If the primer is designed, first of all, to ensure adhesion of the paintwork composition to concrete, then impregnation improves the quality of concrete and protects the substrate from the influence of negative factors. Although now not only adhesive primers are produced, but also universal ones with a strengthening effect.
4. Paint dilution (especially two-component) is carried out strictly adhering to the recommendations indicated on the jar with the composition.
5. Pour the prepared mixture into a container (paint tray), go through the paint roller and begin to apply the composition on the floor with a thin layer. Wait for the surface to dry for 24 hours and apply another layer.
6. Use the garage for its intended purpose after two days. If we are talking about epoxy paints, you will have to wait 10-14 days, otherwise the resin will not have time to gain strength and other functional characteristics.

Note! Concrete floors can only be painted with a dry screed. You can check the humidity level as follows: leave the plastic sheet glued with tape to the floor for the night. If condensation appeared on polyethylene in the morning, it means that the garage is too wet and the concrete base needs to be dried.

So, in painting a concrete floor there is nothing complicated. It is only necessary choose the right paint and adhere to staining technology.