It Starts With Research

Before you embark on any project you need to do some research. The good news is that you already know that, because clearly you found this site searching for information about epoxy floors! But I have to say, there isn’t as much information out there as you would like. When I first researched epoxy flooring options I was surprised that I couldn’t find any books devoted solely to that topic – and it is still the case today.

However, this really should be a sign to you that installing such flooring (really it’s a coating I guess, not a flooring per se) isn’t that hard! All of the books I will recommend like Black & Decker Complete Guide to Garages and Flooring: The Essential Source Book for Planning, Selecting And Restoring Floors include some basic information but no detailed how-to instructions. The B&D book probably includes the best examples, however the internet is your friend and that’s why we have put together this website – to give you the information the books do not.

Preparation is Key

One of the most important things to realize about the process of getting a gorgeous new garage floor is that the majority of the work is not painting the floor, it is in the preparation of the floor. This isn’t as important for an interior floor like a workshop but for a garage floor, which typically is one of the most abused surfaces in your home, solid preparation is a must.

We will explore the process of garage floor preparation in another post, but for now here is a simple list of what you must do in preparing a garage floor to be sealed and coated with an epoxy resin:

1. Scrub the floor clean by buying or renting a Commercial Floor Scrubber.
2. Clean off the oil and grease with a degreaser.
3. Etch the floor with something like Rust-Oleum 238475 EPOXYShield Concrete Etch.

This combination of steps will ensure proper adhesion of the epoxy floor resin. As the say in any sort of painting, it’s all in the preparation!

Time to Paint the Floor

When it comes time to actually paint the floor the do-it-yourself has a number of solid options, none of which are as “good” as commercial grade products, but all of which can totally get the job done, particularly if you have done the proper preparation of the floor.

The two key vendors in this space are Rust-Oleum and Valspar Quickrete. I have personally used the Rust-Oleum products and have had very good luck with them but I also have heard good things about the Quickrete products, so I don’t think you can go wrong with either.

No matter which vendor you go with there are two primary kinds of paint you will need:

• Colored bottom coat. Rust-Oleum makes two different levels of product – “Standard” and “Professional”. Don’t scrimp! You will be a little more but go for the professional line such as the Rust-Oleum 203373 Professional Floor Coating Kit in Silver Gray.
• Clear coat. After painting the floor and appying the paint chips to give a little traction you will want to apply a good top coat such as Rustoleum Premium Clear Coating. This will give the final seal and make the floor look brilliant!

As I mentioned, I like the Rust-Oleum brand myself but it may be worth looking into Quickrete as well.

Enjoy Your New Floor

Is there anything better than a freshly painted garage floor? I think not! Of course the beauty of the floor will be diminished a little bit once you start putting all of your gear back into the garage, but that’s what garages are for, aren’t they? In the end whether you can see all of the floor or not you will be very happy that you took the time to properly paint your floor, and your wallet will be glad that you did it yourself.

Good luck with applying your new epoxy floor solution!

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