Garage Floor Protection Ideas

If you are having trouble deciding on what to do with your garage floors then this is the article for you. Choosing what idea, you would like to execute is quite a challenging experience. A variety of options are available and each has its benefits and limitations. Most of the ideas are easily applicable some of which can be executed individually or with a helping hand to reduce the workload.

Professional assistance is also encouraged especially to those with minimal knowledge on floor coating. The main flooring types are coatings and coverings and each of the available methods falls under these two subheadings. The coating is useful when highlighting blemishes and giving the floors a new sheen. Coverings are essential in hiding the cracks, craters, and chippings.

Floor coating may just be the upgrade your garage needs as you don’t have to redo the entire concrete floor again. The available protective styles can transform your old or ragged concrete floors into a modern and classy look. Most of the applicable methods require more than a single coat for maximum results.

When choosing a garage floor from the available brands might prove to be a rather difficult task. Every floor brand is made differently. One should however be swayed by the durability and looks desired. There are a number of things to consider when choosing your garage floor coating; 

  • How the garage coating would look like: a new garage floor should more or less improve the looks of the previous look. Texture, color and finish are usually top on the list look-wise. Choose designs that complement your style.
  • Manufacturer’s reputation: Good and reliable manufacturers have good products. Flooring a garage floor can be costly and one should be sure of the investment they are making. The duration of the warranty varies from one-floor protection idea to another.
  • The durability of the garage floor: Heavy and bulky material is normally kept in the garage; the average vehicle weight is just shy of 4000 pounds. The durability of the floor should be of the highest standards to ensure a desirable look and feel. Find one that can withstand heat in case of hot tires there will be more resistance.
  • Level of maintenance needed: Nobody enjoys doing a little cleaning now and then. Due to the nature of the items kept in the garage, it is bound to need cleaning. How visible dirt is on the floor, ease in cleaning, and the effects of liquid spillage on the floor should all be put into consideration. Choose a method requiring low maintenance and easy cleaning.
  • The application turns around time: Due to the busy nature of life nowadays, changing the floors can prove to be disruptive. An option that would offer immediate application would be most desirable. Some have a longer cure rate while others have a shorter one. The faster the floors are ready for use again the better.
  • Budgeting is key as each floor protection idea requires a different sum of money for execution. Work with what is best suited for your needs. Remember you get what you pay for. Installation may require professional assistance and payment of the services should be put into consideration. 

 

Choose a floor coating idea that is environmentally friendly and safe for use. Some of the chemicals used have a pungent smell that is strong enough to last longer than a day or two. Low smelling chemicals should be a priority.

Contemporary Garage Doors

1. Floor Painting

floor painting
floor painting
Floor painting is an affordable upgrade that you can consider giving to your garage. The paint makes it easy to clean and it protects the concrete floor as well. You can decide to do the job yourself or hire professional help. There are a variety of paints available in the market for you to get one of your liking examples; acrylic floor paint, latex garage floor paint, or epoxy paint among others. Painting can be used to cover flaws on the concrete. Cleaning is made much easier. The prepping phase is essential as it determines the outcome of the paint application. Concrete can either be too hard or too smooth to accept paint with makes prep important. A single layer or two is used for the best results. Paints are protective against stains, corrosive chemicals, and moisture. Moisture prevents the paint from sticking to the concrete and ends up flaking.

Pros

  • Easy to execute
  • Paint is affordable
  • Available in different colors
  • Easy to clean and maintain
  • Affordable


Pros

  • The paint is not durable it peels off eventually
  • Prepping is tiresome
  • Not long-lasting
  • Requires more than one coating

2. Floor epoxy

floor epoxy
floor epoxy
Most people are skeptical about epoxy but it’s a good choice for protecting your garage floors. It is also cost-effective if you are working on a budget. The application process can be done professionally or you can make it your project. The general weather and temperature changes should be a consideration before starting this project. When well done the epoxy covers all the oil stains and cracks beautifully giving your garage a smooth and shiny touch. The secrete to the best results are on the preparation of the concrete before application. Some epoxy options are more durable the others choose what works for you. You get exactly what you pay for Epoxy can also be applied as a topcoat on paint and it serves as a perfect finish. To use epoxy, you must first determine whether your concrete floor is dry or wet by sticking a plastic paper on the floor and checking for condensation overnight. Pros
  • Epoxy is cost-friendly
  • You can apply it yourself
  • Highly durable
  • Affordable
  • Easy to maintain and clean
Pros
  • Can only be applied to indoor garages
  • Temperatures can affect epoxy adhesion to the concrete
  • Some types are not durable
  • Only adheres well to dry concrete floor and not moist floors

3. Stone flooring

Stone Flooring
stone flooring

Stone flooring is the best way to take your garage floors to the next level only that you might have to stretch your wallet. Several application materials are available in the market such as sandstone, natural stone, flagstone, and graphite. 

The application process is easy as the material in use is simply placed over the concrete. Professional help would be encouraged if you have never tried this before and also a personal application with help is possible.

There are numerous styles, designs, and colors to pick from so you can get one that matches your taste. The stone flooring is long-lasting as once you fix the floors it will take years before you can redo them again. This type is breathable allowing the floors to remain dry even in basement setup discouraging the formation of mold on your floors.

This type of floor coating doesn’t require washing often as it has a clean appearance. The floor coat is very comfortable to walk on while working. It has the none slippery factor making it safe when wet. Repairs in case of accidents are easy and its low maintenance as well. It applies to all concrete floors.


Pros

  • There is a variety of material to choose from
  • Low maintenance
  • Non-slippery when wet
  • Discourages mold formation
  • Durable
  • Easy to repair

Cons

  • Can only be applied to indoor garages
  • Requires professional assistance

4. Concrete sealer

Concrete Sealer
concrete sealer

There are a good number of concrete sealers and each has specific functions. The traditional sealers don’t add more color or additional shine or sheen but it does repel water and other liquids that may spill on your garage floors. The application of these floor coats is influenced by temperatures. Penetrating sealers will seal off cracks, old oil spills, craters, and chippings on your garage floors. 

Concrete sealers reduce concrete dusting improving the floor quality with minimal maintenance. For great results good prep work is necessary. The application can be done individually by professionals. The sealants can be easily removed if you have a change of mind. If the sealer used fades a clean coat can be applied to regain its original form.

A good sealer dries quickly, resists scratches, prevents flaking, and offers a good coverage rate. You may need to wax the sealer and polish the stain annually depending on your floor traffic.



Pros

  • Require minimal maintenance
  • Are easily removable
  • Both permanent and traditional sealing methods
  • A single coat is enough if well applied
  • Prolongs the floor life
  • Prevents moisture problems

Cons

  • Professional assistance may be required
  • Application in influenced by temperature changes
  • Sealants don’t change the color of the concrete
  • Strong odor

5. Concrete Stain

Concrete staining is aimed at giving the concrete floors a clean and well-polished look. The concrete is easy to stain if it’s not contaminated with oil, grease, paint, glue, or anything that would affect the meshing of the stain with the concrete floors. Staining is a much easier process; less energy is required and the drying process is much quicker. Minimal mistakes need to be made for perfect results. The stains can either be acid-based or water-based. The protective idea is durable as peeling or chipping is minimal or close to none. Pros
  • Easily affordable
  • The drying process is faster
  • Can be permanent or temporally
  • Single-layer coating required
  • Better compared to painting
Cons
  • Good for floors with minimal contamination
  • Poor

6. Tiles

Tiles
Tiles

Tiles are a beautiful and highly durable way of protecting your garage floors. They are the easiest to clean. There is a vast range of styles and designs to choose from including; rubber or PVC, porcelain, and vinyl garage tiles. 

Installation of these tiles is easy and can take less than a day. The tiles are non-slip to minimize accidents in the garage. Most tiles are interlocking meaning they have a free float hence can easily snap into place. These tiles are quite costly depending on the size of the ground to be covered.

Floor tiles have a shine to them and easy to clean the following spillage. Occasional waxing and buffing are necessary to maintain the appearance of the tiles. Available brands range from cheap to the most expensive keeping in mind they will require different maintenance and cleaning.

Pros

 

  • Available in different styles, colors, and designs
  • Easy to install
  • Require minimal maintenance
  • Allows custom designing of the floors
  • Some are slip-resistant
  • Difficult to chip, break, or scratch
  • Damaged tiles can be easily replaced

Pros

 

  • Can lead to accidents when wet
  • Can only be installed in dry concrete
  • Expensive

7. Mats

Mats
Mats

Having a good mat, rug or carpet is way better to protect your garage floors especially if it is used as a workshop too. They act as barriers to spillages in the garage and protect the concrete floors. Rolling out a mat is the easiest way to over coverage of the concrete floor. Mats can be installed on top of other protective coatings for maximum protection. 

Garage mats are easy to fit underneath any vehicle to prevent leakage to the concrete floors. Mats are available in different lengths, widths, patterns, and colors. You can use a single mat or several mats to cover the area requiring coverage.

Mats are durable but can sustain permanent stains by chemicals or hot tires. The mats contract and expand following different weather exposure and to control the fluctuations avoid tapping down the mat at the edges.

Pros

  • Easy to slip underneath vehicles
  • Prevent leakage to the floors below
  • Easy installation
  • Prevents dirt from entering the house

Pros

  • Mats are costly
  • Stains may fail to clear despite washing
  • Thin mats may allow seepage to the concrete floors

8. Polyaspartic floor coating

Polyaspartic floor coating
Polyaspartic floor coating ​

Polyaspartic floor coating uses the same phenomenon as epoxy only that it is more flexible to work with. It involves mixing of resin with a catalyst to make a hard material. Polyaspartic floor coating has a very high or fast cure rate. Unlike epoxy polyaspartic floor coatings can be applied during any weather as drying is not influenced by temperatures. 

Application of two coats is enough for an impressive look. Under the ultraviolet rays the coating doesn’t turn yellow it retains its look. The coating has a high heat tolerance so issues like hot tires don’t affect the durability of the polyaspartic coat.

Individual applications can be done with help as the process is easy to follow. If you have never done floor coating before the process may prove rather intimidating, professional assistance can be sorted.

The polyaspartic floor coating is slippery when wet which could be dangerous. The fumes expelled by the application can last for a couple of days. Polyaspartic coating is pricey in comparison to epoxy.

Pros

  • Applicable in all temperatures
  • It has a faster cure rate than epoxy
  • Easy to manipulate
  • High durability

Pros

  • Slippery floor when wet
  • The fumes are pungent
  • The material required is expensive

9. Concrete Resurfacer

Concrete Resurfacer
Concrete Resurfacer ​

This is simply the use of a cement coating on top of your concrete floor to give it a smooth appearance. The coating will conceal any cracks, oil spillages, crates, or pit on your floor. The work and time need for this project is a lot hence advisable that you hire professionals. If your garage is bigger you may require some heavy-duty machinery that may be challenging to operate alone.

Concrete resurfacer type of garage floor protection is durable which makes all the hard work worth it. Concrete resurfacers give your floors a new fresh look. It is a great idea to consider if your floors just need a new youthful look or while covering some superficial imperfections like cracking and chipping. The process will save you from replacing the entire concrete floor.

Several concrete resurfacers are available in the market. Among them mortars, repair patchers, fast-setting concrete mixes. Application of the concrete resurfacer is influenced by weather as cold weather and rain will lead to slow drying. More than a single coat is required for excellent results. 

Pros

  • This type of floor protection is long-lasting
  • Less material required as the cement coating
  • Can be executed on a budget
  • There is a variety to choose from

Cons

  • Its time consuming
  • Require professional application
  • Heavy equipment required
  • Cold weather and rain will slow the drying process

 

Concrete floors are low maintenance, have beautiful design ideas, and can be heated. There are a number of ways to protect your garage floors and still maintain your sense of style. Choosing the best of the methods depends on what you are aiming to achieve in your garage floors. Garage flooring can now be achieved with color, designs, and patterns of your choosing.

Choose wisely all factors considered and give your old garage floors the upgrading it deserves. Bare in mind that concrete floors are hard, they may contain moisture, are prone to cracking, chipping, and flaking. All factors considered picking the best method suited for your garage floor.