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Garage Floor Coatings: Evaluate The Garage Floor Condition

If you have decided on a garage floor coating system, we recommend you consider these 3 items before selecting the coating system:

• Current floor condition
• Required Performance
• Desired Look

Learn how to evaluate the current floor condition.

Determine the current garage floor surface condition

What is the current state of your garage floor?

Even though we pass through the garage each and every day, we don’t always pay attention to the condition of the garage’s concrete floor. Taking a detailed look will identify the current condition of the surface, such as the amount of staining, cracking, dusting, surface wear or pitting.

Before a proper garage floor coating can be considered, the condition of the existing concrete will determine the surface repair and preparation required, along with the proper type of coating system.

Surface conditions can exist for a number of reasons, such as concrete mix design, types of installed joints, and amount of stone base under the slab.

Some conditions are introduced by contractors or home owners, such as sealers, chemical spills and snow melting agents.

What to consider

What is required to properly repair any issues or surface conditions?

Coatings must have a structurally sound surface to bond to. If the garage floor has a lot of damage such as large cracks or pitting, they must be filled with repair materials that have compressive strength equaling or exceeding the concrete, have a bond strength as strength equaling or exceeding the concrete and be constructed of a material that allows proper adhesion by epoxies or other polymers.

Most repair materials purchased from the local big box or hardware store will not do. Choose a professional concrete construction contractor for the right repair materials and installation.

What causes surface issues and will those issues happen again?

Most pitting is caused by chemical attack (road salts, acidic cleaners) or overly aggressive cleaning with pressure sprayers.

A professional grade coating will hold up to most chemical attacks and does not require cleaning with pressure sprayers.

The hazards involved with continued use or correcting issues of the existing floor

Some older garages may have applied paint kits that contained lead, have asbestos tiles (typically 9”x9” in size) or have cracks that create trip hazards.

Before applying any coatings or other type of garage floor coverings, lead or asbestos should be removed by a certified company. All heaved cracking or spalling should be fixed to remove any trip hazards in the surface.

Concrete Floor Conditions and Impact

Slick surface that do not absorb water:

• Concrete that doesn’t absorb water is tightly troweled or sealed, requiring the surface to be prepared by mechanical grinding or shot blasting
• The pores of the concrete must be open and a correct surface profile to allow for a proper bonding of the coating

Wide open and/or jagged cracks:

• Cracks should be cleaned out and filled with the appropriate materials
• The surface should be repair to a state that allows a seamless bonding of the coating

Heavy Cracks:

• A combination of surface grinding and repairs

Extremely rough surface and/or lots of pitting:

• The concrete “cream” surface has degraded and will continue to wear in shorted periods of time.
• Usually requires soak-in primers or skim coats of low viscosity materials to help reinforce the remaining concrete

Covered in old paint or epoxy:

• Old materials should be removed prior to the installation of a new protective material
• Mechanical dustless grinding can remove and dispose of old paint and epoxy coatings

Covered in oil stains and spills:

• Oils and other contaminants clog the pores of the concrete, causing premature failure of products applied to the surface
• Degreasers or mechanical abrasion methods must be used to remove contaminants prior to new applications of protective coatings

The condition of your garage floor can help in determining if a DIY, epoxy kit or garage floor paint is something to consider.

Metrolinx Construction, a professional concrete flooring and coating company, can deal with any of the surface conditions listed above as part of the installation process.   Without properly addressing the surface conditions, any new floor coating and many floor coverings will have issues.

Take The Next Step

Determine the desired look and performance requirements by Choosing the Right Garage Floor Coating System