Epoxy is a substance that looks like paint and holds up well in busy places like garages. It’s also easy to use, lasts a long time, and can’t be hurt by chemicals or water. But before you start your epoxy flooring project, you should make sure that the concrete surface is clean, dry, and free of flaws like cracks or holes. This guide will walk you through the process of applying an epoxy garage floor coating.
Clean the garage floor
Cleaning the floor is the first step in putting on an epoxy garage floor. There are many ways to do this, but the best way is to start with a gentle detergent and soft bristle brush. Next, vacuum or wet/dry mop the surface until it is clean enough for you to apply the epoxy without leaving any residue behind.
If you choose to use an electric shop vac instead of a wet/dry vacuum cleaner, be careful not to use too much force when vacuuming up loose dust particles, as they could cause small cracks in your newly applied finish if left alone.
Lastly, once everything has been cleaned off and all visible dirt has been removed from your garage flooring, either with a squeegee or by rubbing each section by hand, apply two thin coats of white or black epoxy primer over the top so that there won’t be any bleeding onto other surfaces in the future.
Repair concrete cracks and holes
i)Cracks and holes can be fixed with a concrete repair kit.
ii)For bigger cracks, use a kit to fix cracks in concrete.
iii)Use an epoxy crack repair kit to fill in small cracks, or if you have time, use it as a primer before putting on the topcoat.
iv)Use a concrete hole repair kit to fill large holes in your garage floor. You can also use this product if the hole is less than 6 inches deep. Just make sure the hole is dry first.
Damp-proof the concrete
Before you put the epoxy on, you should make sure the concrete is totally dry. Water will prevent the epoxy from curing properly. To see if your garage floor is waterproof, put a layer of plastic sheeting between the concrete and a water source. If there is no moisture on that part after 24 hours, you’re good to go. If there are still wet spots after 24 hours, you may have to do more work.
Apply the epoxy primer
Before putting down the epoxy floor, you seal the concrete with epoxy primer, which is a special kind of paint. You need to know the difference between regular paint and epoxy primer because you can’t use one in place of the other. Epoxy primer is not like regular garage floor paint; it has different properties and uses.
For example, you should use a roller instead of a brush or sprayer to apply epoxy primer because a brush will leave bubbles on the surface that will show up when you put your finish coats on top. The same is true for spraying; if you get too much liquid on one spot, it could cause bubbles under your finish coats, so we recommend using rollers instead. Ideally in such a situation you should hire a trusted Garage Designs of St. Louis to get best results.
Wait for the epoxy to dry
At least 24 hours must pass before you can do anything else. Unless you use a fan to make the process go faster. You can also close your garage door and leave it shut until all of the epoxy has dried. This will keep dust from settling on the floor and prevent moisture from getting stuck in your garage. You can also add another coat of epoxy.
Keep in mind that if you walk on it before it’s completely dry, there’s a chance that some of the product will come loose or disappear into tiny cracks between boards and make its way down into those cracks instead of staying right where it should be—on top of the wood surface!
Apply an epoxy topcoat
After you put down the primer, you can put the topcoat on your epoxy garage floor. You can use your hands, a roller, brush, sprayer, pad, or tray to apply the topcoat (and many other methods).
Epoxy coatings are very thick, so it’s best to have some painting experience before starting this project. If you don’t, it could end up costing you more money than it needs to because you won’t know how much paint to use per gallon of primer or topcoat! Thus in such a situation you should take help from professional https://garage-designs.com
Conclusion
When you’re done with the epoxy, your garage will be smooth and shiny. It will also be a great place for friends to hang out.
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