Painting the garage floor
03-12-2006, 07:32 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Painting the garage floor
Well over the weekend we have been cleaing out the garage in hopes to make a nice automotive garage. Everything has been removed, stuff has been thrown away, and everything else was put back in a logical order so there is a lot more room now. We, now, have to put up the floresent lights and paint + seal the floor...here is where the problem comes in
The garage floor is relitivly old and was used (by the past owner) as a little mechanics shop so there are very old oil stains on the floor. We were going to put a garage seleant down but don't think it is going to hold with the oil down. I was thinking of throwing some bleach down and then getting a pressure washer and blasting the crude out but I don't know if that will be enough as these oil stains are probably 15+ years old.
We rather paint the floor then get a large rubber mat since, obviously, the paint looks much nicer.
Any help with removing these stains is appreciated!
The garage floor is relitivly old and was used (by the past owner) as a little mechanics shop so there are very old oil stains on the floor. We were going to put a garage seleant down but don't think it is going to hold with the oil down. I was thinking of throwing some bleach down and then getting a pressure washer and blasting the crude out but I don't know if that will be enough as these oil stains are probably 15+ years old.
We rather paint the floor then get a large rubber mat since, obviously, the paint looks much nicer.
Any help with removing these stains is appreciated!
03-12-2006, 08:29 AM
#2
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I would maybe try a commercial grade degreaser to get rid of the oil stains. Maybe you could get it at a bodyshop that sells paint supplies or possibly Home Depot.
03-12-2006, 09:31 AM
#3
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Home Depot and Menards both sell everything that you will need. Behr makes the stuff I was looking at. It is a couple step process that involves a stripper/cleaner, a primer, the actual paint, and a traction grip aid (packet of gritty stuff that mixes with the paint). It is time consuming, but works really well and the results are great. You can also get a filler to help smooth out damaged concrete.
03-12-2006, 09:53 AM
#4
Thread Starter
yeah we have a filler that we are going to use next weekend to get the cracks out. We'll look for a commercial grade degreaser and probably rent the pressure washer just in case. From there we'll have to get the paint.
Thanks for the advice!
Thanks for the advice!
03-13-2006, 07:55 AM
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Emil's right. Concrete, after being cleaned/degreased, should be etched using acid. HomeDepot/Lowes both sell Muriatic Acid, which is used to 'open the pores' of the concrete, allowing a better surface for the paint to grip. For a decent look at the process...
While on that subject, it must be asked. There are several varieties of 'concrete' paint. One is plain old latex. While technically it can be called concrete paint (it's paint, it does dry on concrete), it shouldn't be used. Latex paints (plain old latex paints) simply will not hold up in a garage. You should be looking into getting an epoxy based paint system.
Epoxy based paints can be thought of as colored glue. They go on REAL thick (can be rolled on), and stink like nothing you've smelled before. They usually take several hours to setup, and are VERY sticky while drying (funny side note, I had two cat paw prints in mine while drying, each paw print left a little tuft of hair
). Multiple coats (2-3) are needed to achieve floor perfection (smooth, even, beautiful).
Epoxy based paints out last and out perform latex based paint systems for several reasons. If you've ever (my wife does this all the time btw) turn your wheels without the car moving forward in the garage (while lining it up), you'll notice a small amount of rubber left on the concrete. Normal latex paints will peel up in these locations, as they can not hold onto the concrete that well. Over time, the latex paint will also become brittle, and dropping a wrench on the floor will actually crack it, and it will eventually peel up. Epoxy paints are stonger, and more durable. I painted my basement floor with Valspar's epoxy system, and literally dropped sledgehammers on it (oops) with no degradation in the paint. Any marks on the floor could be cleaned with a floor cleaner and rag (and a lil elbow grease). Epoxy based systems are designed to withstand the higher temperatures of a garage floor (hot engine, hot brakes, etc...)
I personally don't like the gritty step. It makes the floor a little too grippy for my liking. When waxing the car, I'm constantly sitting on the garage floor and 'sliding' across the floor to get the door panels done. Grit = PITA, literally. Also, I'd be HORRIBLE at ensuring the grit was evenly distributed, and would drive myself nuts trying to get it right. I would also imagine a 'gritty' floor would be harder to clean, especially with oil spills and such. A smooth floor means easy clean up in my books.
While on that subject, it must be asked. There are several varieties of 'concrete' paint. One is plain old latex. While technically it can be called concrete paint (it's paint, it does dry on concrete), it shouldn't be used. Latex paints (plain old latex paints) simply will not hold up in a garage. You should be looking into getting an epoxy based paint system.
Epoxy based paints can be thought of as colored glue. They go on REAL thick (can be rolled on), and stink like nothing you've smelled before. They usually take several hours to setup, and are VERY sticky while drying (funny side note, I had two cat paw prints in mine while drying, each paw print left a little tuft of hair
). Multiple coats (2-3) are needed to achieve floor perfection (smooth, even, beautiful). Epoxy based paints out last and out perform latex based paint systems for several reasons. If you've ever (my wife does this all the time btw) turn your wheels without the car moving forward in the garage (while lining it up), you'll notice a small amount of rubber left on the concrete. Normal latex paints will peel up in these locations, as they can not hold onto the concrete that well. Over time, the latex paint will also become brittle, and dropping a wrench on the floor will actually crack it, and it will eventually peel up. Epoxy paints are stonger, and more durable. I painted my basement floor with Valspar's epoxy system, and literally dropped sledgehammers on it (oops) with no degradation in the paint. Any marks on the floor could be cleaned with a floor cleaner and rag (and a lil elbow grease). Epoxy based systems are designed to withstand the higher temperatures of a garage floor (hot engine, hot brakes, etc...)
I personally don't like the gritty step. It makes the floor a little too grippy for my liking. When waxing the car, I'm constantly sitting on the garage floor and 'sliding' across the floor to get the door panels done. Grit = PITA, literally. Also, I'd be HORRIBLE at ensuring the grit was evenly distributed, and would drive myself nuts trying to get it right. I would also imagine a 'gritty' floor would be harder to clean, especially with oil spills and such. A smooth floor means easy clean up in my books.
03-13-2006, 09:04 AM
#7
Former Moderator
Originally Posted by Emil St-Hilaire,Mar 12 2006, 02:21 PM
You'll have to "Acid strip" the concrete floor,then,primer,and paint.
Why don't you put "Tiles"???
Why don't you put "Tiles"???
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03-13-2006, 04:55 PM
#10
Former Moderator
Originally Posted by moonsurfer,Mar 13 2006, 08:06 PM
Awesome site Emil, I think I may do that this spring...a lot less work than any other option I have looked at 