Top Tips When Learning How to Epoxy Coat a Garage floor
Your garage may just be the place that you park your vehicle. Or, you may use it as an extension of your house, giving you a good place for the washing machine and other appliances. Regardless of what you use your garage for, you should see it as part of your home and it should be giving the same level of decoration. This will make it a more pleasant space to spend time in and can increase the value and appeal of your home.
There is a range of epoxy floor coatings available that are perfect for your garage floor. The good news is that they are easier to apply than you may think and there are a great choice for this type of floor.
What Is An Epoxy Coat?
An epoxy coat is designed to go n a concrete floor. It is a mixture of chemicals that can be used in a similar fashion to paint. However, while the paint dries, the resins and hardeners in epoxy allow it to harden. This creates a significantly stronger surface than paint.
Epoxy coating is known to last for many years, won’t scratch even if things are dropped onto it, and is highly resistant to spills and other compounds that would stain most floors.
That makes it a practical option for any garage flooring. Here is how you epoxy coat your garage floor:
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Clean
Your garage floor needs to be fully cleaned in order to ensure no debris or grease can end up mixing with the epoxy. It is best to sweep it first, then vacuum, and then mop with a damp mop. This should eliminate all traces of debris, grease, and dirt.
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Etch It
In order for the epoxy to stick to the concrete base, you need to etch the floor. This effectively means scratching it to give the epoxy coat a good grip. The best way to do this is to use a special etching kit, it usually comes with the epoxy coat but can be purchased separately.
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Mix Epoxy
You can now mix the epoxy. An epoxy coat is actually two parts, one is the resin, the other is a hardener. When these two are mixed you will have a limited amount of time before the epoxy coat sets. You should never mix it until you are ready to start applying it. It is important you follow the manufacturer’s instructions when doing this.
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Apply It!
You will have approximately two hours to apply the mixed epoxy coat. Use a paintbrush to cut in the edges of the room and then a roller to apply it across the main floor. Take your time doing the floor to ensure you cover it evenly and properly.
It is possible to add a second coat but you have to wait for 12 hours between coats.
Before you start using the floor or even walking on it, you should wait at least 2-3 days. Make sure it has properly hardened to get the best possible results.
