Concrete Paint Vs. Concrete Stain for Cracked Garage

Patching

• Before you start painting or staining, you need to take a look at the cracks on your garage floor. Are they just superficial micro-cracks that appeared because the concrete dried too quickly, or is there actual damage to your concrete floor? If the latter is the case, you need to patch large cracks, chips and dings with concrete caulk or a similar cement patching compound. Fill in all of the damaged areas to prevent further damage. Read the instructions on the packaging for application and drying information.

Washing

• Garage floors are typically dirty surfaces, particularly if you're dealing with an old floor. If there are grease or oil spots, you need to clean them up. This is especially true if you are using a stain because the oil will prevent the concrete from absorbing the stain. Make a solution using one part trisodium phosphate to four parts hot water and scrub the floor with it. Rinse thoroughly and soak up the excess fluid with a wet vac. Allow the concrete to air-dry overnight.

Concrete Stain

• Concrete stain is similar to wood stain because it will enhance any imperfections and variable pigmentation in the concrete the way wood stain enhances the grain of wood. This can create a very interesting look if your garage floor has a spiderweb network of superficial cracks. If you're unsure, ask for a sample of the stain you want to use and paint it onto a small area. Allow it to dry and see how you like it. If you're not happy with how your floor looks now, stain is probably not the right choice for you.

Concrete Paint

• Paint is the way to go if you want full, opaque coverage to hide all of those cracks, patches and other imperfections on your floor. Unlike stain, which the concrete absorbs, paint sits on the surface of your concrete floor, making it easier to repaint if you get tired of the color. Additionally, the color of the paint is the color your floor will be — unlike stain, which enhances the uneven shades of gray in the concrete.