How to Apply An Epoxy Garage Floor Coating

Remove everything from the work area. Park vehicles elsewhere. You'll need to avoid parking or walking on your newly painted epoxy garage floor coating for at least one week after the floor has been coated.

Sweep the garage floor thoroughly and remove as much dirt and dust as possible. Floors must be completely free of dirt before applying epoxy floor paint. Remove stains using bleach or a specialized cleaner. Use a firm-bristle scrub brush to clean the surface.

Pressure wash the surface. This cleaning method will be more effective at removing stains and dirt trapped in the surface than using a garden hose.

Repair cracks in the floor using a masonry waterproofer according to package directions. Fixing cracks not only makes the epoxy floor coating look better, but it will last longer. Cracks can spread across the surface if you ignore them.

Determine if acid etching is necessary for your epoxy garage floor coating (typically needed for new or bare concrete). This opens pores in the surface so the epoxy floor paint can be absorbed properly into the surface. To test, pour some water onto the floor. If the concrete soaks up the water quickly, the floor probably doesn't need it. If the water beads up on the surface and does not absorb easily, you'll need to apply muriatic acid to get the best results with your epoxy garage floor coating.

If necessary, apply acid before applying the epoxy floor paint. Wear protective gloves and eye protection. Follow the product directions for application. Typically, you wet the floor and then scrub in large areas one way, then scrub perpendicular to that direction.

Rinse well after the entire floor has been scrubbed. Let dry for 24 hours. You must remove all traces of acid before you apply epoxy garage paint. Let the floor dry for 24 hours; apply your epoxy garage paint once the surface has dried completely.

Apply painter's tape where the floor meets the wall to prevent epoxy floor paint from getting on the walls. When your remove the tape, your new epoxy garage floor coating will have nice straight lines on the wall edges.

Mix your epoxy floor paint according to the mixing directions. Determine the square footage of your garage so you can mix the appropriate amount of epoxy floor paint. Some epoxy garage paint utilizes hardeners or chemical parts.

Apply the epoxy garage floor coating along the wall edges with a brush before rolling it. Work quickly because epoxy floor paint may begin to harden. Read the directions on the container to determine your application time.

Roll the epoxy floor paint onto the floor using a 1/4-inch roller and a 9-inch handle attached to a painter's pole. Avoid painting yourself into a corner. Start on one side of the room and work to the other side. Work in sections, painting in one direction first and then going over it in a perpendicular direction. Work in sections in this manner across the whole floor.

Allow the epoxy garage floor coating to dry completely before applying a second coat. Follow the recoating recommendations for the epoxy floor you purchased. Most epoxy floor paint will need an entire day to dry, but each product is different.

Sprinkle color flakes as you give each section its second coat (while the coat is still wet).

Allow the coating to dry for 12 to 24 hours, or as indicated by the product's packaging.