When considering a floor remodel or a home makeover, people often aim straight for the high-traffic indoor areas. Bedrooms, kitchens, family rooms; these all are pretty obvious choices for your investment. But have you ever thought about giving your garage some attention? It may not be an area of your home that you spend exuberant amounts of time in, but the state of it still leaves a lasting impression. It is a frame to the masterpiece that is your car, work bench, or storage unit. Changing things up a bit will redirect the atmosphere from "get me out of here" to "this is awesome"! Best of all, the switch is economically friendly and pretty easy to do!
We're talking about floor paint. Yes, it's a real thing and it can be done in a very tasteful way. As we go through our step-by-step process for applying this home improvement miracle, keep in mind that floor paint isn't strictly for concrete garage floors. You can use it on other types of flooring too, such as hardwood and certain kinds of linoleum. Get creative and reinvent the feel of your home!
Step 1: Clean Everything Out
Make way for a new look! Be very intentional about getting rid of any rust, oil, grease spots, etc. before you move on. When that's done, power wash your floor.
Step 2: Prime
A good primer will make all the difference in your paint's ability to weather against years of wear and tear. It will also determine how well your floor paint responds to moisture. Don't get caught without taking this step! Be sure to use a water-based epoxy or one that is solvent-thinned.
Step 3: Pick your Paint
After priming, you have about 8 hours of waiting for it to dry. What better time to choose your paint than now? Make sure that the paint you end up going with is an epoxy and that it is made specifically for garages.
Step 4: Get to Work
Now that it's time to paint, make sure you're prepared. With a 1/4 inch roller, go ahead and start applying a THIN layer of paint to start. Wait 24 hours before moving onto the next layer. Repeat this process until you have at least three layers of paint, dried well in between layers.
Step 5: Keep Warm
With all the snow, it can be difficult to even think about working in the heat, but this way you'll be prepared when the weather starts to warm up again. When it comes to painting your garage or any other room, you should try to keep things warm so your paint will dry faster. That being said, make sure you are also keeping your garage ventilated because the fumes that floor paint gives off can be dangerous.
Step 6: Clean Up
With the fun part over, it's time for you to clean up your rollers and any other materials you used in the painting process. It's important to do this as soon as possible before the paint dries on all of your tools and becomes impossible to clean up.
If you have paint left over, you can keep it by sealing the can and writing the date it was last used on the lid. You also have the option of donating it or recycling it. NEVER pour it down the drain or throw a paint can away. Your paint can should have instructions for proper disposal if you're still unsure.
Step 7: Enjoy Your New Floor!