Greg72

I know I've seen this discussed here before, but I don't remember the particulars. Can anyone help me with the best procedure for prepping a garage floor before painting? My floor has had LOTS of oil on it for several years. I'm sure paint won't stick well without some treatment on the oily spots. Thanks, as always, for the help! -Greg72

sb69coupe

Make quite a few passes over it with a good degreaser like Simple Green or something similar. Keep at it until you don't see any water beading up on the former greasy areas. Clean the whole floor down with Tide or TSP, then acid etch the floor as recommended by the floor paint system you're using.

Shannon

chevyman

Greg I havent done mine yet but I was told that Home Depot has some type of paint system for the garage including etch. Let us know if so, that will be a spring project.

sray454

Just finished mine so I don't know how it will hold through the years but I completely degreased it, etched it, and painted with a 1 part enamel - all from Home Depot.

A couple of tips I got:
1. be sure it is clean and degreased
2. be sure to sweep the sand away after etching
3. be sure to follow the temperature guidance

Gary79

i was at a new gas station 2 weeks ago,wiring up a telephone terminal. they were getting ready to paint the concrete floor in the back. the contractor made 2 passes with muratic(sp??) acid,and when completely dry,the paint was going on.

Tom454

I use muriatic acid as well... but you have to be extremely careful with that stuff. Full strength, it will eat a smooth garage floor into a miniature mountain range, and it will burn the silia out of your lungs. Cough cough.
Ahem.

eeeticket

Muriatic acid should be diluted between 5-10 to 1. Wear a respirator better safe than sorry.
Rustoleum makes a great epoxy floor system. A little bit more prep but well worth the effort. It's made for industrial applications so it is very durable. Comes in several colors. Enough to paint those giant crossed flags in the middle of the floor.

La Orange

Check this out i saw it at Carisle it relley looked good. http://www.ucoatit.com :chevy

mrvette

If you intend to actually WORK in that garage, don't paint the floor....
if it's just for parking, you MIGHT get some paints to last a few years, but even then probably NOT.....
best bet...don't paint it, ......been there done that, seen results in line with above MANY times....save your money time effort.....

GENE

CharlieF

I totally agree with the above post. An "everyday" garage gets alot of abuse....dirt, stones in tires, etc. It will only be a matter of time before that nice new floor looks like an "old painted floor". I built a garage last year and looked into having the floor epoxied. I was told that if the garage is for show/storage it would hold up for many years. As far as normal wear and tear on an everyday used garage, I would be lucky to get a a couple years out of it. I decided to save my money.

Just my .02

dladd74roadster

I used muratic acid to etch the concrete in my garage. I then used concrete primer and garage floor paint from Home Depot. I did this last summer and it didn't hold up very well at all. I have some spots of bare concrete now. Before I start the frame-off, I am going to put down heavy industrial vinyl tiles....the type used in grocery stores. I have seen this done in other garages and it lasts forever. The tiles are the same color throughout, and they are thick. As the floor wears, there will be no discoloration. I will never paint a garage floor again.

dl

john's '81 mouse

Quote: "If you intend to actually WORK in that garage, don't paint the floor....
if it's just for parking, you MIGHT get some paints to last a few years, but even then probably NOT.....
best bet...don't paint it, ......been there done that, seen results in line with above MANY times....save your money time effort....."

I also completely agree with Gene above. I've never seen or heard of any floor paint that would stand up to dropping parts, rolling a floor jack, and dragging jack stands around and the ton's of other abuses a 'working' garage floor is subjected to. Painted garage floors are great, if all you do is drive on them in my opinion.

If anything, suggest you simply clean and apply some clear concrete sealer, but not too heavily. It will be really important to get floor completely clean and grease free before application, which may take an alful lot of work. Agree you need to be super careful when using the muradic acid, it's strong and toxic, and like others have said, can distroy that smooth garage floor surface in a hurry if not properly applied and not in proper mixture.

norvalwilhelm

The last time this was brought up I was shot down on the idea of NOT painting. I agree with not painting a working garage floor. I have also been there done it. They look worse with scratched flaking paint then with no paint of a light coat of sealer. I work on concrete floors at work and they are not painted only sealed.
Good luck