Proper paint can freshen up concrete floors
If you have a concrete floor or other concrete surface that could benefit from some sprucing up, a coat of paint might be just what’s needed. The trick to a goodlooking, long-lasting paint job on concrete is to first select the right paint, and then don’t skimp on the prep work.
Epoxy coatings
If you’re looking for the most durable finish for a concrete floor, your best choice is epoxy. Epoxy paints, which commonly come in two parts and are mixed on-site (premixed epoxies are also available), bond strongly to the concrete and resist weathering and abrasion extremely well.
If you’re using this on your garage floor, epoxy is also the only coating that will effectively resist “hot-tire pickup,” which is the lifting of paint caused by the heat and pressure of your car’s tires. It’s also resistant to damage from gasoline, antifreeze, and oil.
The epoxy film is thicker than a standard paint film, so you can embed small, colorful vinyl chips in the finish. The chips give your garage a “showroom” look, and also add a little slip resistance.
Epoxy coatings have some definite drawbacks, as well. They require some fairly extensive preparation work, and cutting corners will almost certainly lead to a premature failure of the coating. Cracks in the slab should be repaired, and the floor needs to be thoroughly cleaned, degreased and etched before painting (most kits include the etching material, or you can buy it separately). These steps are more important, and typically more time-consuming, then the actual painting process itself.
Once the two parts of the paint are mixed, you have a pretty short window of time in which to get it on the floor before it begins to harden. You can help speed up the painting process by having one person cut in around the edges while the other one begins rolling. If you’re using the vinyl chips, you’ll also need to stop periodically and sprinkle them on while the coating is wet enough to receive them.
Epoxy floor paints are often available in do-it-yourself kits that include the two parts of the paint, a bag of vinyl chips, a concrete etching material that helps the paint bond to the concrete, and complete instructions. Because the preparation and application steps are so important to get right, some manufacturers also include a how-to video, and it’s well worth watching.
Epoxy paint, as well as complete garage floor and basement floor kits, are available at most home centers and paint stores in a couple of standard colors.
Porch and floor enamel
Another option for use on concrete floors is what is commonly known as porch and floor enamel. As the name suggests, these paints, available as both oil-base and water-base, are specially formulated for use on concrete floors that will see light to moderate activity on them. They are not a good option for areas such as commercial shop floors, and since they are not resistant to hot-tire pickup, they shouldn’t be used in a garage either.
Porch and floor enamels are premixed, one-part paints that are applied in much the same manner as any other type of paint. You have a much longer open time then you do with epoxy, so painting an entire two- or even three-car garage at one time is not a problem. You’ll find these paints in both pre-mixed and custom-mixed colors, typically in satin, semi-gloss, and gloss sheens. As with any paint, the higher the sheen, the more durable the paint will be.
You’ll still definitely need to do some prep work before painting, but it’s not as extensive as with an epoxy. The floor needs to be clean and dry, heavy grease spots need to be removed, and large cracks should be repaired. Some manufacturers will still suggest etching the concrete, applying a primer, or other preparation steps in addition to cleaning.
There are a couple of drawbacks to porch and floor enamels, as well. In addition to the hot-tire pickup, these types of paints do not bond quite as well to the concrete, so they’re not as durable, especially in high-traffic or high-abrasion areas.
The more gloss the finish has, the more abrasion resistance it has as well, but it also becomes more slippery when wet; to counter that, you can blend an antiskid additive into the paint before application. Porch and floor paint is thinner than epoxy, so you can’t embed vinyl chips into this type of paint.
Porch and floor enamels, along with primers, cleaners, and nonskid additives, are available at all home centers and paint stores.
Have a home repair or remodeling question for Paul? He can be reached by email at improvingyourhome@ykwc.net.