Sealing a garage floor 459

Sealing a garage floor

The floor of your garage is exposed to intense corrosion

and deterioration due to road salt, oils and other auto fluids.

Sealing your garage floor reduces dust and makes

cleaning and sweeping easier. A clear acrylic concrete

sealer protects the concrete from damage and stains. Also

the same sealers can be used on concrete walks and

driveways or as a primer under acrylic or polyurethane

floor paints. You should take care when and where you

apply a sealer because they cannot be applied over paint or

other coatings.

In order to do the sealing yourself you need several

materials and tools: protective clothing, neoprene rubber

gloves, goggles, a stiff brush and a bucket, a paintbrush, a

cartridge-style respirator with organic-vapor and small-

particle filters, paint roller with extension handle and tray,

medium nap roller cover, a concrete degreaser and of

course some concrete sealer. Usually Ѕ gallon of sealer is

used for approximately 100 square feet.

Before sealing you have to clean the floor because it has to

be free of dirt, grease and oil. To do this you should use a

stiff scrub brush to apply the cleaner and concrete

degreaser according to the instructions. Allow the solution

to lay on the floor for 15 to 20 minutes more for stubborn

stains after scrubbing. After his you should rinse

thoroughly with clear water. You may need several

applications. Many concrete sealers contain hazardous

chemicals that may be harmful to skin and eyes and the

vapors are not safe to breathe but the vast majority are

acrylic. The best way to avoid damages to your skin, eyes

and lungs is to wear the protective equipment made of

neoprene rubber gloves, goggles and a respirator with both

organic-vapor and solid-particle filter cartridges. During

the process of sealing the floor you should continuously

ventilate the garage by opening all doors and windows and

also using a fan would be a great idea.

After cleaning and drying the concrete, the sealer has to be

applied. The sealer should be tested in an inconspicuous

area before applying. Some uneven density in the concrete

may result in light/dark appearance that may be

objectionable. By using the medium-nap paint roller with

extension handle is the easiest way to apply the sealer. Start

in a rear corner continuing to work your way out of the

garage. Before doing anything else you should allow the

sealer to dry as indicated on the sealer bottle, usually for a

few hours. For a driveway the procedure is essentially the

same but it would be quicker to use a garden sprayer to

apply the sealer to a large driveway. You should act with

caution not to over spray on other material due to the high

risk of staining.

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