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 ½ 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.