Preventing The Stains From Occurring In The First Place

I should’ve probably paid the cash to get a garage floor mat to put under it, or at the very least, a small mat for oil changes, although they may not even make a compartment mat that is large enough to protect the floor from this car’s oil sprinkler. So, of course, I ended up with a thoroughly stained and nasty looking garage floor.

Clean The Spill Up Quickly!

Getting the oil off the concrete as quickly as possible helps minimize the staining. The longer it sits, the worse it will be. Try to clean the spill with a rag or paper towel or something, and you will have a much easier time getting the stain up later. Even if it’s just a little bit of oil, the stain will be bigger and darker the longer you leave it there. Concrete, being porous, will soak in pretty much anything, but the rate at which it absorbs is fairly slow, and most chemicals that stain are on the thick side. They make crystals that will soak the chemicals up, but they can be pricy. They’re usually easy to use, though, and work just by sitting on the chemicals, but they rarely get it all. All you have to do is let the crystals sit on the spill for the specified time period, then sweep them up and toss them in the trash. Some people use kitty litter, and I tried that once, but although I didn’t get the type that was supposed to clump, it clumped anyway, and I basically had a few oily hills on my stained concrete.

Does Garage Floor Stain Remover Work?

For some garage floor finishes, yes. Although I haven’t used many, the general consensus is not good for most garage floor stain removers. Most anyone will tell you that they only sometimes work, and none of them work on everything. Even the ones that do the best job usually leave a lightly colored stain in your concrete garage floor, and I, personally, don’t feel like that’s worth it. You can usually pick up a small bottle of the stuff for about ten dollars, but if you have a really big oil spill, you might need to aim larger.

If The Garage Flooring Just Can’t Be Cleaned…

Although it’s obviously not the ideal solution, don’t forget that a garage floor covering can always be purchased later on down the road when you have the funds. They are expensive, though, but aren’t going to be affected by the same limitations as garage floor finishes. In some cases you can still use an epoxy garage floor coating as long as the floor has been cleaned to the specifications of your particular garage floor paint kit, but good luck finding one that says you can use it on stained concrete. Alternatively, there are many garage floor mats out there, and you can get some snap-together garage floor tiles, and never have to worry about the existing or future stains since all of these solutions are resistant to staining. Keep in mind, though, that peel and stick garage floor tile should not be used if you have a large stain since the stain will sweat oil that will eat at the adhesive. The oil certainly won’t come out when you want it to, but it will come right up to eat a garage floor coating or garage floor covering.

For more information on garage flooring, check out Sweet Garage Floor.

What Is Epoxy?

Anyone who has ever glued something together that was never meant to come apart in the first place has probably used either super-glue or epoxy. If you had to mix it, it was probably epoxy. This is because epoxy, by definition, is a mixture of epoxide and polyamine. Once these two chemicals have mixed and cured, they create the rock-hard adhesive or paint that we know of as epoxy. The curing process of epoxy is often varied depending on its application. When it comes to garage flooring, epoxy usually takes hours to cure, whereas in adhesive, it may be mixed so that it will only take minutes.

Is Epoxy The Strongest Of Garage Floor Coatings?

Of all of the various garage flooring options, epoxy is definitely the strongest and most durable. By nature, epoxy resists everything from liquid to UV rays, so you can bet it will also resist any chemicals that come from your car or anything else that ends up in your garage. Because it is so hard, it’s not as comfortable to lay or sit upon as tiles or mats, however, although it is easier on the back and knees than a plain old concrete garage floor.

Comparing Other Garage Floor Coverings To Epoxy

If you take a look at the various garage flooring options, you’ll see some garage floor paint is labeled as water or acrylic based. These are usually also epoxy coatings, and they may or may not be mixed a bit differently with slightly different balances than those garage floor coatings that more clearly show themselves to be epoxy based. For whatever reason, it seems that some companies want to lead consumers away from thinking their products are the same as the other guys, even if they basically are. Notice that the big guys like RustOleum and Quikrete garage floor pretty clearly say that all of their coatings are epoxy.

You Guessed It, Epoxy Is Now The New Future Of Garage Floor Coatings!

Although epoxy paint has been used for some time, it can still deflect even today’s worst, most destructive chemicals. Brake fluid, which is a good example since it is capable of dissolving clothes if left alone, can be sprayed off the epoxy coating as easily as water. There’s probably some horribly destructive chemical that will make its presence known in the cars of the future, but as of know, epoxy can deflect pretty much anything. If you can swing it, the best garage floor coating should continue to be epoxy for some time.

Check out my garage floor site for more information on garage floor coatings.

Installing Is Easier With A Garage Floor Mat Than Epoxy Garage Floor Paint

This is kind of obvious. Epoxy paint takes hours to install, as well as hours in between steps to dry, while a garage floor mat just requires cutting and placing. Since your garage floor must be immaculate before you even start, it’s a much bigger chore to prepare for epoxy as well. A mat, on the other hand, will rest on top of dirt or dust just as well as anything else. If you need a solution right now, then a garage floor mat may be your only real option.

Garage Floor Mats Are Most Expensive Than Epoxy Garage Floor Coating

Generally speaking, a garage floor mat will probably cost you in the neighborhood of $200, which is about three times the cost of an epoxy garage floor coating kit. The pricing difference makes sense when you really consider what it is you’re buying as opposed to what you’re going to have when everything is said and done. With a garage floor covering, you’re buying the pre-assembled protection while, with epoxy garage floor paint, there is some assembly required. Obviously this figure will change dramatically if you end up paying someone to install your epoxy garage floor coating, so be sure to call around and get some quotes on installation before you make your final decision if you don’t plan to do it yourself. Odds are pretty good that, including installation costs, epoxy will come out quite a bit more expensive than a garage floor mat.

Epoxy Garage Floor Paint Is More Durable Than A Garage Floor Mat

Epoxy has the undeniable advantage in longevity and durability, but it also changes things. Applying an epoxy garage floor coating changes the entire nature of the garage flooring. In comparison, a garage floor mat will just cover it. It’s unlikely but possible for either to become stained or damaged and, when that happens, swapping a mat is far simpler than repairing a paint job. Of course, you’re also out the $200 for the new mat. So before choosing, you should be asking yourself how rough you are likely to be on your garage flooring.

The Verdict?

There’s no way that there could be a clear winner for that would be appropriate for all garage floors. There is a reason that both options are available, and it’s because they both sell, which means they’re both useful to someone. It’s up to you, the buyer, to decide which is best for your particular situation. If money is no object, you can always consider doing both, or possibly using compartment mats on top of an epoxy garage floor coating. Whichever way you go, good luck, and enjoy your new garage flooring!

Check out my garage floor site for more garage floor mat information.

Always Put Your Epoxy Garage Floor Coating Kit’s Directions First!

Assuming you do decide that you want to lay your own epoxy garage floor coating, here is a quick rundown of all the steps you will need to follow. Keep in mind, regardless of what this or any guide on the web says, always follow the directions specific to your epoxy garage floor coating kit. Anything found here or anywhere else should just be considered a rough guide to give you an idea of exactly what it is you will be doing. The last thing any friendly article wants to do is lead you to messing up your garage flooring.

Picking Your Epoxy Garage Floor Coating Kit

Obviously selecting and purchasing your epoxy garage floor coating kit will be your first step. Considering there is virtually no risk of a faulty product or damage from shipping, buying your kit online is a very sound way to save some money. If you have never done anything like this before, you may want to try and get a kit that comes with an instructional DVD so that you can have detailed directions. Keep in mind, there are many kits out there to choose from, and some have quite the array of color options, so don’t settle. Your epoxy garage floor coating is going to be around for quite a while, after all, and you don’t want your garage flooring to be something you are embarrassed of after putting so much work into it.

Preparing Your Garage For The Epoxy Garage Floor Coating

After you’ve got your kit in hand, it’s time to clean the concrete garage floor. Most epoxy garage floor coating kits can be installed over the top of an existing coat, if one exists. Again, refer to the instructions for your kit. If that’s not an option, or if your existing paint is damaged, sanding down to the concrete garage floor might be a better idea.

Applying The Epoxy Garage Floor Coating

Most kits start their instructions with mixing. Once you have cleaned your concrete garage floor, that will probably be the next step. Again, follow the directions, or you can easily mess up the entire process. The instructions are generally quite easy to follow, but you do have to pay attention. Take the time to read them a few times before you even start; it’s worth it. Once the epoxy part is down, you’ll be applying the color flakes, should you choose to use them and your kit have them. Although they are far from necessary, they do add a bit of random color. After all of this has dried, the next step is the top layer, or the paint itself. After that, if you’ve done everything right, your garage floors should be nice and shiny!

Check out Sweet Garage Floor for more information on installing an epoxy garage floor coating.