A garage floor has to deal with a lot of wear and tear with the amount of traffic that comes in the form of bicycles, push mowers, cars, and people. The floors are known to be durable, but they will eventually start reflecting the abuse they take. Extreme temperatures and water could also result in cracks while chemicals like vehicle fluids could result in stains. With time, it will start making the overall appearance of the floor very dull. The risk could also be quite severe, such as fires or crumbling.
Fortunately, there are ways of restoring the appearance of your garage floor. Before we go into further details, it is essential to understand the difference between the two most popular floor finishes, epoxy paint and garage floor paint.
Garage floor paint includes acrylic or water-based latex paint that are invented to be used on concrete floors that have to endure heavy-duty use. Some of them may consist of a very tiny amount of epoxy, but they aren’t the true epoxy paints. Epoxy paints are found in kits or buckets with a “two-part” formula, i.e. a polyamine hardener and epoxy resin. They are mixed together before applying on the floor.
Now that we have understood the basics, it’s important to figure out which pain to buy. If you are looking for the best paint for garage floor in the market, here are a few factors that you need to consider beforehand.
Cost – We all come up a budget. Therefore, it is very crucial to keep the cost in mind before randomly going and purchasing the paint. Different paints have different prices, and they also differ on the basis of their brands. Therefore, depending on the square foot coverage, choose the paint that suits your budget the best.
Appearance – garage floor paint is known for being less stick and runnier in consistency as compared to epoxy paint during application. After drying, it gives a lower sheen and less sick finish. If you do not want the floor to be the focus, it is a great option. If you go for epoxy paint, it will be stickier and thicker which ends up giving an ultra-polished and glossier look. Depending on your requirements, you should choose the one that suits you the best. Garage floor paint also comes in many colours, which may not be the case with epoxy paint.
Traction – It is also important to consider this factor. As epoxy coatings are slick in nature, they are prone to slipping. It could be a concern in a household that has many children. You can also go for epoxy paint that has anti-skid or anti-slip components to offer more traction. Going for a matte or flat garage floor will also provide excellent traction.
Durability – garage floor pain is known to last for a year or two in most cases. Paints that do not have epoxy will require frequent reapplication as it may stain, chip, or flake off due to the chemicals. On the other hand, epoxy paints are way more durable.
It is essential to keep all these factors in mind before you go ahead and make a decision.