Sealing a floor seems easy until you want to seal a concrete floor. Concrete floors are usually rougher than other types of floors. They have low bearing strength. Therefore, they easily get damaged because of cracks, stains, and holes. Hence, sealing a concrete garage floor is a good idea to prevent it from further damage. As sealing a concrete floor is a difficult task for many people, we often get the question, “how to properly seal a concrete floor?”
The answer to this question is quite simple and explainable with the help of a step-by-step guide. With a good quality sealer, proper instructions, and a few tips, you can easily seal any kind of floor you want. Moreover, you have to make sure you are using the right tools and utensils. Let’s check out some tips and tricks for this.
The floor should be cleaned properly.
Cracks should be filled.
There should be no moisture on the floor, neither oil nor any other chemical.
Sealing the garage floor can help seal the pores and resist any moisture in reaching the floor because moisture can affect the durability of the garage floor. The seal works as a protective layer and keeps the damaging elements away from the floor. Here are some other reasons that can explain why it is necessary to seal the garage floor.
Enhances the overall aesthetics of the floor
Improves the floor’s durability by sealing them because it protects them from any kind of damage.
Inhibits the moulds and bacteria from growing. Due to moisture interruption, moulds can grow in unsealed floors, causing cracks in the floor.
Maintains the color of the floor. It protects the garage floor from any kind of discoloration.
Protects the floor from UV radiations from the sun, oil spills, and any weather conditions.
Preparing The Floor Before Sealing It
Before sealing the garage floor, it is necessary to prepare it before.
Clear the garage by removing everything.
Clean the dirt and impurities from the garage by sweeping the floor.
Ventilate the garage by opening the doors and windows if present.
Clean all the grease from the floor by using any anti-grease agent or product.
Clean the oil that may produce from the floor by scrubbing the floor.
Rinse the floor by mopping.
Allow it to dry completely.
Fill up all the cracks on the floor before sealing it and let it dry completely.
Types Of Sealers
There are three different types of sealers that may vary from each other based on their functions. Selecting a suitable sealer for your garage floor is an important part before you start sealing the floor. There are multiple sealers available for DIYers on the market. Therefore, you can select one of your choices according to your needs. The following are the three famous kinds of sealers:
1.TOPICAL SEALER
Topical sealers form a coating on the floor’s surface and form a protective layer on the floor, reducing the chances of cracks. They are the best sealers both for indoor as well as outdoor applications. The final finish of this sealer is sharp and glossy. They need a dry and clean surface for a tight grip. Moreover, you can also add extra layers of texture to it for more embellishment. Excessive coating of tropical sealers results in bubbles and flakes. Examples of topical sealers are acrylic, epoxy, and polyurethane sealers.
2.PENETRATING SEALERS
These sealers penetrate in the floor and work as a chemical barrier against moisture. It protects the floor from moisture and increases its durability. Penetrative sealers require a damp surface for their application. Moreover, they need only one coating. An excessive amount of penetrating sealers forms a white residue. Silane or siloxane sealers are examples of penetrating sealers.
3.INTEGRAL SEALERS
Integral sealers are mixed into concrete then concrete is placed on the floor so that floor gets sealed immediately as the concrete is placed on it. It is like a topical sealer as it is also placed on the floor; however, the only difference between both is that the integral sealer starts sealing immediately.
PROCEDURE OF SEALING A GARAGE FLOOR
After preparing the floor for sealing purposes, the next step is to seal it. For this, certain things will be needed.
A paint pad/roller
A hand brush
A Concrete cleaner
An oil remover
A broom/leaf blower
A scrubbing brush
Paper towels
Some concrete
A painting tray
METHOD
To get the best results, the step-by-step procedure should be followed.
Step 1: Selection of Sealant
There are four types of sealant
Epoxy
Polyurethane
Acrylic
Silane /siloxane
The first three categories of sealant usually form a surface on the floor, which apparently becomes shiny and glossy. Its results are also good and can be cleaned by just wiping off the floor. However, the main flaw of using any of these three is one should use them with extreme caution. There shouldn’t be any dirt or debris on the floor before using this sealant because any kind of impurity can cause damage to the sealed floor. Moreover, the floor can also become slippery after using these three.
Silane/siloxane is, however safe to use as it doesn’t create any protective layer on the floor. Still, it penetrates into the floor and can protect the floor from water, air, or any other chemical substances. It neither changes the color of the floor nor gives any shiny or glossy look to the floor.
Step 2: Preparing the Floor
Before sealing the garage floor, it is necessary to prepare the floor by cleaning and repairing it.
In order to clean the floor, follow these steps.
Clean the floor by removing all the dirt and debris from the floor. Do it multiple times so that maximum dirt can be removed.
Clean oil stains properly by scrubbing the floor because a small patch of oil can create a hindrance between surface and sealant. So oil must be scrubbed properly from the floor by using pre-paint cleaners.
Now dry the floor using a paper towel and clean the residual and moisture if left behind. You can use dry cleaners also for this purpose instead of paper towels.
Let it dry completely and wait at least 24 hours. Don’t rush to the next step until the floor gets completely dry.
Fill the cracks with concrete. Put the concrete in the tube and start filling each crack for better results. In this way, the floor will be repaired.
Let the floor dry completely again before moving to the next procedure.
Step 3: Application of Sealant
The first thing one should do before applying a sealant is to thoroughly read the manufacturer’s instructions. Every brand has its own technique to get the best results. Following are the things that should be kept in mind before applying sealant.
Floor condition
Room temperature
Weather conditions
Mixing instructions
Precautionary measures
After mixing the product according to the instructions given on the packaging, the next step is the application of a sealant on the garage floor.
Take some product in the painting tray.
Dip brush or roller into the product.
Start painting in the sequence without forgetting the corners and edges.
Do it until the whole floor gets done.
Add more sealant in the tray if in case of need.
Do the second layer just like the first layer by repeating the whole procedure but after a couple of days.
TIPS FOR APPLYING SEALANT
Ventilate the garage properly before and during application of the sealant because due to its odor, you may feel dizzy.
Always read instructions and precautions before using the product and do follow them cautiously.
Never ignore corners of the floor. Use a hand brush to paint the corners and edges.
Don’t walk on the freshly sealed garage floor.
Pros Of Sealing The Floor
Oils stains can be reduced as adding a protective layer on the floor can resist oil to form.
It enhances the overall look of the floor. It gives a glossy and shiny look to the floor, minimizing the dull and odd look. It makes the floor fresh.
It doesn’t absorb moisture like concrete, so it prevents moisture and increases the floor’s life span.
Due to moisture, floors often get frozen and expand, resulting in cracks, but the sealed floors lock the moisture and prevent the floor from freezing.
It increases the durability of the garage floor.
Cons Of Sealing The Floor
It requires regular maintenance, especially in the case when you use low-cost sealant.
The sealant used in the sealing procedure is quite expensive, so this process can be expensive.
The whole process is time taking.
CONCLUSION
Sealing the garage floor is not difficult if you have a good quality sealant, guidance, and instruments. Without experience, don’t just give it a first try but go for a specialist to gain the best results. But in the other case, if you can’t afford to appoint a specialist, do it yourself but after reading the instructions properly.
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