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So you want to paint your garage floor? Well, you’re either preparing to sell your house or are finally fed up with working on a bed of concrete crumbs every time you need to get under the car. We’re still shaking out the pebbles from our hair and pants after the last oil change.

Garages are so often overlooked spaces during typical house sprucing, but it doesn’t have to be. Coating a garage floor with tailored concrete paint or epoxy serves dual purposes, as it provides a clean look and protects it from an army of automotive grime and chemicals. And for the cost of a few cases of good beer, it’s a professional feature that anybody could have in their own homes. 

So whether you’re sick and tired of your back looking it went three rounds with an industrial meat tenderizer, or you’re needing a weekend revamp project, The Drive’s crack How-To department is here to break down exactly how to paint a garage floor.

Estimated Time Needed: Up to a week

Painting a garage floor is a win-win-win.

Foremost, the paint acts as a concrete protectant, as it stops seasonal road salt from destroying the concrete and prevents oil and fluid spills from staining the surface. 

The new finish will also change the entire look and feel of the garage for the better by providing a premium appeal, akin to those seen in professional work environments. Particularly if the paint is a light color, the space will be brighter and overall easier to work in. With an additional textured finish, this makes overall garage cleanup quicker, safer, and cleaner. 

Working on your car can be dangerous and messy, so here’s exactly what you’ll need to ensure you don’t die, get maimed, or lose a finger and that you keep your jeans, shirt, and skin spotless—hopefully.

Some people’s idea of a stocked garage might be a tool kit from IKEA, so we want to make sure you’re prepared with all the right equipment. Here’s everything you’ll need before getting started.

Organizing your tools and gear so everything is easily reachable will save precious minutes waiting for your handy-dandy child or four-legged helper to bring you the sandpaper or blowtorch. (You won't need a blowtorch for this job. Please don’t have your kid hand you a blowtorch—Ed.)

You’ll also need your garage floor. Because, you know, you’re refinishing your garage. Make sure you open the doors and windows so it’s well-ventilated, too.

Preparation is the most important part of this entire process. Without taking the proper steps to ready the garage floor, the paint might not adhere properly and could end up looking like your uncle’s flaky two-year boat project he got 15 years ago. Take the time and do the work, if you want to enjoy the results. 

For the purposes of this discussion, we will walk you through the process of the widely available Rust-oleum two-part EpoxyShield. It’s moderately priced and considered a reliable and durable product. Let’s do this! 

Drying isn’t a step you actively do, but it’s just as important as the rest. Enter too early and all the work you just did could be lost. Here are a few guidelines, according to Rust-oleum.

In the process of painting a garage floor, applying the coat is the easiest part of the job. As stated, the precautions taken during preparation can be the difference between paint peeling in five days or five years. These two tools will speed up the job for those who are patience challenged.

This depends on what product you use, the condition of the garage floor, the frequency of vehicle travel, and how the garage is used. This is a major reason why we suggest doing an epoxy coating for durability.

Once again, this will depend on what product you use and how much is needed, but the Rust-oleum Epoxyshield 2.5-car garage floor kit covers more than 500 square feet and costs roughly $120 at Home Depot.

No skipping corners on this one. Take the time and do the work.

Featured Garage Floor Paint Products

Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield Garage Floor Coating

KILZ 1-Part Epoxy Acrylic Interior/Exterior Concrete and Garage Floor Paint

Got a question? Got a pro tip? Send us a note: guidesandgear@thedrive.com

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