Garage Floors Archives - Page 2 of 2

Garage Flooring, The Untold Story

August 13, 2013 by Rick Scully

Nowadays many homeowners who want to refinish their garage floors start with online searches or queries with the neighborhood big-box store. Oftentimes, these inspired homeowners walk out with a do-it-yourself recipe that is sadly lacking a few key ingredients. Much like leaving out a key ingredient such as yeast when you want to bake a loaf of bread, it’s the missing ingredients that can make or break the success of your garage floor refinishing project.

The Facts about Proper Garage Floor Refinishing

You have undoubtedly heard the wisdom from the old days about how it’s all about the preparation. That is especially true with your garage floor. The initial preparation steps are essential to properly finishing your garage floor.

First of all, before any real action starts, the garage floor must be tested for moisture content. Some of those D-I-Y recipes often fail to mention how important is to determine how much water there is in your concrete floor. The professional installation team here at Garage Tailors Garage begins each and every floor refinishing project by conducting a moisture test at various sample points around your floor. You see, without the appropriate strategies to prevent water seeping up into your new floor finish, any existing moisture may well propagate through the concrete and lead to pop ups, peeling or even cracking. Knowing how much moisture is already there tells the installation team how best to proceed when your new floor coating is applied.

Now that the moisture content has been checked and recorded, the real preparation work begins. This phase of the project is referred to by the professionals as “opening up the pores”. For now, here’s what you need to know about this process. You might have seen or heard some recommendations to use muriatic acid to clean or open up the pores in your concrete floor. This is a lousy idea for a couple of reasons. As you know, muriatic acid is a hazard. You do not want to be using this chemical in an enclosed space, or certainly, not without the proper breathing attire, hand and eye protection, that sort of thing. But more importantly, muriatic acid does not actually perform well on older concrete to clean or open up the pores. Muriatic acid reacts with existing organics in or on your floor to bind them or lock them into the cement. Organics are substances such as oils, greases, plant matterand so on. When organic compounds are bound in place, instead of being chemically removed, it does not allow concrete pores from being opened up for a long lasting floor application.

Professional garage floor preparation is best accomplished by an abrasive grinding process which removes the top 1/16 of an inch from the top of your floor. Understand this grinding process is not even possible without the proper equipment. The commercial grinder used by professionals is equipped with a large circular carbide blade which removes the uppermost layer of the existing floor. Additionally, these industrial grinders are equipped with a continuously running vacuum which captures any resulting concrete dust. You will see the installation team wheel this monster tool into your garage and then carefully grind the entire floor.

The newly exposed concrete is now ready for the next phase of the project. At this point, the installation team does an exceedingly careful inspection of your garage floor. They look for and carefully identify and mark any cracks, voids, pitting, etc. These areas are then carefully repaired one by one with hydraulic cement, a common concrete material found at the big box stores. This patching material is a fast-curing concrete repair material. This repair material is allowed to dry, which takes less than an hour.

At this point, your preparation steps are just about complete. The installation team carefully sweeps up any loose material, smoothes out any rough repair material and ensures the entire surface is ready for the next step. After removing all the loose material, the team works on the moisture barrier. In this case, the moisture barrier is a solution that is carefully and methodically applied to the entire surface of your floor. This highly specialized sealant material penetrates through the freshly opened pores of the concrete to bind the sealant and create that essential water barrier that prevents floor coatings from lifting. Once it is dry, this sealant protects your floor and your new floor covering from moisture intrusion.

Does all of the above sound like a lot? Well, for a homeowner or a weekend D-I-Y ‘er, it might be, but for the professional installation team here at Garage Tailors Garage, it’s all in a day’s work.

Next: Once the floor is prepared, how is the new floor coating applied?

Garage Flooring – Prepare & Protect

May 7, 2013 by Rick Scully

Spring has arrived and we’re looking at everything in a new light. That includes the garage. Time to pull out the broom and give the floor a much-needed sweep to rid it of the debris collected over the winter. But does that sweep reveal issues that cannot simply be removed with a broom? Bare concrete floors are prone to cracking over time as well as pitting from the effects of our Canadian climate. Cement is a natural dust generator. As often as you sweep, the dust will just keep returning with a vengeance. Maybe it’s time to look at options for garage flooring?

The big box stores carry various floor coatings and some of my clients have been tempted to go with an inexpensive, do-it-yourself option. While many of these coatings are fine, the downfall is the concrete floor must be properly prepared in order for the product to adhere well and last. And unless you have access to a professional floor grinder to smooth out the concrete, you will never achieve a satisfying result. Coatings applied to floors that are not properly prepared are likely to flake and peel.

Moisture is also an issue. If the moisture in your concrete floor exceeds 70%, any floor coating will be prone to peeling. And if you choose a rolled rubber or vinyl flooring, you’re creating an environment under the flooring that traps the moisture and it will be constantly dirty and smelly. The advantage of having a professionally finished garage floor is it is a one-time investment that will last indefinitely.

How to choose flooring that’s right for you

First, take a look at the state of your cement floor. If there is excessive cracking and pitting, the holes will have to be filled before a coating can be applied. In this situation I recommend a pvc tile that will protect the floor while hiding those imperfections.

If you’ve got some minor cracking (most cement floors do), you can choose to go with a coating. My coating of choice is polyaspartic. It’s a little more expensive than epoxy but its more durable and far more versatile. If you’d like one of the baseboard or wainscoting effects we talked about in last month’s blog, polyaspartic is the only way to go.

How we make your garage floor beautiful with polyaspartic coating

First we’ll test the moisture level and, if the moisture level is more than 70 per cent, you will need a water barrier. Then we repair any cracks and grind the floor down to get rid or minor imperfections and open the pores in the cement for proper penetration of the coating. We’ll also apply a moisture seal if necessary to prevent water from coming through the surface of the floor. You can then choose from myriad colour choices to complement the rest of the garage. We can even custom mix colours to match other design features. A base coat is applied and a combination of colour flakes are sprinkled on and left to cure. We then remove the excess flakes, chip off sharp edges, vacuum and apply a top sealer. The whole process can be completed in less than a day. Then all you need to do to maintain it is to clean it with soap and water or hose it down with a power washer a couple of times a year.

If you choose to do just one thing in your garage this season, think about flooring. It’s an easy fix that makes a big impact.

Protection where Garage Walls meet Garage Floors

April 2, 2013 by Rick Scully

Achieving a really finished look that makes the garage an extension of the rest of your home means thinking about the interior design just as you would any other room. Instead of thinking about the wall, floor or organization as their own projects, think of the wall treatment as part of a whole design especially where the wall meets the floor.

Polyaspartic Coated Wall Base & Floor

treating cement block garage walls & cement garage floors - before

BEFORE – right garage wall

AFTER – left garage wall

You can design the space simply by finishing the floors, adding some slatwall, baskets, racks, and hooks. Or you can transform your garage into a room that your family will enjoy using by designing a stunning space with cabinets, a workbench, or even a second level. Whichever route you choose, an important consideration will be where your floor meets the wall. You wouldn’t think of laying carpet or hardwood in your house and not finishing it with a baseboard. The same is true for the garage. And depending on the type of flooring and walls you have, baseboards provide protection from dust, dirt and water seeping behind the drywall or slatwall.

When you’re choosing a baseboard, look first to what is on the walls and the floors. Wall protection is essential in garages where the drywall goes right down to the floor. Water can seep into the drywall at the bottom of the wall and cause crumbling over time.

If your garage floor is PVC tiling, you can use 6-inch vinyl baseboards. The baseboard is glued to the wall and will protect against any water that may seep into the drywall, or under the tiles and create mildew.

Polyaspartic flooring is always a great choice for any garage, but especially those with drywall that extends down to the floor. You can go with the standard 6-inch vinyl baseboard, or we can create a baseboard from 3/4″ plywood and then apply the polyaspartic flooring and continue it up over the wood to create a neat and unified baseboard.

Drywall higher up can also be damaged from, spray from hoses, moisture from damp weather, or water dripping from skis, toboggans and tools. A wainscoting treatment protects against this and looks great too.

Punched Aluminum Wainscoting
Where Garage Wall meets Garage Floor

punched aluminum wainscotting - wall covering meets polyaspartic coated floor

Punched aluminum wainscoting provides a modern industrial look that also provides great protection for the drywall. It can be used with any type of flooring. The walls are protected and the wall/floor joint is caulked to prevent any water seepage. Car enthusiasts love it because they can wash the car or spray down the aluminum and floors after using the garage as a workshop without fear of water damage to the garage or home. It also protects walls from damage when the car doors swing open inside the garage.

Now, most garage floors are not level but sloped to allow water run off in the correct direction. Another advantage of using a wainscoting is the top can be leveled to the eye rather than follow the slope of the floor.

When using an epoxy flooring, it’s best to install a simple vinyl baseboard. The product is too thin and will run if you try and apply it to a baseboard or a wall. It’s another reason why we recommend using polyaspartic flooring. For the small cost premium, it gives you so many advantages.

The big decisions are important when designing your garage, but it’s the small details, such as baseboards and wainscoting, that really complete the look.

Keep your garage smelling clean

July 5, 2011 by Rick Scully

Does your garage smell like a garage? Summertime is the ideal opportunity to clear the air and start fresh.

As I’ve mentioned before, if you have a slatwall system and polyaspartic flooring, cleaning the garage is a breeze. But regardless of what kinds of walls or flooring you have, there are a few things you need to do to minimize dirt and odours:

Keep rodents away:

Seal up any spaces where animals can enter. Have a good look at the walls and the ceiling. Mice can get in through the tiniest holes.
If you must keep garbage in your garage, make sure the bins are well sealed and you wash the containers regularly to get rid of any “come to dinner” smells.

Eliminate mould:

Look for white spots on the walls, which indicate dampness. Mildew and mould can form and cause odours and health problems.
Check the roof on a garage that is separate from the house. Mould can also form from water coming in through the shingles

Prevent chemicals odours

Sort through any hazardous products in the garage and dispose of anything you don’t need.
Make sure lids are secure on gas containers or smelly solvents. It’s best to keep this sort of thing behind doors in a cabinet.

Another important thing to note is if you have a room above your garage, make sure your garage is properly drywalled and sealed. Dangerous (and odourless) carbon monoxide gas can escape into your room.

Need help? Give us a call.

Easy Spring Cleaning in your Organized Garage

April 5, 2011 by Rick Scully

At this time of year, many of us think about giving our homes a spring clean but what about the garage?

For months, you’ve been driving salt and slush into this outdoor space, so the floor is the first thing to tackle in the garage.

Dirt stuck in cracks in the garage floor will never come out, that’s why it’s important to have a quality floor coating. In a previous post we talked about choosing flooring options. Garage Tailors Garage uses a polyaspartic flooring system that will resist cracks and abrasions for years to come and is 4x more durable than epoxy flooring. And, this flooring is easy to maintain too.

Here’s how to maintain your polyaspartic flooring system:

Use a strong bristle broom to sweep away all loose debris and dust
Fill a bucket with hot water and add a few drops of dishwashing detergent, preferably one that contains a de-greaser, such as Palmolive
Pour the solution on to the garage floor and scrub with your broom. For more aggressive spots such as oil, use a little Varsol and scrub thoughly.
Rinse the floor thoroughly with clean water and remove excess water with a sponge-head mop or shop vac.

With a little TLC, a floor from Garage Tailors Garage will look like new each spring.

If you need more help getting your garage ready for spring and summer, give us a call.

The key to better looking garage floors

December 21, 2010 by Rick Scully

The appearance of winter’s snow, slush and salt make unsightly garage floors a whole lot harder to ignore. Unfortunately, you can’t do much about the elements, but you can certainly improve the look of your garage floor with the right garage flooring solution.

The Polyguard Polyaspartic One Day Flooring System comes in a range of colours so you get to choose just how camouflaged winter’s debris becomes! You’ll be glad to know that this system also protects concrete floors from corrosive elements including the season’s biggest culprit – salt.

Modular Interlocking Floor Tiles are another great option that allow you to maintain a clean garage floor year-round without too much labour. Made from rugged and resilient PVC, this system is great for hiding existing unsightly stains and minor cracks in your concrete floor. When the tiles start to look a little grubby, simply hose off or power wash. You’ll have them squeaky clean in no time.

Both of these flooring options involve a pretty quick installation process that can be carried out any time of year. If you need a hand deciding which garage flooring solution is right for you, give us a call. We carry them both, and we’d be glad to answer any questions.

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