The very first garage floor cracks usually go unnoticed. A while later, they make the concrete garage floor more interesting. Not long after, you start to get worried. It’s not just about appearances anymore but about serious problems due to damage. You see, concrete – the material often used for the construction of garage floors, is porous. When it’s cracked, the material starts absorbing anything coming its way – moisture, stains, spills – name it. You get the picture.

Simply put, when the garage floor is cracked, chipped, old, worn, and ugly, you need to do something about it. The question is this: can you really breathe life into the old garage floor or not?

In one phrase? Yes, you can. But what you do, the method and coatings you use all depend on the extent of the garage floor damage. I mean, it’s one thing to want epoxy garage floor just to cover the concrete stains and it’s a different story to have to fill cracks first. Should we discover the most popular methods of breathing life into old garage floors?

Painting garage floors

garage floor coatingPainting the garage floor is the cheapest and easiest way to change its looks. The advantage is not only that it’s an easy job but also that there’s an ocean of colors so that you can create the exact style you want. The only extra work is that you need to fill the cracks and sand the chips before you paint. The main downside is that the paints are not thick, while they can easily get dirty and damaged. With a thin garage floor coating of paint, you will change the looks of the space but temporarily.

Epoxy garage floors

Pure epoxy – not the paint, is a great idea to give the garage floor a facelift. While the procedure of prepping the floor and pouring epoxy is not rocket science, it takes some knowledge. In other words, it’s best to assign it to an epoxy garage floor contractor. Other than that, it’s a great choice since it is very durable, resistant, cost-effective, and long lasting. But you need to consider your habits and family. Epoxy may become slippery when wet.

Sealing or polishing concrete garage floors

If the concrete garage floor damage is minimal, you can fill the scars and apply a sealant to bring back its good looks and protect the material, since it’s porous.

epoxy garage floorOf course, you can also polish the concrete garage floor – that’s if you like the gloss finish. It’s a cheap method, which also requires sanding first and makes the floor slip-resistant, but the material remains porous.

Concrete floors can also be stained. It’s not expensive at all, while the floor’s design and color will still show through. This method is great if damage is limited; otherwise, it will show through the stain. If you are bouncing between the two cheap methods of painting or staining the concrete floor, prefer the latter. Stains last longer and perform better.

Urethane garage floor coating

If you like the color of your garage floor and don’t want to change it, you can apply a urethane coating. This method requires doing all the necessary floor repairs beforehand and then using a clear coating to cover the floor. It makes the floor strong and resistant – just make sure to fill the holes and cracks with the matching color.