Epoxy Coating Gives Garage Floor that New Car Showroom Look

This Do-It-Yourself Kit Can Revive a Tired Floor in a Single Weekend

This post is in partnership with Rust-Oleum. All opinions are my own.

You could say that the most unattractive part of most garages is the floor. Often discolored and stained and frequently blemished with oil spots, it’s hard to overlook.

Transforming an ugly garage floor into one that resembles a new car showroom is a lot easier than you may think. One way is to apply a durable epoxy coating.

For this project, I used the EpoxyShield system from Rustoleum. The kit contains the resin, activator, etching material and optional colored chips. I also used the company’s degreaser and a non-slip additive to provide better traction on a wet floor.

Like most jobs that involve coating a surface, good preparation is important. Many garage floors have grease and oil stains that may have penetrated deeply into the porous concrete surface. Degreasers are highly concentrated detergents that remove or neutralize these oily deposits. After wetting the spots, I applied the degreaser full strength, scrubbed it into the surface with a long-handled brush then rinsed it thoroughly.

I then cleaned the entire floor with the etching agent that comes with the kit. Made from citric acid, the concrete etcher removes any powdery residue, sometimes called laitance that typically works its way into the surface over time due to the upward movement of water through the concrete. The concrete etch also promotes a strong bond between the epoxy coating and the surface below. The citric acid crystals are dissolved in water then the solution is poured on the surface, brushed in, rinsed thoroughly and allowed to dry.

The epoxy coating itself is put down with a roller, although the edges are usually done first with a brush. The epoxy is applied in sections (about four or five feet square). The colored chips, if they are used, are sprinkled on each section immediately, and then the adjacent area is rolled out.

An entire two can garage can easily be done, start to finish, in a single day. Rustoleum recommends allowing the new surface to cure for two days before driving on it.

In addition to dramatically changing the look of a garage, the coating is impressively durable  – resistant to motor oil, gasoline, antifreeze and salt. It won’t peel, will not be picked up by hot tires and stands up to heavy foot traffic.  

Watch the video to see the entire application process from start to finish.