Did you ever wish you could have one of those beautiful garages that features the antique gas pumps, a couple of old vintage cars that are in mint condition of course and the signature checkered flag floor design? Well, you may already have that vintage car that will one day be back to mint condition or you may just have to daydream that part, but you can have the signature checkered flag design on the garage floor for next to nothing! Painting the garage floor is easy to do and can add some excitement to an otherwise not so exciting area of the home.
Tip #1
The most important thing to consider when painting the garage floor is that the preparation for paint will likely take far longer than the painting project itself. Preparing the garage floor for paint means that you have to “find” the garage floor. If your garage is anything like mine, that means you will have to spend a day cleaning the garage and getting everything out of the garage in order to paint the entire garage floor.
Tip #2
Using a heavy duty cleaner and de-greaser, clean the entire garage floor thoroughly before continuing with the garage floor painting project. If you have a pressure washer, it will work really well to eliminate any dirt or debris as well as stains that may be on the garage floor. The cleaner you can get the floor to begin with the better the garage floor paint will come out.
Tip #3
If the garage floor already has a sealer or other type of paint on it then you will need to either remove the old paint with a paint remover or you will need to apply a bonding agent in order to get the new paint to stick. In most cases, a primer can be used to create a new surface on the garage floor for this project. If you are unsure about the surface, speak to a representative at the local home improvement store to determine your next step in prepping the garage floor for the paint.
Tip #4
A checkered flag design isn’t difficult to create but it takes time, effort and of course, a level. Using a level, mark the room out along all four walls every 12 inches. Then, use a chalk line to create the rows in which you will apply the painter’s tape. Tape the chalk lines to create the checkered pattern on the garage floors.
Tip #5
Use a primer before applying a paint to the garage floor. After you have applied a primer coat allow the primer to dry for at least 8 hours before applying the top coat. The final color of garage floor paint should be epoxy-based paint that is meant for cement. Many different types of garage floor paint are available on the market and the local home improvement store can offer tips on some of their best selling garage floor paints.
Tip #6
Always apply at least 2 coats of the primary color of garage floor paint. Let each coat dry from at least 8 hours in between additional coats. Before applying the sealant top coat, makes sure that the garage floor has had at least 24 hours to dry and cure. Let sealant dry for 24 full hours before replacing items back into the garage.
