Painting/treating concrete floor in garage

[d000hg]

I am clearing out and tidying up my single garage to leave the floor clear so I can actually get a car in if I need to... but mostly it will be used as a gym.

It's bare concrete and of course, always dusty. The walls are also bare breezeblock. I was wondering what my options are to treat the floor so it stops shedding dust - any recommendations on products and how to apply them?

 

[Bosswhite]

Concrete Floor Paint.

 

[d000hg]

Does what it says on the tin, eh

Is it hard to put down since the concrete is dusty even right after sweeping, or do you just roller it on like you would ceiling paint and it is designed to cope with this?

 

[Bosswhite]

It really depends on how much hard work the floor is going to take, for a general clean up and light traffic, this would be the cheaper option, a clean off ,degrease maybe a concrete sealer if its very dusty, and a couple of coats.
If its going to take heavy traffic the floor is going to be needed to be sealed and an Epoxy floor covering put down.

If you are going to use it for parking the car, the tyres will scuff the floor paint which will eventually peel back the paint, so go for the heavy duty option. (or drive carefully)

 

[d000hg]

I'm expecting the car will be in only very rarely, certainly we'll not be putting cars in and out of the garage on a daily or even weekly basis. So sealing the floor doesn't need to be super-hardwearing.

 

[Bosswhite]

I have painted a couple of Garage floors for people in the past, they either wanted to use it as a Playroom or workshop,( they seemed reasonabily happy, no complaints) I just used the basic paint, direct onto the floor , a couple of good coats, I seem to remember I used a soft broom to apply it.

 

[d000hg]

Interesting. Do you essentially just pour it on the floor and then sweep it around a bit like you're mopping the floor with paint? Or paint it a more traditional way from a big bucket?

 

[Bosswhite]

Cant really see any point in decanting it into another bucket, so long as it properly stirred pour a quantity on the floor and work it with a brush, so long as the brush is soft bristle it shouldnt show up brush marks, a hand brush (Dustpan and Brush) works well for rough texture decorating.

 

[jcb208]

.If you want a paint finish, Hoover the floor to get rid of most of the dust then thin the first coat of paint 20% with white spirit/water depending on type,2nd coat unthinned
Or as above and use a clear stabilizing solution If you want natural concrete

 

[Belle427]

Did my floor recently and used the vacuum cleaner first, standard roller and tray after that. The car is lifting the paint in places as suggested which is annoying!

 

[d000hg]

Did my floor recently and used the vacuum cleaner first, standard roller and tray after that. The car is lifting the paint in places as suggested which is annoying!

Is that because you like to spin your wheels before dropping the handbrake when leaving?

 

[Belle427]

Did my floor recently and used the vacuum cleaner first, standard roller and tray after that. The car is lifting the paint in places as suggested which is annoying!

Is that because you like to spin your wheels before dropping the handbrake when leaving?

Every time!

 

[d000hg]

Concrete Floor Paint.

Expensive stuff - well the equivalent in B&Q anyway. £40 for a tin, yikes! They have a sealant as well so I'll think a bit more what's best. Paint probably better on balance.

Is there any point painting the bare breezeblocks or is that going to look horrible? I wonder how much of the dust is coming from the walls and if painting them with sealant would be worthwhile at the same time.

 

[Bosswhite]

If you think its worthwhile give the brezeblocks a couple of coats of emulsion

You will end up with the smartest garage in the neighbourhood