Why Seal My Garage Floor?
Garage floors are often concrete slabs – as such, they are extremely porous and susceptible to damage from extreme changes in temperature. Sealing a garage floor benefits it in several ways, including:
- Stain Protection: Garage floor sealants help protect the concrete from permanent stains due to automotive oil and other substances often stored in the garage.
- Durability: Sealing your floor will prevent moisture from entering/leaving the concrete which will help extend the life of the floor.
- Preparation for Additional Measures:Manufacturer’s offer sealants that double as primers for the application of garage floor paints or epoxies at a later date. This saves both time and money if you are considering one of these projects in the future.
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How a Garage Floor Sealing is Performed
Like most other concrete projects, the success or failure of the project can be traced to not the application itself, but in the amount of time and attention to detail of the preparation of the concrete floor. While the entire job may be too extensive to handle on a DIY basis, performing one or two of these projects will go a long way to reducing the overall cost of the job. The first step is to remove any rough areas or protruding seams with a chisel, scraper and/or sandpaper. The goal is to achieve a smooth, level surface. Any chips or cracks should also be attended to with a concrete filler or hydraulic cement. Existing stains should also be treated prior to the application of a sealer. Water, paint stains and the like need not be fully removed for adhesion, only for aesthetic purposes. Any type of oil stain, however must be removed and chemically treated before the sealant will adhere properly. The final preparation step is to thoroughly sweep and vacuum all debris from the room. The smallest amount of dust will affect the adhesive properties of the sealant. After the company’s supervisor determines that the preparation has been completed to an adequate level, the application of the sealant begins. It is typically applied with paintbrushes and rollers for smaller garages and sprayed on in garages with an excess of floor space.
Garage Floor Sealing Costs
The following prices are compiled from national averages over the past several years; as such, expect your actual costs to vary slightly from those given.
- Expect the sealant itself to cost $20-$60 per gallon depending on the quality. A single gallon covers anywhere from 200-400 square feet depending on the consistency of the product and the thickness which it is applied.
- Labor costs for a typical 2-car garage with 320 square feet of floor space ranges from $200-$400 depending on the amount of preparation needed.