Do you ever look at your garage floor and think it just looks grimy? Concrete floors can absorb oil, dirt, and other stains that can make them start to look gross. When our floors get into this state, many of us may be tempted to reach for a paintbrush to fix the situation.
But you may be surprised to learn that paint is actually one of the worst garage flooring options out there. Read on to discover why you shouldn’t paint your garage floors to get them looking spiffy again.
Why People Paint Their Garage Floors
You’ve probably heard from a lot of people before that painting your garage floor is a great way to freshen up that space. After all, how hard could it be to smear some paint around on a concrete floor? It’s a quick weekend project, and it can go a long way towards brightening up your space.
Some people think that paint is a cheap, effective way to seal concrete and make it look cleaner. But as we’ll discuss in a moment, paint is actually a terrible covering for your garage floor.
It Will Wear Off
One of the biggest problems with painting your concrete garage floor is that paint wears off easily. Whether you’re parking your car in the garage or just walking around on your floors, that paint will start to chip and flake away. There’s a reason we don’t paint any of the rest of the floors in our houses.
You might be wondering about sealing your floors after you paint them to protect the paint, as we do with other painted concrete floors. This is possible, but the chemicals you have to work with to do this can be difficult and dangerous to work with, especially in an enclosed space like your garage. And even these sealers may not stand up to the daily wear and tear a garage floor experiences.
Paint Chips Turn into Dust
If your garage always seems dusty somehow, it’s not because you’re going crazy. Garages generate dust from a combination of dead insect material, dead skin cells, and the material that gets worn off of your concrete floors. If you have paint, you can add paint dust into that mix coating everything in your garage.
The problem is that whenever you go out into your garage, you’re inhaling those microscopic particles. Your body is equipped to handle things like dust mites and dead skin cells, but it’s not designed to deal with acrylic paint. Inhaling acrylic paint dust could have health repercussions, especially for people with sensitive allergies or asthma.
It’s a Waste of Money
Most people regard paint as a pretty cheap material, and in fairness, a gallon of paint can cover quite a bit of surface area. It may seem like painting your garage floor, even every month or two, might be a great economical option. But let’s take a look at how much it would cost you to keep an average 400 square foot garage painted.
One gallon of paint will cover about 400 square feet, and you’ll pay about $50 per gallon for a nice concrete paint. The trouble is you’ll have to repaint your floor about every month or so to keep it from looking shabby. That leaves you spending about $600 a year on garage paint alone; in five years, you’ll spend $3,000 trying to keep that floor covered.
It Looks Cheap
One of the great joys of homeownership is having a place that you can show off to visitors. We’ve all showed a new friend or family member around our house, pointing out the features we’ve worked so hard to maintain. You don’t want to get to your garage and hear that sad trombone sound in your head as your visitors see the state of your floor.
Even if you’re spending that $600 a year to repaint your garage floors, you’re going to have a few weeks where the paint looks dirty, chipped, and worn. It will show tire marks almost no matter what color you paint it, and it will lose its luster within days. Even with all your effort and money, the results will still look cheap.
It’s Difficult to Do
Many people mistakenly think that painting a floor is just a matter of dipping a roller brush in a pan and going to work. But in fact, the work begins long before you crack open your first gallon of paint.
You have to begin by patching any holes or cracks in the concrete to make sure you have a smooth, level surface. Then you have to tape off your baseboards and walls to make sure no paint gets splattered around. You might also need to sand the floor to give the paint something to stick to.
Getting an even coat of paint on your floors is a tricky endeavor, and only professionals can do it really well. And while the paint is drying, you have to make sure nothing gets on the wet floor – including pets – while leaving the door open to vent the fumes.
Find Better Garage Flooring
On the surface, painting your garage floor may seem like a simple, easy way to keep things looking fresh and clean. But in reality, this approach to garage flooring will waste your time and money. It wears off quickly, it can cause health risks, and it won’t even look good after all your trouble.
If you’d like to find a better option for garage flooring, check out the rest of our site at Garage Force. Our concrete coatings provide a custom, finished look while adding functionality to your garage. Check out our color options and start making the smarter choice for your garage floor today.
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