How to Repair a Garage Floor and Make it Last
The typical garage floor repair problems are moisture, cracks and bug holes.
Each of these issues can be fixed.
I've seen floors that look like they have no chance that were fixed with the right products.
So despite what you are told your floor can be repaired like new.
Let's review the steps including application of a floor coating that will enable you to remodel your garage and add some value to your home in the process.
Crack Repair They say there are two types of concrete.
Concrete that is cracked and concrete that is going to crack.
So if your floor has cracks that is normal.
Cracks are a result of slight movement in the ground or possibly your foundation.
If you ever wondered why sidewalks have joints every 6 feet, it's to absorb movement in the ground, usually from moisture.
In your garage you may not have an expansion joint so there is nothing to absorb movement.
Cracks then become your expansion joint.
However they are vents for moisture vapor which pushes upwards through your slab.
Using the Right Crack Filler 1.
Just because the label says "Concrete Crack Filler" doesn't mean it works.
Your concrete slab is or should be about 4 inches thick.
The crack filler needs to flow to the bottom then fill all the way to the surface.
That means a lot of crack filler for big cracks.
Make sure the crack filler is thin enough to flow to the bottom.
Filling a crack should be like filling a glass with water.
If it's to thick it will be like a bridge and not a filler.
2.
Cracks are like vents for moisture vapor.
If your concrete is on grade there it is a likely that moisture is coming up through the crack.
You will not see it but it's there.
Moisture vapor gets into the walls of the crack which is very porous.
When you fill the crack you need a filler that will absorb into the walls of the crack and will cure with moisture and no air.
Polyurea crack fillers work and so do some epoxies.
When you search for a crack filler look for a filler that will flow to the bottom, will absorb into the concrete (not just stick to the walls) and will cure below the surface.
3.
Crack Filler With Flexibility is critical.
During the past few years new technology has enabled manufacturers to develop garage floor repair crack fillers that are thin enough to flow to the bottom of the crack, will absorb into the crack, cure below grade and also have flexibility so that when the slab moves the crack filler flows with it.
Keep in mind that the wrong filler will not cure below grade and stays wet forever.
Slab movement and moisture vapor will push the wrong filler out of the way.
You can be assured that the wrong filler will result in a delaminated surface coating and your floor will fail.
Fixing Spalling and Bug Holes Areas where the concrete is flaking and holes in the floor can be repaired like new.
Just like with a crack it is important to get a repair product that absorbs into the concrete rather than just sticking to it.
When a garage floor repair product is applied like icing on a cake chances are the problem has not been fixed.
You want a product that will wet into the concrete like water into a sponge.
When it cures the right product will become part of the floor not something that just sticks to the floor.
This is called "wetting" and the most important characteristic in a concrete repair product.
The second most important is that the product is thin enough to flow into pores of the slab.
Polyurea products are manufactured by many companies and are preferred for concrete repair.
Make sure you buy enough to complete the job and not just mask what you can see.
Coating Applications Once your cracks and all holes are filled the next step is to apply a coating.
There are many types of epoxies, polyureas and polyaspartics available.
Whatever you choose make sure that you properly profile your concrete floor first.
Profiling is achieved by acid etching, shotblasting or grinding.
If you are doing the project yourself consider etching with a gel acid rather than a liquid acid.
Most do it yourself coatings promote liquid etching which doesn't work very well despite what they say.
Use a gel acid with about 20% acid that can be rolled on and is safe.
Liquids are very diluted and flow to the low spots and under etch high spots.
Consider shotblasting if applying an epoxy or having your floor grinded if applying a polyurea.
Shotblasting increases surface area giving an epoxy more srea to stick to.
Polyureas wet into the floor so grinding is the preferred surface prep process rather than shotblasting.
If you follow the proper steps with the right products you will restore your floor for the long term.
Each of these issues can be fixed.
I've seen floors that look like they have no chance that were fixed with the right products.
So despite what you are told your floor can be repaired like new.
Let's review the steps including application of a floor coating that will enable you to remodel your garage and add some value to your home in the process.
Crack Repair They say there are two types of concrete.
Concrete that is cracked and concrete that is going to crack.
So if your floor has cracks that is normal.
Cracks are a result of slight movement in the ground or possibly your foundation.
If you ever wondered why sidewalks have joints every 6 feet, it's to absorb movement in the ground, usually from moisture.
In your garage you may not have an expansion joint so there is nothing to absorb movement.
Cracks then become your expansion joint.
However they are vents for moisture vapor which pushes upwards through your slab.
Using the Right Crack Filler 1.
Just because the label says "Concrete Crack Filler" doesn't mean it works.
Your concrete slab is or should be about 4 inches thick.
The crack filler needs to flow to the bottom then fill all the way to the surface.
That means a lot of crack filler for big cracks.
Make sure the crack filler is thin enough to flow to the bottom.
Filling a crack should be like filling a glass with water.
If it's to thick it will be like a bridge and not a filler.
2.
Cracks are like vents for moisture vapor.
If your concrete is on grade there it is a likely that moisture is coming up through the crack.
You will not see it but it's there.
Moisture vapor gets into the walls of the crack which is very porous.
When you fill the crack you need a filler that will absorb into the walls of the crack and will cure with moisture and no air.
Polyurea crack fillers work and so do some epoxies.
When you search for a crack filler look for a filler that will flow to the bottom, will absorb into the concrete (not just stick to the walls) and will cure below the surface.
3.
Crack Filler With Flexibility is critical.
During the past few years new technology has enabled manufacturers to develop garage floor repair crack fillers that are thin enough to flow to the bottom of the crack, will absorb into the crack, cure below grade and also have flexibility so that when the slab moves the crack filler flows with it.
Keep in mind that the wrong filler will not cure below grade and stays wet forever.
Slab movement and moisture vapor will push the wrong filler out of the way.
You can be assured that the wrong filler will result in a delaminated surface coating and your floor will fail.
Fixing Spalling and Bug Holes Areas where the concrete is flaking and holes in the floor can be repaired like new.
Just like with a crack it is important to get a repair product that absorbs into the concrete rather than just sticking to it.
When a garage floor repair product is applied like icing on a cake chances are the problem has not been fixed.
You want a product that will wet into the concrete like water into a sponge.
When it cures the right product will become part of the floor not something that just sticks to the floor.
This is called "wetting" and the most important characteristic in a concrete repair product.
The second most important is that the product is thin enough to flow into pores of the slab.
Polyurea products are manufactured by many companies and are preferred for concrete repair.
Make sure you buy enough to complete the job and not just mask what you can see.
Coating Applications Once your cracks and all holes are filled the next step is to apply a coating.
There are many types of epoxies, polyureas and polyaspartics available.
Whatever you choose make sure that you properly profile your concrete floor first.
Profiling is achieved by acid etching, shotblasting or grinding.
If you are doing the project yourself consider etching with a gel acid rather than a liquid acid.
Most do it yourself coatings promote liquid etching which doesn't work very well despite what they say.
Use a gel acid with about 20% acid that can be rolled on and is safe.
Liquids are very diluted and flow to the low spots and under etch high spots.
Consider shotblasting if applying an epoxy or having your floor grinded if applying a polyurea.
Shotblasting increases surface area giving an epoxy more srea to stick to.
Polyureas wet into the floor so grinding is the preferred surface prep process rather than shotblasting.
If you follow the proper steps with the right products you will restore your floor for the long term.
