If you are looking to add some refinement or express yourself in your garage, one way is through your garage floor. The typical garage slab is functional, but it is not the most exciting to look at. With some effort, you can have an attractive, finished garage floor.
In the past, many homeowners felt confined by the concrete floor finishings available on the market. Aside from standard gray concrete finishes, there weren’t many choices for them.
We’ve previously discussed the benefits of a concrete driveway installation and the signs of concrete sidewalk breakdown. Today, we’ll delve into the different finishes for your garage floor. These days, you can choose from several types of finishes aside from the typical gray concrete floors. With so many options to choose from, there is definitely one for your tastes and budget.
If you want to change the look of your garage floor, take a look at this list of the best garage floor finishes getting started.
Finishing Options
What concrete finishing option is right for you? Read on to add some oomph to that concrete slab with one of these fresh-looking finish ideas below.
- Epoxy Finishes
Epoxy floor finishes are occasionally thought of as a type of paint, as they are applied with paint rollers and brushes. Still, in fact, the substances are very different from a chemical and performance perspective.
The paint dries through the evaporation of its solvent, usually an oil-based liquid or water. On the other hand, epoxy coatings harden with the help of a chemical reaction between a catalyst and a resin.
Authentic garage floor epoxy creates a long-lasting, durable, attractive coating for your garage. That being said, an epoxy coating should not be confused with epoxy paint, which is a one-step latex paint with a small quantity of epoxy mixed in to strengthen its finish. Epoxy paint is usually not the same quality as an actual epoxy coating in general performance.
There are four epoxy finishes:
- Standard
- Metallic
- Terrazzo
- Quartz sand
Standard and metallic epoxy provide smooth finishes, while terrazzo and quartz sand are textured, mottled options.
- Acid Stain
An acid-stained concrete floor has an unabashed attraction. It is recognizable by its stippled appearance and highly varicolored finish. Once the stain hardens to your concrete floor, the color is solid and does not fade, chip, or peel.
Acid stains provide you with various rich earth tones, such as chestnut, bronze, and blue-green colors. However, the final color that an acid-based stain produces will vary. It depends on the color and condition of the surface to which it is applied.
- Water-Based Stain
Acid stains have a subtle color palette, but this next option has a more comprehensive array of tones to select. Water-based stains indeed tend to be not as bright. There are dozens of options to choose from, including metallic tints.
A water-based stain is lower in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and so it is safer to apply. Furthermore, because a different chemical reaction occurs as it dries, you can expect the final color to be more consistent throughout.
- Fast Stain
Fast stain is a brand of quick-drying, environmentally-friendly concrete stain that is also low VOC. This stain has a speckled appearance and, similar to the acid stain, a multicolored finish. Fast stain works great with polished concrete and can be alone or combined with an acid-based or water-based stain.
- Acrylic Sealers
An acrylic sealer will give you a thin, protective film on the top of your concrete floor. This option comes in a variety of sheens and offers good protection against moisture. It’s also very consistent in color, reasonably hard with some flexibility, and an appealing matte finish.
However, be aware that type of finish will show wear faster than some of the other options. As a result, you will need to be prepared to couple this finish with regular waxing to prevent scratches and scuff marks.
Who Can Benefit From a Finished Concrete Floor?
Finished concrete floors are an excellent investment for both homes and businesses because they look polished, are easy to care for, and last a long time with little maintenance. Just as with the industries that can benefit from a concrete patio, finished concrete floors aren’t only residential homes. However, they work well in homes with large recreational vehicles.
Some businesses that benefit from stunning concrete flooring include:
- Auto repair shops
- Grocery stores
- Recreational facilities
- Retail locations
- Restaurants
- Tattoo and piercing parlors
- Trucking and shipping terminals
- Warehouses and manufacturing facilities
Your Partner in Concrete
Richfield Concrete can take your average concrete slab and transform it from drab to fab. We are dedicated to providing high-quality concrete finishes that help homeowners and members of the Twin Cities business community bring out the beauty of their concrete. At Richfield Concrete, we have been working with concrete since 1954, and we are proud of the work we do. Request a quote today.