How to paint a garage floor

How to paint a garage floor

Sometimes cleaning your garage floor isn’t quite enough to get rid of the stains, oil spills and scuffs. If it gets to that point, it might be time to paint the floor so it looks as good as new. Fortunately, it’s an easy job that won’t leave you without a garage for too long.

1. Clear the floor

You might think it’s a quick win to paint around bulky furniture in your garage (like a shelving unit or fridge), but you’ll just make more work for yourself in the long term.

This is the perfect opportunity to have the sort out that you’ve been putting off. The floor area needs to be completely clear and clean too.

2. Clean the area

If you haven’t given your garage floor a good clean yet, there are a few ways you can do this.

A pressure washer is really effective at dislodging dirt but you might struggle to remove grease or oil stains.

Oven cleaner is surprisingly good at removing oil spillages. All you need to do is give the stain a vigorous scrub and the grease should dislodge.

If the stains are too tough to move, you can either call in a professional or use a specialist oil and drive cleaner.

If you don’t have any stains, you can just use a firm wire brush to get rid of dust and ingrained dirt.

3. Choose your paint

You should use a specialist garage floor paint for this job. It’s much tougher than normal paint and won’t chip as easily. Some are specially formulated to resist oil and grease so your floor is much less likely to stain.

Some garage floor paints can be applied without a primer. These still give you the same lasting finish without having to apply several different products.

If you’re unsure how much garage floor paint you need, our simple coverage calculator will help you figure out the right amount.

4. Apply the paint

Thoroughly stir the paint and use a roller to apply. Start at the far end of the garage and paint in long sweeping motions towards the door. Be careful to paint in a logical order, otherwise you may end up painting yourself into a corner.

Leave the first coat to dry and inspect your floor to see if it needs another coat. We recommend you apply at least two coats, leaving approximately four hours between each. You should always check the manufacturer’s instructions for coat times to make sure you have the best finish.

Once you’ve applied all the coats, your garage floor will look pristine and will be tough enough to park your car on.