Nothing can improve and transform the look of your garage for the least amount of money than painting your garage floor. It is one of the oldest and still very popular ways to brighten up the garage and turn that plain or ugly floor into something to be proud of, instead of something you want to hide.
Available in two different formulas, the least expensive is the traditional latex acrylic concrete paint. Once your garage floor has been cleaned and prepped properly, it goes on quickly with the least amount of fuss and with a variety of colors to choose from.
The other formula that has become more of the standard is 1-Part epoxy paint. Though a few more dollars per gallon, it has epoxy added to the mix to improve the durability over standard paint. It is just as easy to apply and comes in a variety of colors as well.
If you like, colored acrylic paint chips can be broadcast onto the surface of the paint after it is applied to add additional color. If you live in a wet or snowy climate, you can also add anti-skid media to the paint to make for a slip resistant finish.
Two-part epoxy paint kits are another variation of this formula. The most expensive of these choices, these kits technically are not paint but are worth mentioning here because of their relatively low cost and tougher finish.
Benefits of Garage Floor Paint
One of the benefits of latex acrylic paint is that it gives your garage floor a moderate amount of protection with a variety of colors to choose from. Starting in the $20 per gallon range, it is mold and mildew resistant, water resistant, and provides for easy cleaning of the garage floor. It is moderately resistant to most automobile fluids if it is cleaned up quickly. Be aware however that if allowed to sit, fluids like anti-freeze and oil can stain the paint, while gasoline and brake fluid can actually cause it to wrinkle and peel away.
Another added benefit of painting your garage floor is that it renders your concrete dustless. Bare concrete is always producing a fine dust that can be tracked into your home or collected on your cars and work benches. Paint will prevent the dreaded concrete dust and helps to keep from tracking this dust and dirt into your home.
One thing to consider however is that garage floor paint is not the most durable of options for your garage floor. It is susceptible to hot tire pick up and can chip. If applied properly it usually will need to be touched up or reapplied every one to two years depending on the amount of use it sees. However, if you are on a tight budget and want something other than bare concrete, then latex acrylic paint may be just what you need.
When choosing paint for your garage floor, 1-part epoxy paints have quickly become the favorite of the two. Like acrylic latex, 1-Part epoxy paint is mold and mildew resistant, water resistant, dustless, and easy to clean. It is also more resistant than latex acrylic to most automobile fluids including gasoline and brake fluid. However, it is still best to clean up gasoline and brake fluid quickly since most epoxy paints will not stand up to them for very long.
The cost of 1-Part epoxy paint is typically a little more than $30 per gallon. As a result of the epoxy additive, it is more durable and creates a better bond to the concrete than latex acrylic. This means that it is more resistant to chipping and heavy traffic. Properly installed epoxy paint can last up to two or three years. That’s almost twice as long as latex acrylic. Most brands offer epoxy paint with additional products such as colored acrylic chips and anti-slip additives.
2-Part Garage Epoxy Paint
A product that requires mentioning is the garage floor epoxy paint kits. Technically these are not paint; they are an actual 2-Part epoxy product that is marketed as paint. Because they have a lower percentage of solids content by volume compared to commercial epoxy, they are easy to apply and provide a thin coat like paint does. Most kits are sold as a single coat system with the option of applying a second coat of clear epoxy to improve both durability and looks.
Be careful not to confuse these with the traditional epoxy garage floor systems that provide multiple coats. While they do provide better protection than latex acrylic or 1-part epoxy paint, the cost for these kits is usually 2 to 3 times as much. If they fit into your budget, you will get the most protection from 2-Part epoxy paint as compared to a 1-Part epoxy paint.
One thing to remember when planning for your project is that the most important part of applying any type of paint to concrete is the preparation of the surface. Concrete is generally very porous and can absorb oils, dirt, and other contaminants that will not allow paint to adhere properly. Hosing out the garage with a little soap and water will not work.
Be sure to follow the directions from the manufacturer or your paint will be peeling up in a few weeks after all your hard work. Because some concrete can have a slightly polished finish to it, you may be required to apply some sort of acid etch to your floor before you paint. No matter how clean the concrete may be, it will not adhere to a non-porous finish.
You can easily test it by applying a few drops of water to the surface. If it gets absorbed into the concrete then you should be fine. If it beads up at all, then you will need to etch the surface.
One other additional product that will help with the life of your paint would be a concrete primer coat. Applied first, it actually provides a better bonding agent for the paint to adhere to and reduces the chance of peeling and hot tire pick up.
Now that you know the benefits of painting your garage floor as well as what paint you can use, take the time and do the math to decide which product would be best for you. Either way you choose, you will definitely have a better looking floor that will be easier to keep clean, brighten your garage, and help keep dirt and dust out of your home.
K.C. says
6 January, 2013 at 6:35 PMI’ve used regular paint before, but I like the epoxy paint much better for the extra money. It’s worth it in my opinion.
Kara says
25 January, 2013 at 1:49 PMI’ve been wanting to do this for a while. I’ve shared this with my husband and he has agreed to paint my garage floor this weekend. Yes!
Shea says
25 January, 2013 at 1:50 PMHaha… I’m glad you are getting your floor done Kara. Thanks for sharing.
Larry Bouget says
30 September, 2013 at 4:32 PMBuying a new home with a 2car garage. We’re interested in painting the floor with 2 part epoxy paint. Just wanting tips and suggestions.
Shea says
30 September, 2013 at 5:21 PMHello Larry. I would start by reading this article on our site. Do a moisture test first before you buy the epoxy paint and remember that the most important part of the job is proper preparation of the surface. If your slab is wet from the prep, be sure to give it a few days to dry before application. When you do apply it, it’s best to do so later in the afternoon when temperatures are cooling. This will help to avoid any bubbles that may occur from outgassing of the concrete. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions – they are there to insure a successful coating. And finally, just take some time look at a few of the articles here to help answer any questions that may pop up. Good luck!
James says
1 June, 2015 at 4:55 PMWould it be advisable to put a coat or two of sealant on top of something like drylok e1 or behr 1 part epoxy?
Shea says
1 June, 2015 at 7:43 PMHi James. Even though both DryLok E1 and Behr 1-Part have an epoxy additive, they are still just paint. As a result, you cannot apply a sealer since sealers do not adhere well to paint.
James says
1 June, 2015 at 8:51 PMI see, thank you so much for all the excellent info here by the way.
Shea says
2 June, 2015 at 7:45 AMYou are welcome James.
Evan says
10 November, 2015 at 12:49 PMGreat article!
One question.
For added protection, can you use a clear top coat (epoxy, polyurea or rust bullet) on the paint?
Shea says
10 November, 2015 at 2:11 PMHello Evan. Technically you could apply a water based epoxy clear. You can’t use a solvent based like Rust Bullet or some polyureas because it would soften the paint. However, the cost of the epoxy clear is much more than the paint and then defeats the purpose of using a budget paint coating to begin with. If you were going to apply an epoxy clear, you are better off applying an epoxy coating instead of paint to begin with.
Nwabueze Godwin smiles says
21 February, 2016 at 4:37 AMThank you for the explanations I’m working on floor painting now but I need to know the best paint that water can not wash off at list more than five years.
Shea says
21 February, 2016 at 9:26 AMHello Nwabueze. Paint made for concrete floors is not going to wash off with water. It has to be removed with a chemical stripper, scraping, or grinding. The bigger issue is how paint will wear under abuse from walking and driving on it.
WINSTON church says
18 October, 2016 at 11:31 AMI am planning to paint a garage floor that has been painted 15 years ago. Paint is very stained and partially worn off Home Depot sold me epoxy paint and a concrete etching product that will not work on painted floors.
What do you recommend. Perhaps a latex paint that will cover the existing paint without a lot of prep?
Shea says
18 October, 2016 at 11:56 AMHello Winston. Concrete etching solutions, including muriatic acid, will not remove paint. They only work when they are in contact with bare cement. The proper way to proceed would be to grind the floor in order to remove the worn and stained paint. If you do not want to go that route, then your only other option would be a latex concrete paint or 1-Part epoxy paint. The surface of the old paint needs to be clean as well as roughed up with some 100 grit sandpaper. A sanding pole works well for this and the process doesn’t take long. You aren’t trying to remove the old paint, just rough it up. Make sure to take a scraper to the old paint first to make sure that you don’t have any areas that want to peel up fairly easy.
Roger says
18 October, 2016 at 2:25 PMI would like to know the cheapest way to paint a garage floor in a home I am selling.
Shea says
18 October, 2016 at 3:24 PMRead this article here Roger.
Leeta says
29 October, 2016 at 7:42 AMShould I apply a clear coat after painting a very uneven concrete floor? I used oil based paint. If so, which one should I use?
Shea says
29 October, 2016 at 8:13 AMHi Leeta. Unfortunately you removed any options of using a clear coat when you chose to use an oil based paint. Manufacturers do not make clear floor coating that can be applied over oil based paints.
Amy DaSilva says
2 January, 2017 at 6:24 PMAdvice please! We bought a house with concrete floors stamped to look like large tile. The top layer was in very bad shape (top layer gone in places) and pink, not a great combo. We used Henry’s feather finish to fill in the rough areas. After that we used Behr products, first cleaned and etched then rolled the whole floor with solid color concrete stain, then a thin layer of semi transparent stain over the tops of the “tile” to give it a glaze. Turned out beautiful but not durable. Anywhere chairs are moved gets etched, if something sticky is spilled and then stepped on it pulls the top layer of stain/paint and concrete with it. The top layer of concrete seems to be very soft, although the ares that have the Henry’s are holding up better than the original surface by far. Pulling my hair out trying to maintain this floor. Any suggestions as to a top layer that will protect the amount of work that’s gone into this floor and make it more durable?
Shea says
3 January, 2017 at 11:58 AMHello Amy. The problem is your top layer of concrete. As long as it is soft, you will have problems not matter what product you put down. It most likely is going to require grinding of the concrete surface at a minimum to create a solid foundation. We suggest having a professional floor coating company take a look at your floor and get an assessment of the problem. They will provide free quotes and give you an idea of what would be required based on their quote. You can decide from there to tackle it yourself or hire someone to do it for you.
Ginny says
17 January, 2017 at 9:44 AMI just had garage built and it’s January. Can I paint the floor with the one step epoxy? They poured the concrete 5 days ago. I was told that I could start parking on it today. It is pretty cold out. Please advise. Thank you!
Shea says
17 January, 2017 at 10:37 PMHello Ginny. You can’t apply paint or a coating for a minimum of 30 days after concrete has been poured. The reason is that it is still releasing moisture during the curing process and it will cause paint and coatings to delaminate if done before then.
Ginny says
19 January, 2017 at 7:04 AMThanks Shea! That makes a lot of sense!
Alan says
30 January, 2017 at 6:23 AMHello. Our new home construction basement slab was poured last August and while we left the basement in an unfinished state, we would like to make the concrete floor suitable for use as a workshop and gym area. After we clean/prep it, would you suggest using a penetrating sealer first (such as PS101 from concrete sealers usa), then paint over it with one of the options you’ve mentioned in this article? Would those be the proper steps and in the correct order, to ensure strengthening of the concrete, reduction/elimination of dusting and enhancing the cosmetic appearance? Budget isn’t the primary concern as much as doing the right thing for the longevity of the new home at a reasonable price. We’re open to recommendations but would like to do it ourselves. If this works well, tackling the garage in Spring would be the next step…..
Shea says
30 January, 2017 at 1:48 PMHello Alan and thanks for the good question. While it sounds like a solid idea, paint and coatings cannot be applied to concrete that has been sealed. The reason is because the paint or coating needs to penetrate the surface in order to create a mechanical bond. A sealer effectively blocks this from happening. Since this is for the basement, have you conducted a moisture test yet? Below grade slabs can cause problems for both paint and coatings if moisture is present.
Assuming you don’t have any moisture, paint is not the best long term solution. Of the various paints available we would recommend Drylok E1. You can read about it here. For a much longer lasting solution and one that can actually stand up to some moisture if you were to encounter it would be a product by Versatile Building Products. It’s their 4195 epoxy coating. It’s used as the base coat for their Roll On Rock garage flooring system. You can read about the benefits of 4195 here. It’s fairly inexpensive since you would not need the complete kit, unless of course something more decorative like that appeals to you.
Alan says
31 January, 2017 at 6:03 AMThanks for the comprehensive reply Shea! I was under the impression paint was more of a topical coating and would actually adhere better to sealed concrete….that would have been a costly mistake so thanks for saving me going down the wrong path at the beginning!
One other major factor in our product consideration is that my wife and I are expecting, so whatever we choose needs to be extremely low VOC and ‘green’ so as not to force us out of our home during the cure time. Would the Drylok E1 and 4195 meet that criteria?
Also, whether we choose a paint or epoxy system, is it practical to apply it to only one section at a time of the basement (~200sq ft each area)? It’ll be a single person job, so I’d like to tackle small areas at different times and stay within my abilities.
Thanks again for all your insight!
Shea says
31 January, 2017 at 11:11 AMAlmost all concrete paints are water based Alan and have low VOC’s. We’ve applied the Drylok E1 before and what little smell there is dissipated fairly quick. Keep in mind that this was in a garage that had ventilation. The 4195 epoxy is a high solids (94%) epoxy that is low in VOC’s as well. The remaining 6% has some solvents in it. We recommend giving GarageFloorCoatings.com a call to discuss any lingering odor if used in the basement. Ventilation helps. One think to keep in mind is that application of either the Drylok or the epoxy is going to require proper concrete prep. This requires etching the concrete or grinding. There are ECO safe concrete etching products that you can use.
In terms of application, if you are only dealing with 400sq ft total then we recommend doing it all at once. It only takes about 25 to 30 minutes total if you plan correctly and have everything ready. Unless you have a natural border such as a contraction joint, the paint or epoxy will have to overlap and it will stand out. The Drylock won’t be too noticeable if you do this, but the epoxy will not look good at all. Another thing to consider when you are using epoxy is that once it is mixed correctly it has to be used all at once. It’s a thermosetting resin that will get real hot and cure fast if left in the can or bucket.
Darren says
15 March, 2017 at 4:20 PMI am unsure what to do with my garage floor; torn between paint, sealer, or mats. Per the attached pic you will note that it is brick. Any suggestions on the best way to go. Ideally, I would like to have a grey apex over it. Suggestions on prep and finish? Not too concerned about cost. Thanks in advance.
Shea says
15 March, 2017 at 9:30 PMSorry Darren, but there is no pic attached. You can send us a pic here. Are you saying your garage floor is all brick? No cement slab?
andy says
3 April, 2017 at 1:32 PMI am planning on using KILZ 1-part Epoxy acryillic int/ext. concrete paint, first using concrete etcher/cleaner and putting down a coat of concrete primer.
I am planning 1 coat of primer & 2 coats of 1-part epoxy. I am also going to fill in cracks and holes with concrete crack seal & patch.
How long do you see this holding up or lasting..?
Shea says
3 April, 2017 at 9:45 PMIt really depends on how you use your garage floor Andy. If you will be parking cars in and out every day, you will most likely develop spots under the tires where the paint peels up. This could take 6 weeks to 6 months. The paint holds up fairly well under foot traffic and could last a few years or more, but vehicles and projects is what wears it out in spots in a year or two.
summer rusell says
19 April, 2017 at 10:33 PMI skimmed through the blog and want to make sure that I have it correct. I had my concrete garage painted with chips and all right after moving in. It’s been 5 years and I can’t say for sure if it had been 30 days or more since the pouring @ the time..but I do know that as soon as we parked on it, it chipped up. To redo it, my only option is to use the lesser expensive version that doesn’t last as long??? Yikes. Thanks in advance.
Shea says
20 April, 2017 at 11:38 AMHello Summer. Garage floors are generally poured the same or close to the same day as the foundation. It usually takes more than 30 days to build a home and pass inspection before move in, so you were most likely fine there. Since we don’t know what was initially installed (paint or actual epoxy and what type), we can’t tell you for sure what would be required to patch it up. However, if you want to do it right and have a quality garage floor coating that looks nice, won’t develop hot tire pick up, and will last for years, then our suggestion would be to remove the old paint/coating via grinding and install a high quality epoxy garage floor system.
Dennis says
23 April, 2017 at 9:08 AMI coated my garage floor 8 years ago With Rusoleum Epoxyshield.I,m not shure if it is water,or solvent based.What can I recoat with?
Shea says
23 April, 2017 at 11:18 AMHello Dennis. If the coating is still adhered well, then you can generally recoat with an epoxy of your choice. Solvent or water based does not matter. You did post this in an article about paint. We just want to make it clear that it’s not wise to recoat paint with an epoxy coating. If you are not sure of the difference, we suggest reading this here to learn.
Susan Cardamone says
26 June, 2017 at 12:44 PMHello and thank you for all this wonderful information! I’ve spent over a week prepping my garage floor ( over 50 years old and was never painted). I rented a hard surface scrubber and used degreaser/etcher product. Then I cleaned it with a TSP solution. After applying a concrete primer, I pained the floor with (2) coats of (1) part Behr epoxy garage paint. I would like to do a high gloss sealer. I’m not opposed to spending money on the product if it will work well. I read your post about a water based clear epoxy, but that it wouldn’t make sense because it defeats the purpose of saving money on the paint…I wish i would have seen this site first! Could you please recommned a high quality clear gloss product that I can put over my 1 part epoxy Behr paint? Thank you SOOO much. Susan
Shea says
26 June, 2017 at 10:18 PMHi Susan. We covered it fairly well in the article you read about clear gloss top coats for paint. You can either apply a water based acrylic (which will perform poorly) or you can rough up the surface with sandpaper and apply a water based epoxy. Unfortunately there are no other options.
Darlene says
30 September, 2017 at 3:16 PMCan this be applied to a recently poured basement or do you have to wait 28 days
Shea says
30 September, 2017 at 3:29 PMYou still need to wait 28 days, Darlene.
Russ Moss says
22 November, 2017 at 8:31 AMI painted my bare concrete garage floor many years ago and as you can guess, it peeled off in patches. That was about 20 years ago and I have finally decided to do something about it. Will I have to remove all the old paint? By now it is faded but still tough.
What would be the process of re-painting, grinding, sealer paint?
Shea says
22 November, 2017 at 10:09 AMHello Russ. If you going to apply paint again and not apply an epoxy coating or something similar, then all you need to do is ensure the concrete is clean and then reapply new paint.
Stephen Nichols says
29 December, 2017 at 4:06 PMBrand new 3 car garage. Concrete is 90 days old. also have concrete outside connecting to the asphalt. Best options to seal/cover? Mats, paint, etc? It’s new so I want to do it the best we can from day one.
Shea says
30 December, 2017 at 8:43 AMHi Stephen. How do you plan on using your garage? Lot’s of projects or just parking your car? Do you have salt and snow where you live? Do you just want to cover the concrete or do you want to seal and protect the concrete? Are you looking for something cosmetically appealing or just something that gets the job done without looking flashy? What kind of budget do you have for your garage floor? These are all typical qualifying questions that are asked by specialty garage flooring vendors when trying to find the right type of flooring for someone. If you can answer some of these questions we would be happy to try and steer you in the right direction.
Mark says
2 April, 2018 at 8:38 PMGreat article! I recently painted my garage floor. The floor was unpainted and in decent shape to begin with. I cleaned and etched it, and it passed the drip test. Home Depot sold me the Behr Premium 1-Part Epoxy Concrete & Garage Floor Paint with some anti-skid additive poured in. I applied two coats and let it set for over a month before finally getting brave enough to park a car in the garage. Of course, I was struck with hot tire pickup only after a couple of days. Is there anything that could be done now to fix this that doesn’t require scraping it all up and starting over?
Shea says
2 April, 2018 at 9:48 PMHi Mark. Unfortunately, hot tire pickup is going to happen with acrylic latex concrete paint, 1-part epoxy paint, and even the lesser expensive epoxy coatings. It’s just a matter of when. We suggest repainting the areas that incurred the hot tire pickup and then place small mats where your tires sit in order to protect the paint. Other than that, your only other recourse would be to grind the paint off and apply a proper coating. Single-part polyureas are a fairly easy DIY install, they will last for years, and you will not incur hot tire pick up.
shea stewart says
6 June, 2018 at 6:37 AMGreat info here! I have a house that was built in the 70’s and the garage floor was never painted. We have applied a degreaser solution twice, and scrubbed with a brush. When we rinse it off, there are areas where the water doesn’t absorb which I am assuming are oily spots in the concrete…Even though there are no obvious discolorations of oil. We were going to apply an epoxy kit but have since learned that this might not be a good idea. Will we need to grind this surface or apply an etching in order to paint with an epoxy paint or garage latex paint? Wondering if mats might just be easier. Thank you for any info! Shea
Shea says
6 June, 2018 at 1:57 PMHello Shea. Yes, you should most definitely acid etch the concrete at a minimum if you want to apply an epoxy. The areas that do not absorb water are most likely smooth troweled surfaces that have closed off pores as a result. Even latex paint will not adhere very well to those areas unless they are etched or treated to grinding. Etching is easier to do, but make sure you wait for the concrete to completely dry (24-48 hours) before you apply the epoxy.