Etching Concrete Floor For Painting

In these photos dane hantz of dane concrete design in prescott arizona demonstrates the technique.

Etching concrete floor for painting.

Whether you use your garage for storage a workshop or just to park your car applying an epoxy coating to the floor can transform the appearance of. The best way to etch a concrete garage floor. It also reduces the surface alkalinity of the concrete that can cause some paints to adhere poorly. The etching product is used to open up the pores in the concrete to create a rough surface for the floor paint to adhere to when it is applied.

These sorts of products give the concrete a professional looking sheen and also resist water grease oil and other common spills making the floor easy to maintain. Many acid etching projects are carried out to prepare a concrete floor for the application of a synthetic epoxy or sealant. If the etcher fizzes up as it s applied you know that it s working. If you re painting a concrete floor remember to start on the far side of the room so you end up finishing near a doorway or another convenient stepping off point.

Proper handling is imperative because the acid is in liquid form. It gives the surface tooth to adhere to so your paint is more likely to stick for a long time. A smooth concrete floor must be roughened before paint will stick to it. You roughen such a floor by etching it with muriatic acid.

The surface was a steel troweled concrete floor in a home. Etching is a crucial step in preparing concrete for painting. A surface preparation product called the profiler from surface gel tek can be used to create an etched effect with stencils. Concrete may look solid to the naked eye but it is a very porous substance.

In other words don t paint. It is not hard to do but there are safety measures to consider in its handling and application since hydrochloric acid has potentially harmful effects on the installer s health and on the environment. Doing the prep work before you repaint a concrete floor avoids a peeling paint job later. Muriatic acid acts like liquid sandpaper by roughening the surface of the concrete.

Concrete paint can be purchased in either latex or oil based epoxy enamel. Most concrete paints require etching and if they don t do it anyway. Don t skip this step if you want a long lasting painted concrete floor. Let the floor dry overnight.

Etching the floor to etch the floor of your garage apply a commercial concrete etcher being careful to follow the manufacturer s instructions. The concrete will now have a grainy texture which offers a better surface for the paint to grip. Hantz wanted to create a 60 linear foot border around the room.