TOOLS:
Bucket, scraper, goggles, dual-cartridge respirator (if inadequate
ventilation), rubber gloves & boots, stiff brush, sponge mop,
shop-vac
MATERIALS: Concrete cleaning solution (50% bleach and 50%
water works well), muriatic acid (for etching)
Want
to give your basement or laundry room floor a nice appearance.?
Then paint it. But it is not simply a matter of getting a brush
and go start painting. You must prepare the concrete properly so
you don't have to repaint it every 6 months.
Prepping
a concrete floor for painting is especially important as a poorly
cleaned & etched floor will not allow proper adhesion of paint.
In other words, the paint won't stay on the floor for long.
First,
sweep and scrape the dirt from the floor. Next liberally apply the
cleaning solution to the floor and with stiff brush, give a good
scrubbing. Mop up solution and rinse the floor several times with
fresh water. Allow to dry.
Now
it's time to create a slightly porous surface to allow the paint
to stick well. This is done in a process called etching, whereby
a weak solution of muriatic is applied to the floor. This creates
tiny divots that allow the paint to strongly adhere to it.
Time
to put on your goggles, gloves, boots and respirator (if you are
in a poorly ventilated area like a basement or a laundry room).
Get your bucket and add 3 quarts of water. Next add 1 quart of muriatic
acid. This will create 1 gallon of etching solution that will cover
100 sq. ft.
Work
the solution into the floor with the stiff brush. It will start
bubbling, this is normal. Wait till the bubbling stops, then rinse
the floor twice. Mop up any puddles.
After
drying, there will be a white powdery residue left on the floor.
This is part of your floor and what's left of the muriatic acid.
Vacuum it up, then run a wet mop lightly over it to pick up the
rest of the powder.
Now
you are ready to apply paint to your professionally prepped floor.
Use a urethane-latex deck and floor enamel.
I am thinking about painting my garage floor and this site was extremely helpful in preparing the floor.
Thanks,