Garage Floor Coating in Youngstown, OH

Garage floor coating matters more in Youngstown than in most places because of what winter leaves behind. With close to 68 inches of snow in an average year, every trip home from November to March brings a load of slush and road salt into the garage. The brine pools under the tires, soaks into bare concrete and dries into white rings. Over a few seasons the surface near the door starts to flake and pit. A bonded coating seals the concrete so that brine stays on top.

How the damage builds up

Concrete is porous. Meltwater and dissolved salt work into the top layer, and when the temperature drops below freezing that water expands. Wikipedia's road salt article notes that salt accelerates corrosion of reinforced concrete and that magnesium chloride is especially hard on concrete surfaces. The damage concentrates at the front of the garage, where the meltwater lands and the temperature swings are widest when the door opens and closes.

Signs your garage needs a coating

• Scaling or flaking near the door and in the tire paths
• Crusty white residue where puddles dried
• Dark oil and fluid stains soaked into the surface
• Dust that comes back a day after you sweep
• An old kit or paint coating peeling under the tires
• Cracks, chipped joints or a low spot that always holds water

Older garages in Youngstown

Most city homes date from before 1960, and older lots often have a detached garage on an aging slab. Floors like that may slope toward the door, have settled cracks or carry a coat of old paint. We grind that paint off, fill the cracks and level obvious divots before coating. Garages in the post-war suburbs such as Boardman, Austintown and Howland sit on younger concrete, though salt wear at the door shows up there too.

Prep comes before color

Most peeling garage floors failed at the bond. Acid etching, which most store kits use, cleans the surface but does not remove salt-weakened concrete or old sealer. We diamond grind the whole slab, edges included, vacuum it, degrease oil spots and repair cracks and spalls before the base coat goes on. If an old coating is present anywhere, it comes off first.

Picking a finish

Full flake broadcast is the most popular garage finish here because it hides salt film and grit between cleanings and has texture underfoot. A solid color with a light flake or anti-slip additive gives a cleaner look. A polyaspartic topcoat over either one resists UV and abrasion and gets you parking sooner. We bring samples so you can see them under your garage lighting.

Keeping it clean in winter

A coated floor still needs some care. Push meltwater out with a floor squeegee, rinse the floor every few weeks during salt season, and put a containment mat under each vehicle if you like. Keep metal shovel blades off the surface and do not leave tire chains sitting on it.