Well friends, this part of the project hasn’t quite gone as planned! I came down with an upper respiratory infection that just wanted to hang on. But I’m finally feeling better and ready to get back at it! If you’re new around here, we’ve been transforming part of our 1950s garage into an entryway. We’ve established the problem and made a plan, created a design board, painted the walls, and painted the doors and trim.
Research & Our Choice
We painted our walls and doors, but to freshen up our entryway space even more, we planned to paint our garage floor. We weren’t ready to tackle the entire garage, so we chose to just paint the same area where we painted the wall.
I originally picked out Sherwin Williams Porch and Floor Enamel for our garage floor, but found out it would not withstand the heat of car tires. So I began to explore other options. There were many DIY options above $100, but we were hoping to stay under $50 for the floor. Anytime you’re researching products, I recommend visiting multiple websites (if available) and reading the reviews. We ended up with Behr’s Garage and Concrete Paint. It had the best reviews, but only if you followed the directions.
Just as it’s important to read reviews, it’s also very important to follow the instructions as best as you can. So I also purchased a masonry cleaner to apply to the floor, which basically cleans and “roughs up” the surface. I’ve heard this project (like most garage floor paints in this price range) starts to flake off due to tire heat, but for now, we’re fine with that risk – it’s to be expected with the price. With nice smooth floors, I could already visualize myself slipping in slow motion, my groceries flying in the air! So you better believe we purchased the Anti-Skid Additive to help the floor not be so slippery.
Note: Since this type of paint was only available in a gallon, we’re planning on saving what we don’t use and at a later date, perhaps paint our basement laundry room with the leftover.
Cleaning
Honest talk: I hate the prep work! It’s so important though. First, I swept & vacuumed the space. I don’t clean my garage very often, so it needed it! Then I mopped with warm water and Dawn Dish Soap. I followed the directions for the masonry cleaner and scrubbed the floor with a hard bristled brush. It’s pretty potent, so protective goggles and a mask is a must!
The floor must be completely dry to start painting. So I waited and waited and waited. 24 hours later and it still wasn’t dry. And then I was sick for a week – so luckily it had plenty of time to dry! 🙂
Priming and Painting
The best practices for the garage floor paint included priming before painting. We taped off the area and went to town. The primer went down really nice – 100 times better than when I primed the concrete walls!
But guys – the garage floor paint! It was so very easy to work with. Before I painted the trim, I stirred in the anti-skid additive. So smooth and easy to apply. I wish all paint was like it! After the first coat, I applied the second coat 4 hours later. We chose Peppercorn by Sherwin Williams and love its contrast with the white walls.
We hope it holds up to the wear & tear of garage living! At the end of the day, we have low expectations because we invested so little. Whenever we decide to paint our entire garage, we’ll probably end up hiring a professional. This is a great addition to our space in the meantime!
We’re getting closer to the end of this project, friends! We’d love for you follow along by joining our email list or joining our tribe on social media (Instagram & Facebook).
Our garage entryway project is one of the biggest projects I’ve taken on since we moved in. It’s DIY through and through (and it probably shows)! It’s taken longer, more energy, and money than we anticipated.
Even still, we feel SO thankful for the opportunity to transform an unlikely space into something that’s really going to bless our family.
Reminding myself that the slow process is better than the sprint. And want to remind you that perfection isn’t the goal; just maybe better than before.
Next up: painting the cabinets, adding in the essential organization elements, and the finishing touches!