Tips on painting your garage interior

So, once you’ve made the decision to give your garage a really good cleaning, why not apply a new coat of paint? However, before throwing yourself into this project, it would be wise to plan the sequence of tasks to undertake and make a list of the materials you will need.

An important consideration is where you will store the biggest articles in your garage. Leaving them out in the elements, unprotected, is not a wise option. Possibly a nearby friend or relative has free space in their garage or, at worst, move your more valuable possessions to a self-storage facility. In either case, you’ll also need a way to transport them.
Once you’ve finished this initial planning, here are some tips to help you stay calm and well-organized so that you don’t get discouraged and your project is a success.

Repair any cracks in the ceiling or walls

To start, we are assuming that your ceiling and walls are covered with drywall. Remove any hardware like hangers and hooks in the wall and if you don’t plan on putting them back, fill in the holes with heavy duty drywall compound. If you need to wash and degrease the walls and baseboards, do as you would for the interior of your house. Be sure the walls are completely dry before applying paint.

Paint the ceiling and walls

Depending on the current state of your ceiling and wall, you may have to start from scratch, meaning you’ll have to apply a base coat. Remember this basic principle of paint – you can apply water-based (latex) paint over oil-based (alkyd) paint but not vice versa. Nowadays, water-based paints are of a much higher quality than a few decades ago and are more stain and mildew resistant. In passing, do not skimp on the quality of the paint you buy since this isn’t a job you’ll be tackling every few years.
As for the color of the product to choose, go with a light one, as it will reflect the most light. White is the most popular color for ceilings, but for the walls, a light shade of gray or brown will hide dirt better than a bright white will.

Prepare the concrete floor

Even more than the walls, your floor will require a good cleaning. Depending on the type of product you’ll be using, for instance a degreaser, make sure you wear protective goggles, a mask and rubber gloves. Instead of buying a commercial cleaning product, you can mix your own general floor cleaner. Combine three parts water for 1 part bleach. If needed, use a detergent to remove oil or gas stains. It is very important to adequately ventilate the garage when using any cleaning product.
If you have large cracks in the floor, you’ll have to use a patching compound to fill them. If needed, use a grinder so that the patching cement properly adheres. Once dry, polish the whole surface to even the floor out. A resurfacer (100% acrylic concrete sealant with resin) can be applied if the concrete was stained or isn’t attractive. After any product is applied to the floor, wait at least 24 hours before moving on to the next step.

Paint the concrete floor

After the surface has been primed and is completely dry, use a latex paint (100% acrylic with polyurethane) with a satin finish. This is a more economical option than epoxy paint. It is advised to wait at least 24 hours before applying a second coat, if it is needed.
If you choose to use epoxy paint, you must add a catalyst. So divide your floor into four parts and do one at a time, because this product dries very fast (in around 45 minutes). Only prepare enough of the paint for the area you have to cover. Don’t apply too thin a coat of epoxy. It is always better to put it on a little thicker to get a better result. Wait 24 hours before walking on the surface and 4 days to a week before parking a car on it.

That’s it! You’re finished. As the proverb says, Patience and time do more than strength or passion. If you don’t believe you have the patience and the time to do the job, entrust the job to a professional painter or a company specialized concrete floor covering.

Don’t forget your garage door…

As long as you are doing all this work, take a look at your garage door. If it needs either a good tune-up or to be completely changed for a new one, contact us at 1-877-794-4223.

We can email you a detailed quotation, or even gladly come to your home to explain our whole range of garage doors. We will advise you on the best choice to make based on your needs, tastes and budget. If changing your garage is in your plans, and you’d like to get an idea what it might look like, use our design center or find inspiration from our image gallery of beautiful projects.