ᐅ Sealing Options for Garage Floor Slabs

Hello,

we have a cement screed (CT-C35) in the garage. It was smoothed using a machine (no power trowel) during installation and is now open-pored. Before using it with cars, I would like to seal the screed. Tiles are not an option due to the sliding door, as I would first need to mill down the screed along the track in the floor. Also, I don’t like the look of tiles.

The most common suggestion for sealing is a two-component resin coating. I believe this would also be the most durable solution.

I have also read several times about sealing with water glass. There are no high aesthetic requirements; the sloped screed just needs to be protected from water. As an alternative, I could imagine the following:

• Brushing and vacuuming the screed
• Multiple applications of water glass until saturation
• Optional painting with floor paint

Of course, the floor paint is not as durable as a two-component coating, but it should be sufficient for our purposes. Repainting every few years would not be a problem; even a two-component coating will not last forever.

I would especially be interested in the opinion of @KlaRa, who seems knowledgeable in this area.

Best regards!

Due to the anticipated dirt and stains (oil drops, chain grease, etc.), I would prefer a two-component coating...

I used a 2-component epoxy paint (almost the same conditions as you). It works really well and can be done DIY (like painting), but it is somewhat costly. For 2-component filler coatings, a bit more work is required, but it should also be doable as a DIY project – and they are supposed to be even more durable. Don’t forget to grind and prime the screed.

I don’t know how you plan to use your garage, but I wouldn’t consider repainting it every few years – having to empty and refill all the shelves each time would be annoying.

After 5 years with a 2k coating, I would say never again.

Every vehicle driven by the kids causes scratches, starting small then getting bigger. Any liquid that is somewhat corrosive leaves stains, and so on.

Hello,

I requested a quote recently. About 75 Euro per m2 (about $7 per ft2) gross for a three-layer 2-component coating including labor. It’s doable, but for a garage floor, it seems quite luxurious to me, although I believe the price for the product itself is generally reasonable. That’s why I’m looking for alternatives.

@Offtopic: What would you prefer instead?

Best regards

Having it done professionally was also too expensive for me.

Doing it myself cost about 22 € / m² (gross) for everything (primer + 3 coats, including anti-slip additive and decorative flakes). It would have worked just as well with primer + 2 coats, but I wasn’t careful enough the first time to spread the decorative flakes evenly, so I had to apply an additional correction coat. Without the extra effort, I would have ended up at around 17 € / m².

Labor time was about 30 minutes per coat, plus preparation work (masking, sanding, and vacuuming).