How to Restore Your Garage Floor From Winter Damage
Spring has officially arrived! It’s time to deal with the unpleasant effects of winter weather on the concrete of your garage floor. Oftentimes, the damage comes from the road salt and de-icing fluids that have been deposited over the freezing months. It’s important to understand the root cause of winter damage in order to devise the best plan of action. Here, a garage floor finishes expert discusses what you need to know.
How De-Icing Fluids Damage Your Garage Floor
When it’s snowing, road crews utilize different forms of liquid magnesium and calcium chloride, also called road salt, to de-ice the pavement and ensure vehicles remain in proper traction with the road. While these products melt ice and snow and prevent them from refreezing, these liquids cling to tire cars and eventually get deposited onto garage floors. These de-icers will seep into the bare concrete and then refreeze inside its pores, which will expand and slowly break it apart.
How to Repair Winter Damage and Salt Stains
First, clean the garage flooring to expose salt stains and other forms of damage on the concrete. Use elbow grease to remove salt stains off the floor. Another option is to use a mixture of a gallon of warm water, a cup of vinegar, and a squirt of dish soap. Pour the solution onto the affected areas and scrub them with a stiff deck brush. Remove the residue with a mop and then rinse with clean water.
How to Protect Your Garage Floor From Winter
Be sure to protect your garage floors from future winter-related damage. You can use containment floor mats for a short-term solution or apply a strong topical sealer, like polyaspartic garage floor coatings, to form a protective barrier that’s durable enough to last a long time.
Guardian Garage Floors is a premier source of polyaspartic floor coating solutions in Nashville. Our top-rated installations are moisture-resistant and nearly maintenance-free! You won’t have to deal with outdated garage floor epoxy applications ever again. Call us today at (404) 882-3353 or (615) 819-5362. You may also fill out our contact form to request a free estimate.
