Is is worthwhile to seal a concrete garage floor?

[Lyne]

After living in an older house where the concrete garage floor did not have a vapor barrier, I always knew that I would absolutely seal the floor of any garage I owned in the future, both to retard moisture rising from the ground and to give the floor some protection from spills.

I am now the proud of owner of a brand new garage with vapor barrier, but none of the sealant products ever refer to "protection from stains and spills" as a possible benefit of their products. It makes me wonder if my plan to apply a sealant makes sense. The products don't cost very much so I guess it can't hurt.

Any opinions?

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[Larry Davick]

Most sealers are urethane, epoxy, or acrylic based. Any of these coatings should hold up well against most spills. Epoxies should hold up very well against oil, etc. I really think that the garage coating thing is more about aesthetics than anything else.

[Rod]

Doesn't the coating also help with sweeping? I have a garage floor that you can sweep and sweep forever and you are still kicking up dust from the pores of the concrete.

I would guess the coating makes sweeping less unpleasant...

[wayne]

For a new home I would do it in a heartbeat use a 2 part epoxy and follow the directions! My neighbor did his and it looks great after a year it still looks great!

Wayne

[Larry Bud]

I wrote a review here a while back on Rustoleum's EpoxySheild. It works great, except for two things:

1. VERY slippery when wet. I walk on it like it's ice.
2. If you roll it on too thin, it will peel.

The estimated floor coverage on the can is ridiculous. I spread it less than what they said, and had to roll it very thin to even make that coverage. That side of the garage is peeling. The other side is fine. I used two packages to cover my 2 car garage, and I should have used 3.

Make oil spills a breeze to clean, but you must get it CLEAN, otherwise it will be much more slippery than if the oil had soaked into the concrete.

[Ray]

How 'bout damage from salt? If in your opinion this just a question of aesthetics would paint do the job just as well?

R.

[edee em]

I think it's a great idea, but wait until all the cracking is finished (and it will crack). The other thing I would advise is that you etch the concrete first. The acid will prepare the concrete to hold the paint or sealer better. I would also watch out for slippery coatings. Contact a concrete refinisher for their advise.