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Do Garage Floors Need to Be Sealed?

Do Garage Floors Need to Be Sealed?

While garage floors do not need to be sealed, doing so tends to be beneficial. Since garage floors are usually made out of concrete, they may be susceptible to cracks from moisture. Sealing your garage floor will protect it from cracks. 

You probably already seal your driveway relatively often, as driveways are constantly being subjected to the elements.

While your garage floor is more protected from these elements, and it does not require sealing, many experts recommend it.

Your garage floor does not need to be sealed as often as your driveway, and sealing the garage floor has many benefits. Keep reading to discover the advantages of sealing a garage floor, as well as how to do so. 

The Benefits of Sealing Your Garage Floor 

Sealing your garage floor allows the concrete flooring to last much longer in a few ways, which is cheaper and more convenient than having to re-do the entire thing.

Here are the benefits of sealing your garage floor. 

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Prevent Cracks 

Sealing a garage floor prevents moisture from getting into the pores of the concrete and causing cracks.

This protective layer keeps stray liquid from degrading the garage floor, including any rain or snow that may seep in during colder weather. 

Prevent Stains 

In a similar vein, sealants do not allow any type of liquid to stain your garage floor.

The liquid cannot seep into the concrete.

Due to this prevention, not only will the floor not crack, liquids like oil or grease are forced to sit on top of the concrete, which makes them easy to wipe away without worrying about permanent residue. 

Enhance Appearance 

As an added bonus, sealing your garage floor will improve the way it looks.

Many sealants give concrete flooring a lot of gloss, and this glossy finish makes the garage floor look very polished.

Also, if your garage floor is painted, the sealer will prevent that paint from peeling, flaking, or even from fading. 

How to Seal a Garage Floor 

While sealing a garage floor is not especially difficult, it is important to seal your garage floor properly.

These are the things to keep in mind if you want to know how to seal a garage floor correctly. 

Choosing a Sealant 

There are two major types of sealant for concrete flooring: topical coats and penetrative sealants.

Topical coats provide the enhanced appearance, protect the surface of the floor, and preserve floor paint, whereas penetrative sealants fill in the pores beneath the surface of your garage floor.

A combination of both types is generally recommended to maximize the protection for your garage floor.

However, since sealing the garage floor is not required, and you may not feel like doing even more extra work, you may choose to use one kind or the other. 

Please note that a penetrative sealant should be applied before a topical coat, as the topical coat will prevent the penetrative sealant from getting below the surface of your concrete floor. 

Applying Sealant Properly 

Always thoroughly read the label on sealants before applying them to your garage floor.

Also, as with paint, test a small patch of the floor prior to applying the sealant to the entire floor.

Be sure to clean your garage floor before you start applying sealant as well, as any debris can prevent the sealant from settling properly, and you may accidentally seal stains into the floor, which makes them incredibly difficult to get out.

Once you have done all of these things, you should be able to apply the sealant to your concrete floor. 

Cleaning the Finished Product  

You can clean a sealed garage floor with water and cleaners.

It is safe to use a hose or mop on a sealed floor so long as you have given the sealant the proper amount of time to set, which should be specified on the label. 

Important Information to Remember 

Although garage floors, unlike driveways, do not need to be sealed, sealing your garage floor will prevent the concrete from cracking or staining and preserve the floor paint.

Garage floors are still vulnerable to certain elements like moisture, so sealing them will allow these floors to last longer.

Sealants also tend to enhance the appearance of your garage floor.

Keep in mind that there are different kinds of sealant, and penetrative ones should be applied before topical variants.

Prior to sealing your garage floor, thoroughly read all labels, clean the floor, and test a small area. While the floor will need to be resealed eventually, this resealing is less frequent than that of your driveway.