Although concrete is durable, it’s far from waterproof, so this type of flooring requires extra care to protect it from the elements. Unchecked water can lead to substantial, permanent damage to the structural integrity of a foundation, so protecting it is essential.
Most notably, waterproofing is essential to prepare for the winter months. Winter put all kinds of structures to the test due to freezing and thawing temperatures and precipitation. So, just as you would winterize a car, if you want your garage to last, you’ll need to winterize the floor with garage coatings.
Why Should I Prepare My Garage Floor for Winter?
If your goal is to avoid any excess damage to your garage floor, you must winterize it. Melting snow and freezing temperatures put significant strain on a concrete foundation. And fixing any issues that arise from this will be more costly and time-intensive than preventing the damage in the first place.
Road salt that gets stuck in your tires also can be a serious issue for garage floors. In only a few years, you’ll likely start noticing holes where your salted tires often park.
Fortunately, avoiding winter damage to your garage isn’t too difficult or expensive. You can take several actions to help your concrete garage floor survive the winters.
Getting Your Garage Ready For Winter
The first step in getting your garage’s concrete surfaces ready for winter is to shore up any existing deformities on the floor. Untreated concrete has trouble adapting to changing temperatures, so winter cold will often cause cracks to develop. Ahead of this coming winter, fill in any of these gaps before starting prep work.
Here are some steps you can take to make your garage as winter-proof as possible.
Containment Mats
Dealing with all the harmful chemicals and salt that come from driving in winter is essential to keeping a garage floor intact. One way to add some chemical resistance to your floor is to keep those materials off with a containment mat.
These mats are easy to install. They keep your concrete garage floor clean and protect it from eroding. Containment mats also catch vehicle fluids and anything else that your vehicle may pick up, making them useful year-round.
Protective Floor Sealants
Floor sealants provide an extra layer of security to a garage floor. Properly applied floor sealants made from a silicone penetrating or acrylic sealer equip a garage floor with excellent waterproofing and durability.
Not only does a well-applied floor sealant improve the waterproofing of a cement floor, but it also improves how well a floor holds up against freezing temperatures.
If you want to prevent long-term damage to your garage, few options are as helpful as a floor sealant.
Ensure Your Garage Door Seal is Intact
A garage door seal is the first step in keeping water and snow from entering your garage. Before doing anything else, you must ensure that this seal is doing its job.
While you can resolve issues with a garage door seal yourself, you may want to let a professional handle it. As the first line of protection against the elements, you’ll need it to function as well as possible.
Carpet-Crete Matting
Carpet-Crete matting helps prevent mold and water from cultivating on your garage floor. This carpet-like material includes synthetic substances that make it resistant to water and mold. This winterizing solution is simple to install as it comes in rolls and is easy to cut.
Full-Coverage Garage Coating
The best way to protect your garage from the harmful effects of winter and the other seasons is with a professionally installed floor coating. Professional concrete coatings such as epoxy, polyurea, and polyaspartic add an extra layer to your garage floor that makes it waterproof, slip-resistant, temperature-resistant, and more.
Professional concrete coatings come in a wide variety of colors and styles. With a large number of choices available, you can give your garage floor nearly any look you desire. As an added bonus, garage coatings even insulate your garage against extreme temperatures, making it perfect for a garage without heating or air conditioning.
The Perfect Garage Preparation for Winter In and Around Mecklenburg County, NC
Winter is a hard season, so preparing your garage for it with coated floors helps immensely when the snow begins to fall.
For expert garage coatings in Mecklenburg County and the Greater Charlotte Metro area, our team at Southeast Floor Maintenance is here to help keep your concrete floor waterproof and crack-free. We offer a lifetime warranty on residential garage floor coatings and a 10-year warranty on commercial floor coatings.
For a free quote, call us at (704) 741-9912 today.
