For many people, the garage is the least glamorous part of the house. It gets filled with tools, equipment, and lots of extra stuff. In fact, it is so unglamorous, that many garages don’t even have paint on the walls.
If you keep your garage door down, having bare walls and cement is no big deal. But if you park your car in the garage, or go in and out with any regularity – say the kids take their bikes out every day – you should take steps to protect the garage from the elements. Yes, it is a closed room, but most garages do not have any climate control, so the experience extreme heat and cold as the seasons change. Plus, parking cars that have come in from the rain can expose the bare drywall to mold and rot.
Here are a few things you can do to protect your garage.
Prime the Walls
Drywall can absorb a ton of paint. Putting up a coat of primer can help ensure that you don’t go through several gallons of paint on the first coat because the walls sucked it all up. Plus, if you’ve lived with bare drywall for a while, there may be dirt and scuffs on the walls. Once you wipe down the walls, primer will help even out the surface, making it better for paint.
Paint the Walls
Depending on how you use your garage really determines the best type of paint for it. Most people will see great results with a satin finish. However if you work on your cars in the garage, or have trash cans and recycle bins the garage, you may want to consider a semi-gloss. Semi-gloss paint is more durable and will stand up better to cleaning.
Treat the Floor
Treating the floors in your garage not only save you from stains from car fluids or other spills, they protect the cement from the elements. The most common treatment for garage floors is paint or epoxy. In both cases the floor will have to be cleaned and prepped for the best, most lasting result. Today there are very durable latex paints available specifically for garage floors. Epoxy coatings are also cost effective and long lasting when applied correctly.
Garage mats and tiles are another option for flooring. Tiles are more durable than mats, but again, the trick is in the installation. When laid down properly mats can look good and last for a long time.
No matter what you choose for your garage floor, your garage will look better and be protected from wind, rain and extreme temperatures.
Whether you simply use the garage for storage, or want a full blown garage-mahal, protecting the walls and floors of this room will yield great long term results for your home.