How To Remove Paint From Your Garage Floor

| |

When it comes to applying new paint, the condition of the floor directly affects the coating’s quality. In order for your new garage floor paint to adhere well and serve you for many years, it’s important to remove the old coat properly. Even the best paint loses its advantage when applied to a dirty and wet garage floor with remnants of the old paint.

Let’s look at several ways to remove old paint from your garage floor.

Hand Stripping

An effective way to remove garage floor paint is to use a hand-held scraper and paint-stripping chemicals. You can find a variety of paint-stripping agents on the market. However, some of them are quite toxic, especially those dealing with durable paint, such as epoxy resin.

When working with a hand-held scraper after applying chemicals, it’s important to keep the garage well-ventilated. You should also wear protective gear, such as gloves and a respiratory mask. Hand-stripping is effective since you are monitoring the process by staying close to the surface. However, it is hard work and can take a considerable amount of time.

Sandblasting

A quick and powerful way to remove stubborn old paint from your garage floor is to use a sandblaster. While it can ensure full paint removal, sandblasting comes with several drawbacks.

  • Sandblasting equipment is expensive to hire.
  • Experience is needed to operate a sandblaster in order not to damage the surface.
  • Windows, doors, and any furniture or equipment in the garage must be well-covered in order to keep sand away from them.
  • You need to wear protective gear, including a respiratory mask.

Buffing

Another way to get rid of garage floor paint is to use an electric floor buffer. Buffers are expensive to buy but can be rented. They are equipped with stripping and sanding disks. After pouring the stripper solution onto the garage floor, allow it to penetrate according to the instructions, and start using the buffer. The buffer slowly glides over the floor, stripping the paint. This method is effective and doesn’t require much effort. After using the buffer, the clean-up is minimal.

The Best Method

All of the above methods can be effective depending on the size and nature of your project. After you strip away the old paint, make sure to clean the floor and allow it to dry before applying a fresh coating.

At TA Paints we manufacture a large range of durable garage floor paints. For more information please browse our online store, or download our free e-book The Ultimate Floor Paint Guide.