Slush Proof Your Garage this Winter Season

Slush Proof Your Garage this Winter Season

 

If you are someone who found this article because you never want to worry about the damage winter can bring to your garage… WELCOME!  Keep reading and enjoy the sigh of relief that is due in a few moments.

Winter Muck, we've all experienced it (well except for those way down south) and it seems like just something you have to accept if you chose to live somewhere where you can enjoy a “winter wonderland” type landscape.  

When searching for your home this may even have been a consideration for why you chose your home.  For most that choice is that ever important garage that offers a safe haven from the winter abuse and trudging through the snow to get to the front door.  The garage provides that buffer for you to keep the muck, grime, water, and salt from ever entering your home.

But, as with all choices, there are pro’s and con’s. The negative side to this choice is now you have to consider the concrete in your garage and the abuse it will absorb through the annual winter onslaught.

You could just roll the dice and not do anything.  Clean it every season and hope for the best.  Maybe you even grab a gallon or 2 of some type of concrete sealant or waterproofing and hope that you have just enough to delay the repair.

Well, you can run but you can't hide.  As a wise person told me, “mother nature always wins”.

Folks, I'm here to tell you that while that statement is mostly true, it doesn't have to apply to protecting your garage!

You have already considered doing something to protect the floor in your garage, that's why you're reading this.  Let's break it down a bit for you.

Waterproofing or “sealing”

While putting something down to protect your largest investment is important, doing only this is problematic.  You have to reapply if you want to continue to enjoy the protection it offers, it is not a lifetime solution.  The other thing to consider is that it is a clear coat so whatever the floor looks like is exactly what you're going to get for as long as you continue to do this.  Oils, chemicals, and abrasives all wear this thinner and lead to a quicker timeline to refinish.

Common Epoxy

Common epoxy is a much better alternative.  It lasts longer, protects against more things a little better, and it will hide the ugly concrete so you can have a “pretty” or desirable look.  Here are some cautions to observe, though.  For starters epoxy is very brittle and vulnerable to cracking.  You won't even see the cracks but those micro-cracks will be there, allowing all the things you are trying to protect against get under this rock hard surface and eat-away at the concrete (unbeknownst to you).  So, with every common epoxy floor, you are living on a clock and will have to eventually replace it.

Another thing to note is that most common epoxies are weather limited. More specifically, they are temperature-limited which means they can not be installed when the mercury drops below 45 degrees fahrenheit. So if it is December in Pittsburgh when you are reading this, then chances are you missed your opportunity to protect your floor with epoxy this winter season (but this is Pittsburgh weather, so who knows).  

Polyaspartic Floors

Polyaspartic floors (or Aliphatic Polyaspartic Floors to be more precise) are usually lumped in with common epoxies because of a few similarities.  However, this is an entirely different substance that doesn't just coat the floor but also bonds with the concrete, creating a brand new surface.  You never have to worry about the salt and muck from winter living causing any issues with this floor.  It lasts forever, provides a beautiful finished floor, and doesn't have the same installation risks as the common epoxies.  

This floor does require professional installation but often comes with a guarantee….FOR LIFE!  Using a Polyaspartic floor gives you the ability to install year round because the product is not dependent on the temperature. So it’s never too late!

Making the Best Choice

We obviously recommend taking a look at Hello Garage’s 100% Polyaspartic Floor Coatings to protect your garage investment. However, do your own research to confirm that you are truly getting the best solution for your dollar. A Hello Garage “Guru” can also assist in your education process, walking you through all the key points to consider when evaluating various contractors and making your decision!

Feel free to schedule a free, no-obligation appointment today!