One of the best ways to keep your home's garage floor in excellent condition and looking great is to seal it. Sealed concrete is easier to keep clean and stain-free because the sealant provides a barrier between the porous concrete and liquids. While sealing a garage floor is a big DIY project, you can be successful by following each of these tips.

Tip: Select the Right Sealant to Meet Your Specific Needs

Homeowners use their garages in different ways. This means the right sealant choice for one family may not be the right choice for another. For example, a high-gloss sealant is great for someone who needs to repel grease spills from working on their cars, while a matte sealant is more appropriate for a garage used as a home gym or to store boxes.

Selecting the right sealant ensures you end up with a garage floor that best meets your needs. Before choosing a sealant, ask yourself:

• What do you want your garage floor to look like — matte or glossy?
• What type of protection do you need from the sealant — water or grease repellant?  

Know the answers to these questions when you shop for sealant.

Tip: Deep Clean the Garage Floor Before Sealing

Sealing a concrete garage floor is similar to painting a room. A large percentage of the task is preparation while actually applying the sealant will only take a few minutes. 

Just as with painting, if you take the time and make the effort to clean and prepare the concrete before you apply the coating, then the results will be amazing. However, if you skip this step, then whatever stains and dirt are on the slab will be there permanently. 

Follow each of these steps to prepare the garage floor:

1. Sweep it with a stiff brush to loosen dirt and grime
2. Vacuum it with a shop vac
3. Apply a degreaser to any grease or oil stains

Once the concrete is clean and free of oils, then fill any cracks with a crack repair compound and patch any chips or holes with concrete patch material. You can find both of these products at any hardware or home improvement store.

Tip: Leave the Concrete Sealing to a Professional Concrete Contractor

Lastly, it's important to note that correctly sealing a garage floor can be a challenge and will likely take you most of a weekend to complete. To save yourself time and frustration, you might want to choose another DIY project for yourself and leave concrete sealing projects to a professional concrete contractor. They apply sealants all the time and have insider knowledge to ensure a professional result.

For more information, contact a company like NW Pressure Pros.