If your garage is starting to look a little worse for wear, why not try sprucing it up? Not only will you make it look much more attractive but also you will be preventing any minor imperfections turning into structural damage. Here we look at what you can do to make your garage space appealing again.
Give it a clean
Garages can be full of old tyre marks, oil, rust and random stains, which can make the space look quite unappealing. The first thing to do is to get rid of these unsightly marks by using good old-fashioned elbow grease. There are a range of household products that can be used; for example, washing powder can get rid of old stains, as can baking soda and water, washing up liquid, hydrogen peroxide, and bleach.
For more stubborn stains, such as rust, you may need to use muriatic or hydrochloric acid, which should always be used with extreme caution. Do not attempt to use this unless you have the right ventilation and proper protective clothing.
Next comes the point at which a pressure washer comes in handy, helping to remove those tricky stains that did not respond to elbow grease. Once you have pressure washed the whole area, apply a clear concrete sealant to prevent stains and marks reappearing.
Further damage
If your garage has cracks, chips or crumbling spots, you may need to do a little extra work. There are plenty of products on the market that can be added to your concrete to help fill these areas; however, if you have many of these spots, resurfacing the area could be your best option to prevent further structural damage. There may also be low points or dips in the concrete that will need levelling out, but a good levelling product can fix this problem.
Finishing touches
Once you have a level surface free from chips, you can either simply coat it or add another layer of flooring to make it look even better. Engineered wood flooring is a good option, especially as there are so many options available from suppliers such as http://www.ukflooringdirect.co.uk/engineered-wood-flooring. This could help to prolong the life of the garage whilst giving it a homelier feel.
Your garage does not have to look run-down, so why not try some of these steps to bring it back to life?