As warm days give way to a Southern Tier fall, the garage starts pulling more weight around the house. Too often it ends up as a catch-all for clutter, but once it’s cleared out, that same space can double as a workshop, a home gym, or simply somewhere to park on cold days without dodging piles of stuff. Here’s what to know about cleaning out your garage and finishing it off with garage floor epoxy before winter hits.
What’s the Best Way to Start a Garage Cleanout?
Skip the urge to organize in place. Take everything out of the garage first, then sort it into keep, donate, and toss piles once you can actually see what you own.
Be ruthless with these items:
- Empty boxes and bags: Cardboard boxes and shopping bags pile up quickly. Recycle or trash them immediately.
- Broken tools: Cracked rakes and tools that barely work anymore usually are not worth hanging onto.
- Leftover project materials: Scrap wood, extra tile, and partial flooring boxes rarely become future projects.
- Outgrown toys/equipment: Bikes, scooters, and sports gear can quickly consume your garage. Donate the items your kids don’t use anymore.
- Expired paint/chemicals/automotive fluids: You’re obviously not using that dried up paint, and old chemicals, oil containers, and mystery bottles can leak and create stains and odors. Properly dispose of them for a cleaner, safer garage.
- “Someday” clutter: Part ways with old electronics, mysterious cords, and spare parts you can’t identify
Why Does the Concrete Look So Rough Once the Clutter’s Gone?
Years of parked cars, dripping fluids, and moisture pushing up through the slab leave their mark.
Stains, cracks, and a dusty or pitted surface are all common once bare concrete has been exposed to that kind of wear. But it’s fixable with a good garage floor coating.
What Does Garage Floor Epoxy Installation Involve?
The concrete gets mechanically ground down and any cracks or damage get repaired first. A moisture-mitigating epoxy primer follows, sealing the slab against vapor from below (moisture vapor transmission is the primary reason low quality coatings fail).
Then a decorative flake layer goes in for color and grip, and two coats of polyaspartic topcoat lock everything in against road salt, snowmelt, and everyday wear.
Ready to Tackle the Garage This Fall?
Once you’ve decluttered and had a concrete coating installed, your garage is ready to be a more usable and enjoyable part of your home for years to come.
Garage Floor Coating of New York installs a 2-day garage floor epoxy system built to hold up through everything a New York winter brings. Reach out today for a free estimate.