Can I Use Garage Floor Paint Outside?

If you are looking to paint your patio, paint your driveway or just refresh your paths and paving look no further. Promain has extensive knowledge regarding industrial paints and coatings. In this article we will be discussing exterior floor paints, answering questions such as can you use garage floor paint outside.

Why Do You Want To Paint Your Outside Floor?

Firstly, ask yourself why you would like to use garage floor paint outside. Is it because your outdoor concrete floor is looking tired? Or is it because you want to change the colour of the floor?

You may have used garage paint in the past and may assume it is suitable for indoors and outdoors. However, the best garage floor paint may only be suitable for internal use.

So, Can You Paint Concrete Floor Outside?

Yes. There are many different circumstances when you would be looking to paint concrete floors externally. For example, line marking on concrete is a regular request. However, as with any paint, preparation is key. Without the correct preparation any garage floor paint outside will not last.

For floor paint to withstand external use it must be:

  • Weather & Chemical Resistant: The outside floor paint must be able to withstand weathering and the effects of UV damage. Most epoxies are not UV stable and bright colours will soon fade if you use them as an outside floor paint. If your external concrete floor is your driveway, any coating would benefit from oil and chemical resistance from petrol & liquid spills.
  • Easy To Clean: If you want a glossy look, polyurethanes will give you the best shine and are far more UV stable than epoxies. Having a glossy finish also makes cleaning easier. Many acrylic floor paints are not normally robust enough for vehicle traffic. Always check the data sheet for it’s suitability. They are however ideal for areas such as patios and paths.
  • Safe To Walk On: Most concrete driveways or patios are at risk of green growth. This can make the floor a slip hazard. Using an anti slip floor paint will help yourself and others feel safe underfoot. Many of the quality floor paints that are suitable for external use. For example, Centrecoat Premium HD Driveway Paint. This paint can have a range of different aggregates added to increase their anti slip effectiveness.
  • Built To Last: It has to be durable and long lasting (unless you really want to be repainting it every year!)

What Garage Floor Paint Can Be Used Outdoors?

Though some garage floor paints can be used externally, they might not work out to be the most cost effective solution. For instance the Centrecoat Premium HD Driveway Paint costs as little as £1.00 per m2 per coat.

Take a look at the popular concrete floor paints below to see what we recommend:

Coo-Var W449 Tennis Court & Driveway Paint

Coo-Var W449 Tennis Court and Driveway Paint is a water based paint for driveways, car parks, paths and pavements. Available in a range of common driveway colours, this outdoor concrete paint is semi-matt, providing a safe anti-slip finish. An ideal black garage floor paint.

This product is the eco-friendly option as it is low odour and easier to apply.

View this product on our website for prices and technical information >>
Centrecoat Premium HD Driveway and Floor Paint
Centrecoat Premium HD Driveway & Floor Paint is a blend of high quality polyurethane thermo-acrylic resins resulting in a single pack heavy duty, durable coating. Offering excellent protection, this quality driveway paint provides an optimal long lasting finish. Due to its flexibility it will cope with extreme weather conditions be it snow or the heat of the summer. Also suitable for commercial traffic areas. An ideal exterior grey garage floor paint.This is the most cost effective outdoor garage floor paint working out at less than £1.00 per square metre per coat.View this product on our website for prices and technical information >>
Bradite DP9 Floor-It
Bradite Floor-It is formulated to give your interior and exterior floors an economical, hard wearing finish. Floor-It provides good chemical and excellent water resistance.This concrete floor paint is also tintable to thousands of RAL and BS shades upon request.View this product on our website for prices and technical information >>

If you are looking for a concrete block paint, it gets a bit more tricky to specify a product. Much like imprinted driveways, concrete blocks on driveways may have sealed coatings. If they do, finding a paint that will adhere can be a problem. Paints tend to have great difficulty painting onto plastics – imagine painting onto a piece of Sellotape – once dry the paint will just come off in sheets. We would really recommend contacting our technical team for advice if you are unsure if your concrete has been previously sealed.

Can I Use Two Pack Garage Floor Paints Outside?

You may have heard of two pack floor paints. These are where a hardener is added to the base colour. they are the most durable and therefore the best type of garage floor paints. Internally, their wear is good for garages – take a look at our Ferrari garage floor paint blog below. They are also able to withstand hot tyre pickup. Take a look at this blog to find out more: What Causes Hot Tyre Pick Up?

However, we would not recommend 2 packs for use externally on driveways or paths.

Firstly, two pack epoxy floor paints aren’t known for their UV stability. Over time if in unprotected sunlight they can dramatically fade. This would lead to a patchy finish – just imagine having a permanent car shaped mark on your driveway!

Also epoxy floor paints have a pot life. Pot life is the technical term for how long after mixing both components the paint becomes unusable as it has cured in the container. If you have never used a two pack paint before, having a first attempt outdoors in what could be a large area is not a good idea!

However, at the other end of the market, professional contractors use epoxy floor paints on areas like car park decks or as a balcony coating. These contractors are professionals; they usually have a team of people and are qualified to use these high end products. And with high end 25 year plus life expectancy products, there are normally high end prices.

Have a look at these other blogs for further external floor paint advice:

Can I Paint My Patio With Masonry Paint?

In short, no. Masonry paint is designed for vertical walls – it doesn’t have the durability to handle foot traffic. We do however have a comprehensive category of quality patio paints available here:

https://www.promain.co.uk/driveway-patio-paints-and-sealers.html

Conclusion

If you know how to paint a garage floor, then painting concrete flooring outside should be easy enough for you. Just remember to follow the products guidance from preparation to application to ensure the project is a success.

If you have any questions about garage paint, or anything else regarding paint, contact our technical team on 01462 421333.

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