Garage floor painting in Exeter
Professional garage floor painting services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
£210-£360
Typical Duration
4-7 hrs
Location
Exeter, Devon
Garage floor painted with proper floor coating - seals the concrete, resists oil and stains, makes the whole space easier to keep clean. Transforms a dusty garage into a proper workspace.
Stop Living With a Dusty, Stained Floor
Concrete garage floors are rubbish - they stain, they're dusty, spills soak straight in. A proper floor coating changes everything. Suddenly oil spills wipe up, sweeping actually works, and the garage looks like a proper space instead of a grotty cave.
💡 Pro tip: A painted garage floor makes the whole space feel cleaner and more organised. It's psychological - once the floor looks good, you suddenly care about keeping the rest tidy too.
Why Most Garage Floor Paint Fails
DIY garage floor paint peeling off in sheets, tyre marks everywhere, coating that lasts about six months before looking terrible again. Here's why:
| ✅ Done Right | ❌ Done Wrong |
|---|---|
| Floor degreased and etched properly | Paint over oil stains and dust |
| Cracks filled, surface prepped | Slap paint on and hope |
| Proper garage floor paint | Cheapest floor paint from the DIY shop |
| Full cure time before driving on | Drive on it next day because impatient |
What You Get
🔧 The Full Process
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Clean | Floor swept, degreased, oil stains treated |
| Prep | Cracks filled, surface etched for adhesion |
| Prime | Primer coat seals the concrete |
| Coat | Two coats garage floor paint, anti-slip optional |
📦 You're Left With
- Sealed floor that resists oil and stains
- Easy to sweep and keep clean
- Hard-wearing surface for years
Pricing Guide
| Garage Size | Estimated Time | You'll Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Single garage (10x15ft) | 4-5 hrs | £210-£260 |
| Double garage (16x20ft) | 5-7 hrs | £260-£360 |
| Workshop (larger) | Call for quote | Quote |
Based on £60 minimum (first hour) + £50/hr after. Poor condition or extensive repairs adds time. Plus cure time between coats.
Perfect For...
✅ Home garages - stop oil stains soaking into concrete
✅ Workshops - create a clean, professional space
✅ Rental properties - smarten up tired garages cheaply
✅ Pre-sale prep - transforms the space for viewings
Why Choose Us for Garage floor painting in Exeter?
Oil and chemical resistant coating
Easy to sweep and clean afterwards
Hard-wearing finish for car traffic
Seals dusty concrete permanently
What to Expect
Step 1: Clear & Clean
You'll need to empty the garage - I need to get to every bit of floor. Then deep clean - degrease oil patches, sweep everything spotless, treat stubborn stains.
Step 2: Repair & Etch
Fill any cracks or holes with proper filler. Etch the concrete surface so paint bonds properly - this is critical and most DIYers skip it.
Step 3: Paint & Cure
Primer goes down first, then two coats of garage floor paint. Anti-slip grit in the final coat if you want. Then it needs time to cure before you can drive on it - patience required.
🔧 DIY Tips
Garage floor painting is doable DIY, but it's physical work and the prep is everything. If you're up for it:
🔧 What you'll need
- Industrial degreaser
- Concrete etching solution (or muriatic acid)
- Concrete crack filler
- Garage floor paint (not regular floor paint!)
- Primer for concrete
- Roller with extension pole and tray
- Brush for edges
- Optional: anti-slip additive
📐 Prep work (this makes or breaks it)
- Empty the garage completely
- Sweep thoroughly - every speck of dust
- Degrease oil stains with proper industrial degreaser
- Fill cracks and holes with concrete filler, let cure
- Etch the entire floor - this opens the concrete pores for paint adhesion
- Rinse thoroughly and let dry completely (24 hours minimum)
🎨 Painting technique
- Start at the back, work toward the door (don't paint yourself in!)
- Prime first - concrete is thirsty, it needs sealing
- Use a roller on an extension pole for your back's sake
- Brush the edges first, then roller the main area
- Two coats minimum - coverage improves dramatically
- Add anti-slip grit to the final coat if wanted
⚠️ Common DIY mistakes
- Not degreasing properly - paint won't stick to oil
- Skipping the etching step - paint peels off in sheets
- Painting over damp concrete - looks fine for a week then bubbles
- Driving on it too soon - ruins all your work
- Using wrong paint - floor paint, not garage floor paint
💡 Pro trick: Test a small area first. Paint a 1-foot square in a corner, let it cure, then try to scrape it off with a coin. If it comes up easily, your prep wasn't good enough. Better to find out on 1 square foot than the whole floor.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🚗 Car parking: You'll need somewhere else to park for about a week. I know it's inconvenient but it's essential for a lasting finish. Rush the cure time and you'll get tyre marks permanently embedded in the paint.
Colour options? Most people go grey because it hides dirt well. But you can have any colour - light grey shows dust more but looks cleaner when swept, dark grey hides everything.
Existing painted floor? If the old paint is sound, I can paint over it. If it's flaking off in patches, it needs stripping first or the new paint will fail too. I'll assess it honestly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the actual benefit of painting a garage floor?
Bare concrete is porous - it stains from oil, gets dusty, absorbs spills. A proper floor coating seals it completely, making it easy to sweep and wipe clean. Oil spills just wipe up instead of soaking in. Plus it looks a hundred times better.
Can I drive on it and will it hold up to a car?
Absolutely - that's the whole point. Once fully cured (about 5-7 days), it handles car traffic no problem. I use proper garage floor paint designed for this, not regular floor paint that would wear off in weeks.
Does the floor need to be perfect or can you paint over cracks?
Small cracks I'll fill. Big structural cracks should be properly repaired first, but minor surface cracks and chips are fine - I'll fill them as part of the prep. The floor needs to be sound, but it doesn't need to be pristine.
How long before I can use the garage again?
You can walk on it after 24 hours. Full cure for driving on takes about 5-7 days. I know that's inconvenient, but cutting it short means the paint won't last. If you absolutely need to use it sooner, we can work out a schedule to do it in sections.
Will it be slippery when wet?
I can add anti-slip grit to the final coat if you want. Most people don't bother for a garage floor, but if you worry about it being slippery in winter when wet, the grit makes a big difference. Slight texture, not like sandpaper.
Garage floor painting Also Available In:
Get a Free Quote in Exeter
Call us today for a free, no-obligation quote for your garage floor painting job in Exeter.
01392 964094Request Online QuoteOur Rates
Got multiple jobs?
Make the most of your first hour - I can often tackle several small tasks in one visit. List everything you need done when you call!
Why Trust Us
Need Garage floor painting in Exeter?
Get a free quote for your garage floor painting job in Exeter today.