It’s winter time again. There’s snow all over the place, icicles in the trees, and the garage floor is beginning to crack. It’s not just your garage, either; concrete of all types begin to show lines and crack when the freezing temperatures hit.

Your Concrete Garage Floor Will Happily Absorb Any Liquid

Just like anything else concrete, a concrete garage floor is porous. Therefore, any type of liquid gets soaked right up. I am sure you have seen this yourself if you have ever changed your own oil without a garage floor covering of some sort, and noticed that even a drop of oil will turn in to a nice, permanent stain. You can take some comfort in the fact that everyone’s concrete garage floors have the same issue. Garage flooring that is uncovered will also absorb water. This doesn’t sound bad, since water doesn’t stain. However, during the winter months, water can have an unexpected effect…

Garage Floor

A Frigid Saboteur

Water, of course, freezes. Most people know that things usually contract as they become colder, and while water is no exception, it also becomes solid. No, ice itself is not stronger than concrete, but tiny pieces of solid ice peppered within the concrete will add solidness where it’s not supposed to be. This will result in a concrete garage floor that exhibits unusual rigidity. This can be a very destructive thing as the concrete contracts, which is what it will do as it gets cold.

Moisture Is Always Incredibly Tenacious

Your first thought will be to always make sure the garage door is closed. That won’t always help, though. Humidity is also in the air, and will find ways to seep in to the garage floor, no matter how well sealed it is. There is no such things as a waterproof garage (is there?), so every garage floor can be compromised by moisture, no matter how protected they seem. Moisture will also get to the concrete from the ground, on the underneath and the sides, but that largely depends on the area you are in, how often it rains, and if water tends to stand against the garage, as well as the height of your area’s water table.

A Garage Floor Covering Could Have Prevented This Problem!

Garage floor coverings, such as mats and tiles, can help protect your concrete and keep it from cracking. Although there is really nothing you can do about the moisture that comes in from the sides and bottom of your concrete, that is really only a small portion of what you need to worry about. The majority comes from above. An epoxy garage floor coating will seal the top of your garage floor against moisture, keeping it out almost entirely. Even a garage floor covering such as a mat or tiles will help as they will absorb much of the moisture themselves.

Will A Garage Floor Covering Help If I Know Moisture Wasn’t To Blame?

You will still see benefits, yes. With the exception of the big fireball in the sky, which has little effect on a covered garage, the majority of your garage floor’s warmth is going to come from the ground. Using a covering or coating can help contain this warmth, which will make the garage floor stay warmer, and hopefully not crack.

Check out Sweet Garage Floor for more garage flooring information.