Because garages are so important for protecting our cars and storing other items, knowing whether you need garage floor replacement is a big deal. Like any other surface made from concrete, garage floors will show signs of wear after a while.
However, there are certain signs that demonstrate that you need to replace your garage floor sooner rather than later. Read on to learn more about these circumstances.
Your Garage Floor Simply Looks Bad
Garage floors aren’t one of the areas that you probably give a lot of attention to. However, garage floors take a lot of abuse that can wear them down over time. Vehicles being parked, tools getting dropped, and spills from gas, oil, or chemicals can all damage floors.
If you ever use your garage for weekend projects, this may be a good reason to consider having a new floor. There are enough custom options for concrete, including different colors, that you won’t run out of options when making a choice.
One common problem with many garage floors is that the installation was done incorrectly. When the floor was not installed right, to begin with, the most common effect may be a poor floor appearance. Having the floor replaced is usually the best way to fix this problem.
Garage Floor Replacement May Be Best If Your Floor is Sinking
Having a garage floor that appears to be sinking probably also requires garage floor replacement. Either a sinking floor or a floor that seems uneven signals potential trouble. In most cases, the underlying problem is poor drainage.
Sometimes, these floors will crack, chip, or crumble. If drainage is at the root of the problem, this could lead to structural damage affecting the rest of your home. Floors that are sinking that also have signs of damage can result in standing water.
One of the things you’ll need to think about is how to handle any drainage issues if you should need to have the floor replaced. Your concrete contractor will be in the best position to give you advice on this issue. Using a contractor with sufficient experience makes it easier to ensure these issues are taken care of properly, instead of trying to deal with them on your own and possibly having things go wrong.
Your Floor is Not Holding Up to Its Demands
Although wear and tear are normal, signs of extreme wear, including brittle floors, indicate possible trouble. One of the possible reasons for severe wear is the floor not having been installed properly. A new floor is the best remedy for this situation because everything will be installed properly.
Sometimes, garage floors are installed only over dirt, instead of a stable foundation like compacted gravel. If the garage floor has not been reinforced properly, this can also cause issues involving sinking. Having a professional who handles concrete check out your floor can help you decide what needs to be done.
Because concrete is a porous material, it absorbs water easily due to humidity, as well as snowmelt. The freezing and thawing cycle causes the concrete to expand and contract. Some of the cracking that occurs because of this cycle may make your floors less stable.
Replacement is usually the best solution to help preserve stability. A new floor will have all the necessary reinforcements to help ensure that everything holds together as expected. The costs of a new floor are likely smaller than the costs of repairing the damage caused else because of instability.
Johnson Concrete handles all the concrete work that your home may need, including garage floors. Contact us today to find out more about the garage floor replacement.