How To Paint A Basement Floor: Epoxy, Sealers & Color Ideas

Basement floor paint or floor coating is a good idea for several reasons.

First and foremost, you’ll see a huge improvement of light being distributed in the space by painting the dull gray concrete floor rather than a dark gray concrete floor.

Painting your concrete, in return, will improve the atmosphere, so your space is a lot more inviting and functional.

Choosing the right type of paint for concrete floor will also add a protective layer to the floor painting and make it stronger, more durable, and more resilient.

Some paints can even give your flooring a waterproof protective layer that helps deter water and moisture.

We’ll focus on the types of paints and the painting procedure further in our guide.

The process of concrete basement floor paint is divided into 4 steps- preparation, priming, painting, and sealing. But first, let’s go through the tools and supplies you’ll need before jumping in concrete floor painting. Make sure you have:

Before you pour your paint or grab a paint roller on concrete floor, you’ll need to empty your basement of your belongings. By doing this, you’ll also be able to inspect the space for any water damage, including flooding.

As basements are below-grade structures, the possibility of leaks from your drain system and plumbing pipes is incredibly high. Once everything is removed, inspect the space carefully, and be mindful of any unwanted water.

To prepare the surface, make sure to vacuum the space thoroughly so there’s no loose dirt or debris around. Otherwise, dirt will get trapped in the drying concrete paints, and it won’t leave your concrete floor with a smooth result.

Next, mop the floor with water and detergent to remove any fine dust. Place a dehumidifier in the basement for a full 24 hours to remove any moisture from the space before taking the next step.

Once your floor is clean and ready to go, apply painter’s tape to protect your walls from being exposed to primer or paint. A primer will help your paint stay put by providing the right texture for the paint to adhere to.

We recommend using a brush and begin applying the primer around the wall area and on any exposed joints. Then, roll out the primer over the surface of the concrete, and double-check that the whole floor is evenly covered.

Before you apply any paint, let it dry completely. This should be at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. Now that you’re ready to start painting, begin by cutting around the edges of the floor with a paintbrush.

Then, start to apply the paint with a paint roller and work from the furthest corner to the entrance. This will ensure you don’t paint yourself into a corner.

Sealing your newly painted concrete floor is an important step as it adds an extra layer of protection. You should apply the sealer in the same way as the primer and paint- begin with a paintbrush around the edges of the room. Then move to a paint roller for the rest of the concrete floors.

There are often harsh chemicals and strong odors from concrete sealants, so we recommend wearing PPE while applying.

Just as applying concrete paints, you’ll need to prepare the surface by removing your belongings, vacuuming the floor, and cleaning the exposed concrete slab with water and detergent. Be sure to put a dehumidifier on concrete floors in the basement overnight to remove unwanted moisture.

Be sure to purchase an epoxy-based primer before applying the epoxy floor paint. Start with the edges of the room (using a paintbrush). Then roll on the epoxy primer onto the remaining area of the unfinished basement floor. Once an even and uniform coat of primer has been applied, allow it to dry for at least 24 hours.

If there are any cracks or holes visible, you’ll need to fill these in with epoxy grout. Unlike traditional cement grout, epoxy grout does not need to be sealed due to its non-porous nature. So, you can begin the painting process once all cracks and holes are filled.

Now that you’ve finished the prep work, you can start to apply the fresh coat of paint. Pour some well-mixed epoxy paints into a paint tray and begin in the furthest corner from the door. It’s important to work fast and clean up any splatters or blemishes during the painting process so you end up with a professional-looking paint job.

Epoxy paints will take at least 24 hours to fully cure. Once the surface feels hard and resilient (without feeling tacky), then you can add a second coat of epoxy paints. Apply the second coat in the same manner as the first floor coating.

It’s worth mentioning; most unfinished basement floors need 3-4 coats of epoxy paints before they are fully covered. Be sure to allocate enough time to complete this process.

Choosing epoxy for your floor surface will leave it slip-resistant, shock-resistant, and less abrasive than untouched concrete. One of the best features of epoxy flooring is how easy it is to clean and maintain. There’s a wide range of colors and combinations to choose from to suit your basement’s aesthetic.

The one downside to epoxy flooring is that it can be messy and time-consuming to apply. With our tips and tricks below, you can apply epoxy paint effortlessly, and it will result in your basement floor paint looking great.

There are a couple of factors you should consider before choosing the right paint color for your concrete basement’s floor painting. The first thing to consider for floor coating and floor painting is what the space will be used for.

Are you planning to add another bedroom in your concrete basement, or possibly an at-home gym, game room, or movie theater? Each concrete basement style has its own color needs, and a lot depends on how you plan to use your unfinished basement space.

The second point is the amount of lighting in the space. Some basements have access to ground-level windows, which will allow some natural light to brighten the room. If that’s the case, dark or light colors can work without worrying about the room feeling small or confining.

If your basement floors haven’t got natural light, then the light fixtures and color choice becomes more important. Brighter and lighter colors on your concrete floors will help reflect light from your ceiling and will leave your basement feeling less dreary.

There’s a range of paints created for basement concrete flooring, and finding the right one is essential! You can choose a water-based formula if you prefer less harmful chemicals during the application process or an oil-based formula for more color pay-off and durability.

For long-lasting, non-chip paint, we believe the best option is epoxy paint. This acrylic latex paint is mixed with a small amount of epoxy, and it’s ideal for use on concrete flooring thanks to its hard finish and long-lasting durability. 

If you’re working on concrete with pre-existing concrete paint, then add this step before preparing and applying your new color. For epoxy paint, there's no need to remove all of the old paint.

Just be sure to sand lightly to remove any lumps or splatters. Here are our easy-to-follow steps to remove concrete paint from a basement floor.

Once you clear out your basement, clean the basement floors as much as possible by vacuuming and have a premade solution ready to go. This can simply be warm water and detergent mixed together. Use a wire bristle brush and scrub the floor’s surface as much as possible.

You may see some of the old paint beginning to chip after a good cleaning. If that’s the case, scrape off as much as possible. Then, apply the concrete paint stripper to the rest of the area and allow it to set.

Some paint strippers work as quickly as 1-hour, or it may need to be left overnight. Read the instructions of the stripper carefully and follow their guidelines.

With a wide-wired brush, scrub off the loosened paint with a bit of elbow grease. If there's not a lot of paint being removed, there's a good chance it's oil-based paint on the cement. Don’t stress; this means you'll need to re-apply the stripper and repeat the subsequent steps.

Now that you’ve finished scrubbing off the peeling paint, use a pressure washer for concrete etch. As it’s your basement floors, and not in an open outdoor space, we recommend working in small sections and soak up excess water as quickly as possible.

After power washing your concrete floor materials, leave a dehumidifier in your basement overnight, and inspect your floor thoroughly the next day. You might see a concrete patch of paint that are more prominent in specific areas. You can repeat the stripping process of concrete patch to improve its appearance.

Now that all the paint has been removed, give your basement one last clean with water and detergent. Once it’s dry, you’re ready to seal or stain the concrete again.

As you can see, painting concrete flooring is no walk in the park. With the right tools, techniques, and masonry paints, this job will be a whole lot easier.

Whether you’re going for a clean, neutral tone or a dark and luxurious print, we hope our guide gets you to the results of your dreams garage floor.