As the weather gets colder and the snow starts to fall, rock salt and other elements become a problem for your concrete garage floor. Besides the drips from your car such as oil and gasoline, rock salt and gravel can damage the concrete surface of the floor. But there is a solution. You can apply a sealer to the floor to help protect it against the elements. Here are the steps to do the job.

How to get it done

Tools: 4-inch wide synthetic brush, Mr. Long Arm Roller, painter's tape, boots, bucket and rubber gloves

Materials: Sealer

1. Make sure the concrete is etched, clean and dry. After the sealer has been mixed in a bucket, lay painters tape down in a square for a test patch. Apply the sealer and let dry to make sure you will like the color. You can also include an anti-skid additive to the sealer mix, because sealers may make the concrete slick.

2. Use the painters tape around the perimeter of the garage to protect the walls. Then use a good quality 4-inch synthetic brush to coat the floor with sealer.

3. Use a Mr. Long Arm roller to apply an even coat of sealer to the rest of the floor. Do small sections at a time. Always work in the same direction and do not work on the same area once the coating has partially dried. Allow the surface to dry for about 8 to 12 hours.

4. Once the first coating has dried, apply the second coat at 90 degrees from the first coat. This is to avoid lap marks.