As we say fairly regularly: when you’re preparing your property for sale, remember that your garage is part of the deal. It’s easy to forget to work on this important part of your house because we don’t usually spend much time there. Nevertheless, a garage can be an important selling point. When it comes to property styling for sale, making your garage as attractive as possible should certainly be on your list of things to do.
If your garage and your house have any age on them, it’s probable that the garage floor has seen better days. Cracks and stains can devalue a garage’s worth considerably. If yours needs help, we have a few suggestions to help make this section of your property package shine.
As always, the prep work will make the difference in the end, so don’t neglect it. Begin by:
Patching Cracks
• Using a chisel and hammer, undercut the crack. By making the underside of the crack wider, it will help to hold your patch in place.
• Using a wire brush, clean the crack thoroughly. Sweep away the dirt and debris then follow up with a vacuum to make sure no loose particles are around to mess up your fix.
• Coat the surface of the crack with concrete bonding adhesive, and then allow it to dry thoroughly.
• Follow the instructions on your concrete repair kit precisely to mix the sand.
• Use a trowel or other tool to fill the crack completely with your repair mix.
• Smooth and level the surface to match the surrounding floor.
• Allow your patch to cure undisturbed according to the kit’s instruction.
Cleaning Stains
When it comes to oil stains on garage floors, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Wipe up grease and oil stains when they happen to save you lots of work later. If, however, you’ve been less than careful in keeping your garage floor clean, you must clean and remove the stains before you apply any coating to the surface. Here’s how to clean up old stains.
• Dirt, oil, and grease are the most common causes of stains on garage floors. Usually any one of the cleaners you find that are specifically formulated for such tough jobs will do the trick. Find these heavy-duty cleaners at your hardware or home improvement store then follow the directions.
• If you’re removing a different kind of stain such as paint, rust, or even mildew, you will probably need a different product. Read the labels and follow the directions.
• Test the cleaner. Some cleaners are so thorough they can leave you with a different sort of stain: a big clean spot that shows up like a sore thumb. Test the product in an out-of-the-way corner before you start the bigger job.
• Follow the step-by-step instructions just as they are written. The chemists who created the cleaner know better than anybody else how their product is meant to work.
• If, when all is said and done, you can still see the stain, repeat the process until it meets the requirements listed on the label of your choice of floorcovering or coating.
It’s possible that after patching and cleaning your garage floor, you find it looking good. We still suggest that you show it to your home stager. Remember, your garage will be a significant selling point and doing the proper property styling for sale will help you get the full measure of it’s worth. Your stager will also be happy to advise you about next steps if they are necessary.
If your stager thinks painting or otherwise covering your clean and patched garage floor is necessary or will work to increase your home’s value, by all means paint it, tile it or stain it.
Look for more information on floor coatings soon on this blog. Meanwhile, know that properly preparing your property for listing can work wonders for your final sale price, so don’t hesitate to ask the other members of your sales team what they suggest. You can rely on the advice of your selling agent and your professional house stager when it comes to property styling for sale.
