Will De-Icers Damage Your Garage Floor Coating?

Winter isn’t coming – winter is here, and with it, so too are freezing temperatures and icey driveways. It’s time to put de-icers on your driveway and sidewalk in order to keep them safe to walk on. However, you may wonder if said de-icers can damage your garage floor coatings. Salt and chemicals get on your shoes and on the tires of your car, and ergo, get tracked over your garage floor coating.

Is this something to be concerned about? Can a garage floor coating withstand the salt and chemical de-icers we use in order to keep our property safe during the winter? Or do you need to be careful with your garage floor coating around these substances?

Here’s what you need to know about if de-icers will damage your garage floor coating and what you can do to keep both yourself and your investment protected throughout the long, cold, winter months.

Will De-Icers Damage Your Garage Floor Coating?

First things first, the reason why you clicked onto this article in the first place. Chemical de-icers can indeed damage your garage floor coating. 

This is due to a number of different factors. When you first had your floor coating installed, the installers likely told you how you can maintain it and keep it in good condition. If they know their stuff, they would have told you to steer clear of chemical cleaners, as these can damage your garage floor coating over time. When you clean your garage floor coating, you only want to use natural cleaners, like Simple Green, diluted with water.

Why De-Icers Can Damage Your Floor Coating

For some people, it’s enough to get a yes or no answer to their question, but for others, they need to understand why the answer is what it is. As mentioned above, there are a few different reasons why de-icers can damage your floor coating.

#1. They’re Left To Sit

This is the same way in which chemical cleaners can damage your floor coating. If left to sit on your floor coating, they’ll start to corrode its surface. You can help to avoid or minimize damage by ensuring that you clean it up right away. Over time, the effects become more dire.

#2. What They Do To Snow And Ice

Have you heard about how road salt and chemical de-icers can damage your concrete? This is largely because of what these do to the snow and ice that you’re trying to get rid of. They speed up the freeze-thaw process, which in turn causes your very porous concrete to absorb more moisture than it can take. This can lead to damage, like concrete cracks.

When it comes to your floor coating, floor coatings generally help to protect your concrete from the aforementioned moisture. This is still the case during the winter, however, just as you should have a mind to the type of cleaner that you use on them, you should also be careful of the type of de-icers that you use.

Otherwise, you could end up shortening the lifespan of your floor coating by subjecting it to heavier wear and tear and harsher elements.

What Is The Best Type Of De-Icer To Use To Protect Your Floor Coating?

Your floor coating is already something of a life-saver, in and of itself come the winter months. If you have a grit additive, it has more traction than a normal concrete floor, which is safer to walk on. Plus, it forms a protective layer between your concrete and the elements, so that you don’t have to worry so much about the damage that can result from chemical de-icers and winter weather.

That said, there are better types of de-icers to use whether or not you have a floor coating in order to keep your property in good condition. Plain sand can provide some traction, as well as a natural solution to your winter woes. You may also opt for a non-corrosive de-icer. 

Should you use road salt or chemical to rid your sidewalks and driveways of snow and ice, be sure to clean it away as soon as is reasonable in order to minimize the potential for damage.

Do You Want To Prevent Damage To Your Floor Coating?

Solid Custom Floor Coatings is here to help. Contact us today to learn more about how you can maintain your floor coating throughout the winter months so that you can enjoy it for as long as possible.