http://www.remodeling-trade.com/classic-car-restoration-reno/
My Garage Is A Showcase Thanks To Polished Concrete Floors
When we had our home renovated, my wife insisted on a concrete countertop in the kitchen. At first I thought she was joking. I was expecting Corian or marble or polished granite, but she completely caught me off guard. Then again, the kitchen designer caught me off guard too. When I finally decided that my wife was serious about going with concrete countertops, I was ecstatic. I figured you slap up a quick form, buy a few bags of concrete mix from the hardware store, add some water, pour and voila! Something that drop dead simple should be cheaper than laminate. Then the designer comes in and starts going through the options and costs. By the time all was said and done, I wished she would have settled for the granite instead -I’m sure it would have been cheaper. I have to admit, the kitchen looks good, though. The concrete has been polished to a high shine and it looks very unique.
When it came time to fix up the garage, I had an Ace to play. The concrete looked so good in the kitchen; wouldn’t that same high gloss finish just make my garage? I should mention that I pretty much live in that garage. I’m a bit of a car nut. I don’t have enough to officially call it a collection, but I do have a four bay detached with two classic cars in mint condition (a Jag XJ and a 1971 Beetle convertible), and a third (1988 VW Scirocco) currently in the process of being restored. I have a lot of tools, a lot of equipment and I can make a real mess in my work area. Since I’d signed off on the kitchen reno, my wife agreed to a garage overhaul and I had two major objectives: clean up the “display” area to better show off my completed cars and make it easier to keep the work area clean.
It turns out that I was right about the finish for the garage floor. I repainted the walls, finally had the ceilings drywalled, installed coordinated shelves, cabinets and work benches, but when I walk into that space, my favorite part is the floors. I had a crew come in and strip the accumulated gunk off my existing concrete floor. Then they treated the concrete with a hardener and finally polished the surface with a diamond grinder. The result was phenomenal. Everything gleams and the cars are reflected in that floor. Spills clean up more easily and with that fantastic gleam, I’m a little more motivated to be careful and keep it looking that way.
About the Author
Classic auto blogger Ken Hart is a new fan of polished concrete floors. A recently completed project that rejuvenated the floors in his garage, turning it into a showcase for his car collection features polished concrete. Ken can be contacted for advice on car, floors or anything in between using the following information: 10801 Johnston Road; Suite #215; Charlotte, NC 28226, Toll Free: 877-LIQUID1.
Eddie Van Halen’s Cars