Garage floor coating?
Pro
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 727
Likes: 0
From: Olympia Washington
rtagz had a very good point on the damp or moist floors. My buddy and I both glued down industrial tile in our garages about 4 years ago. We live in the NW and yes it sometimes rains out here, OK I remember a day it didn't. A long story short, our garage floors are for the most part dry, but there is a small amount of water that leaches up through the concrete. This pushes up the calcium and is slowly coming up through the joints.
My thought at this point is even if we used a good quality epoxy it would have still pushed up.
If you live in an area that is damp, make sure your floor doesn't leach, in my opinion both products could be a problem.
I was going to pull the trigger on a race deck type product, but decided that I'm only going to live here a few more years, so I'll keep buffing every summer and laying down more wax.
Just a few more things to think about.
Vinnie
My thought at this point is even if we used a good quality epoxy it would have still pushed up.
If you live in an area that is damp, make sure your floor doesn't leach, in my opinion both products could be a problem.
I was going to pull the trigger on a race deck type product, but decided that I'm only going to live here a few more years, so I'll keep buffing every summer and laying down more wax.
Just a few more things to think about.
Vinnie
Racer
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 492
Likes: 0
From: Minnesota
Use a good commercial quality epoxy. The cheap stuff will not last. Water based epoxy will not last. If your floor is ultra smooth or heavily oil stained you have some work ahead of you. I used Sherman williams and had a very daunting process of cleaning old soaked in oil stains.
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Here is the oil stains that I had to fight with. Luckily my concrete is not ultra smooth, had a good profile for the epoxy to grab to. But the old oil stains was a battle. A product called restore worked the best.
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Not a good picture but the end result. There was a couple little spots where there was still some oil stains, and the epoxy would not stick! Had to kind of really goop it on to cover. So I'm sure I'll have a couple little spots in the future that will lift. If you don't have patients or time, hire somebody to do it and does it regulary. Or go with racedeck or some other type of snap together floor decking. It was a lot more work than I thought. And by the time I was done the extra expense of racedeck seemed much more viable. Don't get me wrong the epoxy looks great and I like it but a lot of work.
[IMG]
[/IMG]Here is the oil stains that I had to fight with. Luckily my concrete is not ultra smooth, had a good profile for the epoxy to grab to. But the old oil stains was a battle. A product called restore worked the best.
[IMG]
[/IMG]Not a good picture but the end result. There was a couple little spots where there was still some oil stains, and the epoxy would not stick! Had to kind of really goop it on to cover. So I'm sure I'll have a couple little spots in the future that will lift. If you don't have patients or time, hire somebody to do it and does it regulary. Or go with racedeck or some other type of snap together floor decking. It was a lot more work than I thought. And by the time I was done the extra expense of racedeck seemed much more viable. Don't get me wrong the epoxy looks great and I like it but a lot of work.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 420
Likes: 23
From: Newton, Wisconsin
I'v had the Rustoleum product down for 3 winters and its done very well, still looks like new. I did a very good job of prepping and it was over 15 year old concrete. It was 1/3 the cost of U-coat-it. I do put down carpet runners in the winter due to studded snow tires on the truck tp prevent damage.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,941
Likes: 0
From: Stealth So Cal GOCC ...comming to invade your neighborhood soon
I looked into these applications also and in the end decided to go with a commercial grade VCT tile in a Black and White pattern for about 1/3rd the cost of the racedeck and far less than the professionally installed epoxy coatings not to mention it's also repairable should something adverse happen.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 661
Likes: 5
From: New Jersey
if it's a floor thats gets any moisture coming thru don't paint it, no matter what type of paint hydrostatic pressure will push the paint off or cause something called eflourecence(white chalky peeling areas) but you may be able to stain it. if you have a local paint store near you not home depot or anything like that go there and ask if they have a moisture meter and if you can borrow it, take a reading of your floor to see if it's a candidate for painting. if it is the floor has to be completely clean you do not need to shot peen unless you cannot clean it or the surface is rough. it will need acid washing, neutralizing with a weak vinegar and water solution and drying time up to a week and using the moisture meter again to make sure moisture is at a safe level. a commercial type epoxy is almost a must IMHO, use a polyamide bonding sealer then 2 cts polyamide 2 stage epoxy, or alaphatic sealer and epoxy, you will need a little aggregate or you'll fall on your butt when it's wet. and you need a respirator, no car for 10 days on new finish. I put this finish in my own garage in 1996 and still looks great, drop tools/no chipping, spill gas not a problem. Benjamin Moore puts out a good commercial/industrial line of these products, and you can tint to alot of different colors. good luck
Last edited by DBL001; Mar 27, 2007 at 05:22 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,420
Likes: 5
From: "This is not a psychotic episode, but a cleansing moment of clarity."
I went with a 5-step epoxy coating on my garage floor just before we moved in three years ago. Had it professionally applied. The stuff is fantastic. And I still have 7 years left on the warranty. It cleans up real easy, too.
Here's a better look at the floor, closer up.
Here's a better look at the floor, closer up.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 155
Likes: 0
From: Massillon Ohio
St. Jude Donor '08
I had my floor painted last summer by a friend that has been in the business of doing floors for over 30 years. First and formost you need a vapor barrier under the cement to stop water from coming up through the floor, he was insistant about it. Next you need to have the surface preped by shot blasting it, it's self defeating to wash it with an acid as you then need to wash it off, which just puts more water in the cement. Next you want to put an epoxy base primer down the use a quality two part epoxy color coat. If decals are to be used then this is the time to apply them and if you are going to want something to help keep the floor from being to slippery and it now before you give it a final coat of Urethane. Do it this way and it will last for years. It's very time consuming and expensive to do it the right way but well worth it.
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Instructor
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 129
Likes: 1
From: Parry Sound Ontario
Finishes on concrete are not predictable unless you do a mositure test. Any finish that seals the concrete will pop off if your floor is not vapor proof.
Not all floors will emit water vapor, there are all kinds of variables due to soil types, water table, etc. Any time a finish is going to be applied to concrete you must have a vapor barrier under the concrete. If not the floor may pass vapor and if it does it will delaminate any type of non water based sealing type finish. Most water based finishes if applied properly will pass mositure without damage. Most vinyl sheet good products will bubble and delaminate, except 1/8 vinyl tile, which is pretty much bullet proof with the correct ahesive. Some types of concrete sealers and curing compounds are not compatible with a lot of finishes as well.
I would suggest you purchase a moisture test kit and follow the directions very carefully. A good flooring contractor can get a kit for you, although you will need a high performance weigh scale that outputs in grams to get the results. After that you can choose the floor finish based on the amount of mositure the floor emits. Any other approach is a lottery as you can see by scanning the results on this forum.
Hope this helps
Not all floors will emit water vapor, there are all kinds of variables due to soil types, water table, etc. Any time a finish is going to be applied to concrete you must have a vapor barrier under the concrete. If not the floor may pass vapor and if it does it will delaminate any type of non water based sealing type finish. Most water based finishes if applied properly will pass mositure without damage. Most vinyl sheet good products will bubble and delaminate, except 1/8 vinyl tile, which is pretty much bullet proof with the correct ahesive. Some types of concrete sealers and curing compounds are not compatible with a lot of finishes as well.
I would suggest you purchase a moisture test kit and follow the directions very carefully. A good flooring contractor can get a kit for you, although you will need a high performance weigh scale that outputs in grams to get the results. After that you can choose the floor finish based on the amount of mositure the floor emits. Any other approach is a lottery as you can see by scanning the results on this forum.
Hope this helps
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
From: Fort Myers Florida
I do concrete coatings professionally and there are a few easy rules i can give any homeowner brave enough to do it themselves...
PREP IS KEY and most homeowners do not have the proper equipment but sometimes you can get by without it (shotblasting is less preferable to grinding because it weakens the concrete)
You get what you pay for!! (especially those joke kits they sell at homedepot they are pretty terrible) If your cost is under 2 dollars a square foot for material you should wonder a bit...
My last piece of advice whether you do it yourself or have a pro do it... it is very expensive in the long run to remove a coating from a botched job and then redoing it. Trust me on this one.
anyone needing specific advice feel free to PM me
-Matt
PREP IS KEY and most homeowners do not have the proper equipment but sometimes you can get by without it (shotblasting is less preferable to grinding because it weakens the concrete)
You get what you pay for!! (especially those joke kits they sell at homedepot they are pretty terrible) If your cost is under 2 dollars a square foot for material you should wonder a bit...
My last piece of advice whether you do it yourself or have a pro do it... it is very expensive in the long run to remove a coating from a botched job and then redoing it. Trust me on this one.
anyone needing specific advice feel free to PM me
-Matt
Last edited by Mlynch21; Apr 5, 2007 at 08:59 AM. Reason: i spell like a 11 year old
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
From: Iowa
Sherwin Williams Silicon Acrylic Concrete Sealer here.... Comes in different colors and can also be tinted. Used the shark grip additive also. It is solvent-based and durable. Can be purchased at Sherwin Williams. I'm happy with it...
http://www.hcconcrete.com/product/3011.asp
http://www.hcconcrete.com/product/3011.asp
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,488
Likes: 4
From: USA
I had my floor painted last summer by a friend that has been in the business of doing floors for over 30 years. First and formost you need a vapor barrier under the cement to stop water from coming up through the floor, he was insistant about it. Next you need to have the surface preped by shot blasting it, it's self defeating to wash it with an acid as you then need to wash it off, which just puts more water in the cement. Next you want to put an epoxy base primer down the use a quality two part epoxy color coat. If decals are to be used then this is the time to apply them and if you are going to want something to help keep the floor from being to slippery and it now before you give it a final coat of Urethane. Do it this way and it will last for years. It's very time consuming and expensive to do it the right way but well worth it.
Had mine done by the home builder who hired a company to do all the houses in the neighborhood who wanted it. After a year I started to see bubbles in the epoxy flooring. Within a year and a half, these bubbles were so big, I would pop them and water would come out.
To make a long story short, when they paid another company to redo the job by someone who knew what they were doing, they did a moisture test on the concrete to know how much vapor barrier to put down. My concrete was almost twice the moisture of normal garages.
Make sure you prep the concrete well and you'll be o.k
IMHO I don't think you want to put down the Homedepot stuff. I had a friend who did and within 6 months it looked like $hit.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,366
Likes: 249
From: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
I used the Ucoatit epoxy floor paint system. It is not hard but does take some time to do right. Using water on the concrete is part of the process so a wet floor is not a problem. It looks fantastic. You can see reflections of the car in the floor and the garage stays much cleaner, so do the cars because there is no concrete dust. It isn't cheap either, it cost me almost $500., but you can do it yourself. It is basically a commercial product packaged for home use. As their ads say, if you want to do it right and do it once! www.ucoatit.com
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
From: Bel Air Maryland
Garage floor coating?
I also have this problem with mine, Only toward the front of the garage. This floor isnt very durable as hot tires sitting on them, dragging stuff etc. I would also suggest a commercial professional install, then you have a warranty and dont have to do it twice.
I want to redo my floor, but I have to get all the epoxy off mine first before I can have it redone. Talk about wasted money.
I want to redo my floor, but I have to get all the epoxy off mine first before I can have it redone. Talk about wasted money.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 23,220
Likes: 3
From: HOUSTON
St. Jude Donor '06 thru '15, '19
Sherwin Williams Silicon Acrylic Concrete Sealer here.... Comes in different colors and can also be tinted. Used the shark grip additive also. It is solvent-based and durable. Can be purchased at Sherwin Williams. I'm happy with it...
http://www.hcconcrete.com/product/3011.asp
http://www.hcconcrete.com/product/3011.asp
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,717
Likes: 0
From: Palmdale CA
St. Jude Donor '06
I used epoxy from www.epoxycoat.com and like others have said, prep is the key. I spent hours prepping the floor and even then, have had some epoxy peel in several places. If I were doing it all over again, I'd have it professionally done so someone other than myself can be held accountable if it peels. 
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
From: Fort Myers Florida
I will try and share my personal project on my own garage when i can get started with it on this thread... since I do coatings professionally i wanted something special at my own home!
long story short i am using polyurea as opposed to epoxy and am doing a custom vette logo in the middle of the garage...
I am going for a black base color with graphite gray/silver and black fleck to go for a carbon fiber type look and the logo will be something like
http://www.cowtownvettes.org/images/...cingL-C6_W.jpg
obviously the blackbackground will be the carbon fiber look...
I just finished framing my garage so i still have a few weeks untill i can really get cooking on the project.
-Matt
long story short i am using polyurea as opposed to epoxy and am doing a custom vette logo in the middle of the garage...
I am going for a black base color with graphite gray/silver and black fleck to go for a carbon fiber type look and the logo will be something like
http://www.cowtownvettes.org/images/...cingL-C6_W.jpg
obviously the blackbackground will be the carbon fiber look...
I just finished framing my garage so i still have a few weeks untill i can really get cooking on the project.
-Matt
Racer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 495
Likes: 0
I'v had the Rustoleum product down for 3 winters and its done very well, still looks like new. I did a very good job of prepping and it was over 15 year old concrete. It was 1/3 the cost of U-coat-it. I do put down carpet runners in the winter due to studded snow tires on the truck tp prevent damage.
Where did you purchase?
