epoxy coated floor problems
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,381
Likes: 43
From: severn md
Worked in new car dealers for 20 years and the epoxy flooring came up in the service bays all the time. They were recoated every 3-5 years or so. I have epoxy in my garage (6 years) and it looks bad where the cars sit. I have even had the motorcycle tires lift it.
I just contacted the Sams supplier and am having a sample piece of the interlocking flooring sent to me. If it is not up to Sport Deck quality, I'll go with Sport Deck or Sears.
No more epoxy for me.
I just contacted the Sams supplier and am having a sample piece of the interlocking flooring sent to me. If it is not up to Sport Deck quality, I'll go with Sport Deck or Sears.
No more epoxy for me.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,519
Likes: 194
From: O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A! Oklahoma!
It's all about the prep. Nothing else matters. And be sure you let it cure, well. I used an industrial grade epoxy from Sherwin Williams and it has been AWESOME, but I spent a lot more time prepping the floor with degreasers, scrubbing, and etching than I did applying the epoxy and then waited 2 weeks before letting anything on it.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 16,025
Likes: 1,656
From: Toronto, Canada
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
I do mine myself and I can get at least two years out of it even in salty Canada.
If you can get the contractor to come back, put some cardboard where your tires go on the floor for a while before exposing the floor to the hot tires. I also park the car outside, wait for the tires to cool, then pull into the garage a couple of hours later. Good luck.
If you can get the contractor to come back, put some cardboard where your tires go on the floor for a while before exposing the floor to the hot tires. I also park the car outside, wait for the tires to cool, then pull into the garage a couple of hours later. Good luck.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,276
Likes: 8
From: Tucson AZ
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 469
Likes: 0
From: santa clarita ca
If the aggravation is worth it to you money wise, notify the clown in writing, file a compaint with the California State Contractors License Board, take the guy to small claims for all costs associated with your floor, including temporary remedies, removal and correct installation, assuming that the small claims dollar limitations are adequate. You will win.
Collecting is usually the difficult part. The best way is to lien his bank account (if he has one). If he is a licensed contractor, he has to have a bond posted with the state. The CSCLB will have a record of that bond and it is likely in an amout sufficient to cover your claim. Another way to collect is to file a claim against that bond. That is sometimes easier said than done. Bonding companies are like insurance companies, they often obstruct payment of valid claims.
If the clown is not a licensed contractor, have him arrested.
Here's a few real basic precautions that you should take before letting anybody work on your house:
1. Get a copy of their valid contractor's license.
2. Get a copy of their valid business license to work in your city (if they don't have one, some municipalities have been known to bill you for it).
3. Get an insurance certificate indicating adequate limits and naming you additionally insured (that gives you a claim against their insurance company if they perform their work negligently).
4. Get a recordable lien release before you pay them (they can send you bogus bills and record liens against your property which are difficult to remove and make it difficult to sell).
If they have a problem with any of those items, show them the driveway immediately. They are flakes, period.
Collecting is usually the difficult part. The best way is to lien his bank account (if he has one). If he is a licensed contractor, he has to have a bond posted with the state. The CSCLB will have a record of that bond and it is likely in an amout sufficient to cover your claim. Another way to collect is to file a claim against that bond. That is sometimes easier said than done. Bonding companies are like insurance companies, they often obstruct payment of valid claims.
If the clown is not a licensed contractor, have him arrested.
Here's a few real basic precautions that you should take before letting anybody work on your house:
1. Get a copy of their valid contractor's license.
2. Get a copy of their valid business license to work in your city (if they don't have one, some municipalities have been known to bill you for it).
3. Get an insurance certificate indicating adequate limits and naming you additionally insured (that gives you a claim against their insurance company if they perform their work negligently).
4. Get a recordable lien release before you pay them (they can send you bogus bills and record liens against your property which are difficult to remove and make it difficult to sell).
If they have a problem with any of those items, show them the driveway immediately. They are flakes, period.
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Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 14,555
Likes: 1,255
From: Saint Albans, WV
he does have a contractor lic#. i did check it online through the website for that. he is insured up 10k. i'll have to look further into this. i have called him now, 5 times over the course of 2 weeks and have left messages w/ his answering service and his cell phone. not one call back.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 120
Likes: 7
From: Escanaba Michigan
i am building a 30 x40 garage this spring with concrete floor and in floor heat. i like the looks of the epoxied floors but don't want to have the same troubles that i have heard of here. what do you guys recommend for flooring that will look as good but not peel up? i don't think i can afford to tile the entire garage and don't really want to use a race deck style floor. nothing against the race deck style flooring, i just not the look i want. what do you guys think????
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 924
Likes: 7
From: Smith River CA
IMO the real solution to the epoxy problem is not to use it. Just read all these posts and you will get a sense of how touchy it is. Epoxy is just not worth the headaches.
The real solution is grinding and polishing. They first do a surface grind to get it flat smooth and expose the aggregate. Then they do a surface polish to make it shiny. Looks beautiful and will last forever.
The real solution is grinding and polishing. They first do a surface grind to get it flat smooth and expose the aggregate. Then they do a surface polish to make it shiny. Looks beautiful and will last forever.
1st Gear
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 11,973
Likes: 463
From: Tonawanda New York
Pro
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 616
Likes: 193
From: Gilbert AZ
I had my 3200 sq ft shop floor epoxied about 5 years ago. The contractor I used had done work for aircraft manufacturers and GM. He also had done a bunch of local airplane hangers. I contacted a few of those customers before choosing them. The floor was prepped with a diamond grit floor sander. Tests were done for moisture content and Ph before any coating was applied. The epoxy used was a two part system, and the base color coat was laid down, then a day or two later a second color coat was applied. A day or two after that came the urethane clear coat. The floor regularly sees car, truck and motorcycle tires, as well as a forklift. I have spilled fuel, oil, and brake fluid on it, and it all just wipes off. I had a car leak brake fluid which sat on the floor for almost a month unnoticed, and no problems with the epoxy.
The process was far more involved than I expected, and it was not cheap. (About 1.80 dollars per sq foot) Five years later, the floor still looks like new, except where I have accidentally damaged it by dropping heavy steel things on it from several feet. In those spots, the coating remained intact, but the concrete was gouged. Maybe next year I will have the same company come in and repair the damaged spots, and all will be new again.
I love how easy to clean it is, and the smooth glossy look makes the whole shop look better. I would do epoxy again in a heartbeat. I greatly prefer it to the Racedeck type of flooring.
Garry
The process was far more involved than I expected, and it was not cheap. (About 1.80 dollars per sq foot) Five years later, the floor still looks like new, except where I have accidentally damaged it by dropping heavy steel things on it from several feet. In those spots, the coating remained intact, but the concrete was gouged. Maybe next year I will have the same company come in and repair the damaged spots, and all will be new again.
I love how easy to clean it is, and the smooth glossy look makes the whole shop look better. I would do epoxy again in a heartbeat. I greatly prefer it to the Racedeck type of flooring.
Garry
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 11,973
Likes: 463
From: Tonawanda New York