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My new shop will be in the basement with a concrete floor. I was thinking of finishing the floor with a two-part epoxy but I won't be able to rinse off the etching solution. Has anyone had any experience using a one-part epoxy covering? Any other ideas/suggestions for a durable finish on the concrete floor (with a traction enhancer) is greatly appreciated.
When doing my basement the reviews I read made me feel like it would not adhere well if you didn’t grind or etch. Maybe it will be ok in a basement shop, but in a garage I got the impression that automobile tires rolling on it would eventually cause it to fail. A good portion of my machinery is on wheels and on the heavy side. I got cold feet and ended up installing the cheapest interlocking laminate flooring I could find which has its own issues.
What about a bucket & mop plus a wet/dry vac to rinse your floor. A shop I worked in did their floors with a two part epoxy paint and it held up for years and years with heavy foot, fork lift and pallet jack traffic.
Yes use a mop.
Id love a 2 part epoxy floor! Pricey at this sq footage though.
If I were to rinse and mop, I don't know how well I'd get the etching solution off and if that would adversely effect the adherence of the epoxy. I've got about 800 sqft of area so if it would need multiple rinsing and moping, it would become a somewhat arduous task. Thus, the question about alternatives for a durable floor coating.
rent a diamond grinder - around here you can get a grinder plus a heavy vac for about $150 for the weekend
Winner.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kurt Cady
Media blasting does an excellent job as well.
No matter what, there needs to be tooth for the epoxy to mechanically adhere to.
Mechanically abrade it rather than etch. Get a vacuum shrouded tool and the job is done and everything is still dry. More concrete coating failures are due to moisture in the concrete than are due to poor surface preparation.The above suggestion for hiring equipment for the weekend is a good one. If your budget will stand it, use a waterborne epoxy. They have lower odour but any 100% solids coating will be ok. It is added solvents that cause the odour problems. Cheers
The one-part epoxy paint that I used from a big box store has not held up on my basement shop floor despite preparation according to label instructions 4 years ago.
Thanks for all the feedback. I'll research mechanically abrading the surface.