Epoxy coated shop floor today

[Dave Hammelef]

Well, Today was the day. Basement shop with 5' door at top of stairs to outside. It was raining so I put a tarp over the open doors, well in hind sight the tarp was to big so it was not just a top across the doors but closed off the opeining so no good venting, had fan on med not high by mistake. Do not mix-up 2 gallons of Part A and 2 Gallons of part B at one time. It just takes to long to put down. After finishing that part and nearly passing out. I mix up last gallon of A and B. But I think because it was cooling off around here I did not let it steep long enough cause I can see it bubbling.

Good news is its done. It smells but so far odor has been contained in basement.

The first batch was setting up near the end such that it was pulling my roller apart. The floor is not going to be perfectly flat, but I think once all the tools get in it will be fine.

Sweeped the concrete one last time before epoxying, GLAD i put something down, the amount of dust from sweeping a clean floor was amazing.

Old shop had vinyl tiles which were nice but would have cost to much for this size floor (about 700 sq. feet).

Have blisters on hands one the size of a quarter already popped. Should have worn gloves.

Went to clean up and the 2 gallon containers of paint thinner I had probably had about a pint totall in them. Coleman fuel works (kind of a pricey way to go).

Sorry for the rambling post, I think the fumes are still in the brain.

If anyone does this pour the epoxy on the floor spread it with a squeegy then roll with roller to smooth, works much better.

[Bob_Hammond]

Which brand did you use? I'm thinking of doing my garage, but I noticed Rustoleum makes 2 types. One is an industrial version the other is a homeowner version. The homeowner says that you can't drive on it for 7 days, the industrial is only 4 days. I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to move things around to get the whole garage done.

Bob

[Dave Hammelef]

I used the Sherwin Williams Tile Clad HS. It costs about double the Rustoleum product, but my brother-inlaw works for them so it only cost a bit more for me. This stuff they recomend not putting anything heavy on it for 1-2 weeks.

[Rob Russell]

There is a good article in the current issue of Family Handyman on epoxy-coating a garage floor. It includes a lot of info on prep,application and materials.

Worth a read if you're thinking about doing your shop floor (such as I am too).

Rob

[Scott Greaves]

Hey Dave,

I'm glad to hear it went OK! I'm going to be doing my floor this coming weekend. I spent yesterday doing the cleaning and the acid etch. I'm glad to know it's worthwhile!

Scott.

[Bud North NJ]

I'll be moving into my new slab house in March, the 2 car garage(shop) will probably be poured in Dec or Jan. After 2-3 months of curing, will I have to treat it in any way eg: etch,seal etc before applying a epoxy paint job?

[Dave Hammelef]

I'll be moving into my new slab house in March, the 2 car garage(shop) will probably be poured in Dec or Jan. After 2-3 months of curing, will I have to treat it in any way eg: etch,seal etc before applying a epoxy paint job?

Let the concrete folks know you plan on putting on an epoxy coating. The reason to acid etch, is becouse they will trowel it smooth and not leave it rough enough for good adhesion. My geuss is if you tell them before hands your plans they can leave the top rougher, maybe not but ask. The Acid etch makes the surface like 80 grit sandpaper.

[Bud North NJ]

Thanks for the quick reply Dave, appreciate the info.

[Steve Stube]

Two comments FWIW.

Doing an acid etch piecemeal is not a good idea with shop tools present as the fumes from the meratic acid will attack anything metal nearby and leave it with an undersirable petenia (rusty red).

Putting down a polyethylene vapor barrier before the pour will surely help to keep any enclosed area over concrete drier - good for your tools and good for adheasion of any subsequent concrete top coat.

BTW, I don't (and haven't for more than 40 years) park cars in a shop because then it would be a garage wouldn't it. Bringing a wet, snowy, ice covered, salt ladden hunk of cold steel in to bed down and dry out with my tools seems counterproductive.

[Jamie Buxton]

Mind if I ask a dumb question? That is "Why paint the floor of your garage (or woodshop)?"

Is it just because you want the floor to be a color that isn't grey? After all, concrete itself is stronger than almost any coating, so it doesn't seem like you'd be making the floor any better with the paint.

[Steve Stube]

It's a good question Jamie, one I was itching to ask but figured I gave some enough to ponder already.

Let me comment on why I coated the concrete, at least two rooms, in my detached shop. One room 12' X 14' is where I have 2 lathes 6" Atlas & 12" no name, small Index mill and an Atlas shaper. Yep, mostly for metalwork but the shaper sees wood when I want to square up blocks for holding tool bits or small boxes. In this room I had two objectives; 1. keep the cement dust down, i.e., not let it get in the air where it might find its way to critical machine surfaces - such as lathe and mill ways. 2. coat the surface with a material that would prevent oil and coolants from absorbing in the concrete thus making them easy to wipe up and maintaining the light gray color of the concrete. I used Thompson's or WoodLife's masonary sealer for this - its been too long ago to remember which it was but they are very similar products. Another room the same size (12' X 14') I recently tried a product (new to me) called Thompson Garage Floor Protector on. It is an acrylic latex product and seems to bind the cement such that it sweeps easy and so far there is No Dusting - some call it cement smoke - from sweeping. I don't think it is absorbed into the concrete as deep as the masonary sealer judging from the amount used. It goes on milky white but dries clear and only a hint of any odor. Can says "tire traffic in 24 hours" - not a concern for me. Subsequent applications do build. I used 2/3 gallon for three coats giving it a nice shinny surface. Now we'll hear from the "slip & fall people" but glass like finish is what I was after in this storage room. I bought enough of this product to apply to my woodshop (upstairs) plywood floor in hopes it will improve the sweeping efficiency, make any spills easy to wipe up and as a binder to keep the little hairs from appearing in the higher traffic areas. I've still not decided if I will add any white pigment to brighten the shop - if I do, it will not be enough to cover the wood look of the floor.

[Dave Hammelef]

Mind if I ask a dumb question? That is "Why paint the floor of your garage (or woodshop)?"

Is it just because you want the floor to be a color that isn't grey? After all, concrete itself is stronger than almost any coating, so it doesn't seem like you'd be making the floor any better with the paint.

two no make that three reasons from me.
1) make cleaning easier - sweeping cement creates dust.
2) Brighten room, used White epoxy, and did the walls white, WOW what a difference.
3) It just looks so good.

[David Klug]

two no make that three reasons from me.
1) make cleaning easier - sweeping cement creates dust.
2) Brighten room, used White epoxy, and did the walls white, WOW what a difference.
3) It just looks so good.

Dave what did you use on the walls?

Dave K

[Dave Hammelef]

Dave what did you use on the walls?

Dave K

About 1/2 the walls I used Sherwin WIlliams high perfomance floor enamel. But when I needed more I went to lowes and got there floor enamel for $8 less a gallon (A relative can get employee pricing on Sherwin williams otherwise it would be alot more). After using both the sh w is a much thicker richer finish, for a floor it might matter, for walls I think the lowes stuff will work. But now 2 walls look like wow and the others are just nice. Thats ok the floor job doesnt look awesome either (never mix-up more than 1 kit 1gallon part A, 1 gallon part B per person applying).

I mixed up what amounts to a final 4 gallons (2 kits) and it took me to long to apply so It started to react (also was not using the squegee idea to spread it) before I got it all down, It actually started ripping my roller appart, and now my floor has these white bumps that are soft (pieces of roller) I am sure over time those locations will fail, hopefully either tools or stall mats will be over them and you wont notice. I feel pretty confident now that I could do a garage with no problem. Will find out next year, when I do mine and my parents.

[Brad Schafer]

i know a guy who swears that this stuff won't last on garage floors. supposedly, the bond between paint & concrete deteriorates over time as hot tires sit on a cold floor (particularly in the winter) - eventually, the stuff comes up in ragged sheets, and cleanup/refinish is a real pain. my gut tells me he's exaggerating, but i wonder ...

dave - your application tale reminds me of a coutertop hassle i had several years ago ... we were putting in custom countertops in mid-winter, and i got elected to paint the top and the formica with Hybond NF. (windows closed, of course.) stoned me out of my skull; i was so dizzy that i inadvertently made contact between the top and the formica when we were trying to put the sheet down (big mistake). had to rip the whole thing up.

cost me a saturday to drive the 160 mi round trip to/from the supplier and $50 for the new sheet goods to replace the ruined piece. at least i didn't have to do the replacement "glue".

b