PDA

View Full Version : Garage Floor Coatings



slimjim
03-08-2017, 11:40 AM
I'm turning to PT.com in my time of need, and where better to look for garage help than to people using their garages for the same purpose as me!

I've just purchased my first home and one thing that was a must for me was a nice garage, And after drywall, painting and installing new lights I'm ready to coat the floor..
But this rabbit hole goes so much deeper than I ever anticipated.
I've spent the last week on my hands and knees cleaning + scraping the 10 year old concrete, degreasing, pressure washing, etching, pressure washing, repairing cracks, and just for the hell of it, I may etch and degrease it one more time...
I've also purchased, and then quickly returned some Sherwin Williams water-based garage floor kit, and continued to spend every night researching all of the products available, and pretty much found problems with all of them.

It seems like there are two options, being either to purchase a ready-made kit from lowes or home depot (rustoleum Rocksolid is probably the best), OR step up to industrial grade epoxy, however the price step is significant and probably not justified in a 2.5 car garage I may only own for a short number of years.

So if you have coated your garage floor in the past or dealt with these products, please share your opinion.
I think my needs are quite basic, I don't really need the coating to do anything other than look nice, but I'd like to roll a jack around, possibly put the car on stands now and then, it would be nice to have a product that could hold up to this.

PICTURES ARE VERY WELCOME

68EFIvert
03-08-2017, 12:49 PM
I used Epoxy Coat after much research. My floor has been down for 5+ years now and holding up well. The clear top coat tends to yellow where exposed to the light so keep that in mind when selecting a color. Here is a link to the product.
http://www.epoxy-coat.com/residential
I has held up well to welding (small burn spots where slag falls) and is easy to clean up. I even had paint overspray on it and cleaned it off with some pretty aggressive solvents and it held up fine. Heck it has even stood up to a master cylinder that was leaking brake fluid for months without problems.

Razzor67
03-08-2017, 01:43 PM
Sherwin Williams also makes a commercial grade floor epoxy. I use it in my shop it covers about 12000 square feet and has held up well for the last 14 years.
Ray

slimjim
03-08-2017, 02:04 PM
I used Epoxy Coat after much research. My floor has been down for 5+ years now and holding up well. The clear top coat tends to yellow where exposed to the light so keep that in mind when selecting a color. Here is a link to the product.
http://www.epoxy-coat.com/residential
I has held up well to welding (small burn spots where slag falls) and is easy to clean up. I even had paint overspray on it and cleaned it off with some pretty aggressive solvents and it held up fine. Heck it has even stood up to a master cylinder that was leaking brake fluid for months without problems.

I spent the hour prior to starting this thread reading up on epoxy coat and it is probably top of my list, a few repetitive bad reviews caused me to enquire. bud good to know what it can withstand. Did you use the flakes? its controversial that they use them on top of a single coat, but you're saying you also used a clear coat. I have a windowless garage so I shouldn't have a yellowing issue.


Sherwin Williams also makes a commercial grade floor epoxy. I use it in my shop it covers about 12000 square feet and has held up well for the last 14 years.
Ray

Sherwin Williams commercial grade rexthane and 1000hs are also considerations, I have their SDS sheets and it threw me off that they say they may exhibit tyre marks, which could just be them covering their a**es seeing that it is very popular for commercial use.

parsonsj
03-08-2017, 02:37 PM
I'm interested too -- this is a timely subject for me. I've got a new shop that will be ready in 6-8 weeks, and I'm wondering the same thing, and have done the same research. DIY is somewhat important, but the key for me is that it stand up to steel wheels (floor jack, crane, saw on casters, welders on carts, etc.).

Rucumn
03-08-2017, 04:18 PM
It has been 20 years, but I used to apply an industrial grade epoxy called Tile Clad which was sold at Sherwin Williams stores. I had a job one summer to coat an airplane assembly building with over 400k sq ft with the two part epoxy. We first track-blasted the concrete, then we coated with a nickel color. We did not put on the clear coat, but I would recommend it. The stuff was pretty expensive at around $60/gal that many years ago. Strong stuff though.

ford396
03-08-2017, 04:49 PM
138065

I would not personally use any product that you can buy as a consumer at say Home Depot. It will look good for a little while but if you intend to use the garage, it will not hold up. This picture is part of the auto lab that I just renovated at our college

Build-It-Break-It
03-08-2017, 10:04 PM
I've heard of people using tiles that are used in grocery stores? I wanted to redo my shop to but nothing I've looked up seems to hold up in a shop. I've used the home Depot stuff in a garage and it only lasked 2 years or less.

parsonsj
03-09-2017, 06:19 AM
I would not personally use any product that you can buy as a consumer at say Home Depot. It will look good for a little while but if you intend to use the garage, it will not hold up. This picture is part of the auto lab that I just renovated at our college I would agree, in general. Any clue what is coating the floor of the shop in your photo?

Tincup
03-09-2017, 08:22 AM
Sherwin Williams also makes a commercial grade floor epoxy. I use it in my shop it covers about 12000 square feet and has held up well for the last 14 years.
Ray

I also have the Sherwin Williams commercial, absolutely love it, 9 years later and not a mark. Not even from my scissor lift steel wheels rolling back and forth with a car on it.

68EFIvert
03-09-2017, 09:22 AM
I spent the hour prior to starting this thread reading up on epoxy coat and it is probably top of my list, a few repetitive bad reviews caused me to enquire. bud good to know what it can withstand. Did you use the flakes? its controversial that they use them on top of a single coat, but you're saying you also used a clear coat. I have a windowless garage so I shouldn't have a yellowing issue.

My floor is grey with the 3 color blue/gray/white chips. The yellowing on my floor is from leaving the garage doors open. If I were to do it again I would use the beige floor to hide this a bit more. The floor hold up to just about everything I have thrown at it. About the only thing that has caused damage is when something hits it hard enough to chip or scrape the concrete. You can scratch it if you have something sharp sliding on it but sliding floor jacks, jack stands and that kind of stuff doesn't damage the floor. I did my 5 car garage in a few hours and then put the clear coat on the next day.

I will say that if you are pouring the floor make sure it is clean and there is not a sealer coat on the floor. My builder put a sealer coat on the floor without checking with me and I spent an entire weekend with a diamond grinder taking it off. That really sucked! Like sheetrock work I will hire someone to do that if I ever have to do it again.

slimjim
03-09-2017, 09:56 AM
I also have the Sherwin Williams commercial, absolutely love it, 9 years later and not a mark. Not even from my scissor lift steel wheels rolling back and forth with a car on it.


From what you can remember did you use the two-part epoxy or their single component product? they were raving about the single component being better than the two-part and the rep had applied all 3 of their products on a section out back to compare and the finish between the 2 were identical. The 3rd was just a waterbed epoxy not recommended for a garage.
Price wise it's the same.


My floor is grey with the 3 color blue/gray/white chips. The yellowing on my floor is from leaving the garage doors open. If I were to do it again I would use the beige floor to hide this a bit more. The floor hold up to just about everything I have thrown at it. About the only thing that has caused damage is when something hits it hard enough to chip or scrape the concrete. You can scratch it if you have something sharp sliding on it but sliding floor jacks, jack stands and that kind of stuff doesn't damage the floor. I did my 5 car garage in a few hours and then put the clear coat on the next day.

I will say that if you are pouring the floor make sure it is clean and there is not a sealer coat on the floor. My builder put a sealer coat on the floor without checking with me and I spent an entire weekend with a diamond grinder taking it off. That really sucked! Like sheetrock work I will hire someone to do that if I ever have to do it again.

That's good to know, I actually hadn't considered the benefit of the yellowing appearance on the beige floor. I was planning on the gray until now. I've already etched my concrete, I'm not entirely happy it is uniform so I will do it again. But mine is just a 2.5 car garage.

ford396
03-09-2017, 06:01 PM
Polyurea coating over ground and primed concrete. Three coats of clear. It is holding up to the students well. I have the same system in my shop that sees a lot of repair work. The only issue I have with it is stones. They get stuck in a wheel of say a jack or oil drain and scratch the floor. Consider this when selecting the color and chip system. Go with full chip.

Jk918
03-09-2017, 08:22 PM
Some good info here thanks for the input, will be a good reference

slimjim
03-10-2017, 05:48 AM
I've decided to go with the Sherwin Williams Rexthane I floor coating for several reasons:-
1. It has the least negative reviews. And has been recommended by several people who have personally used it, one of which does garage floors for a living.
2. I have seen it personally applied out back SW in comparison to 2 other products, and the rep is easily contactable.
3. It is sold by the gallon for $109, 1 gallon can cover up to 537sq/ft. 2 gallons plus a clear coat, plus decorative flakes will be similar price to epoxy-coat without the concern of coming up short.
4. I can apply it how I like, with or without flakes, with or without clear, to get the desired finish I want and all products can be bought separately to do so.

It sounds perfect for my use, as I said previously I have thoroughly cleaned and prepped the floor, I have etched the concrete but am not entirely satisfied so I will be doing it again today with a different product. hoping to get a coat on this weekend should we not get snow here in NC, 2 days later I can decide if I want a second coat and/ or clear coat.

OLDFLM
03-10-2017, 07:18 AM
Please post pics of your process, progress and final result!

slimjim
03-10-2017, 10:14 AM
Please post pics of your process, progress and final result!

no problem, but there has already been a change of plan, I decided to go with the 2-part epoxy Armorseal 1000HS from Sherwin williams, I spoke to the rep again, he stated It is guaranteed to hold up to hot tire pick-up even from high-performance tires.
It is also a thicker product meaning only one coat in comparison to the other products available. its about $100 for a gallon on part A and $100 for part B which will cover 600-700 sq/ft. Perfect for my 2.5 car garage.
The second concrete etch has been done and I am drying it now, Once temperature exceeds 50 degrees tomorrow morning I will start..

Tincup
03-10-2017, 10:51 AM
no problem, but there has already been a change of plan, I decided to go with the 2-part epoxy Armorseal 1000HS from Sherwin williams, I spoke to the rep again, he stated It is guaranteed to hold up to hot tire pick-up even from high-performance tires.
It is also a thicker product meaning only one coat in comparison to the other products available. its about $100 for a gallon on part A and $100 for part B which will cover 600-700 sq/ft. Perfect for my 2.5 car garage.
The second concrete etch has been done and I am drying it now, Once temperature exceeds 50 degrees tomorrow morning I will start..

That's what I used Armourseal 1000hs. Plan on 2 coats, no clear or flakes (you'll thank me next time you drop something ).

parsonsj
03-10-2017, 11:57 AM
I decided to go with the 2-part epoxy Armorseal 1000HS from Sherwin williams, I spoke to the rep again, he stated It is guaranteed to hold up to hot tire pick-up even from high-performance tires. I'm jealous -- that you found an SW rep that has heard of their product. I went to the local SW store today, and not one person in their store had heard of Armourseal or 1000 HS. I had to show them their own webpage, to get past their defenses.

Anyway, I'm looking for an actual SW rep that knows what the hell Armorseal is.

slimjim
03-10-2017, 02:05 PM
I'm jealous -- that you found an SW rep that has heard of their product. I went to the local SW store today, and not one person in their store had heard of Armourseal or 1000 HS. I had to show them their own webpage, to get past their defenses.

Anyway, I'm looking for an actual SW rep that knows what the hell Armorseal is.

Yeah well I started at my local SW where they recommended the water based DIY kit, I studied it overnight and took it straight back, then I happened to drive by another store 20 minutes away where by coincidence, the Product rep had been in a week earlier training the staff on these products. They've been more than helpful.
I just had a friend check out my concrete who has done it before, and he has recommended I use some Muriatic acid on a few areas so that's pretty much my friday night, I'll try update the thread with some pictures soon.

slimjim
03-10-2017, 07:50 PM
Ok so while I wait (again) for the concrete to dry I figure I'll post up my prep progress for all the DIYers at home. Keep in mind I've never done this before and it seems like every step reveals something else that needs to be done.
Anyways, I plan to bring my car home in the coming weeks, and I just bought this house with my fiancé so while the garage is still relatively empty, I wanted to set it up as best I could.
To prioritise the job list, I first had to finish the 11 year old drywall, install lights, door insulation and of course, speakers!
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/03/IMG_7804_1-1.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/weeaazz/media/IMG_7804_1.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/03/IMG_7802-1.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/weeaazz/media/IMG_7802.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/03/IMG_8457-1.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/weeaazz/media/IMG_8457.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/03/IMG_8447-1.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/weeaazz/media/IMG_8447.jpg.html)

Once this was done I started by cleaning up the outer edges, not everyone will have to do this but I'll show it anyways, It's just basic concrete repair and I wasn't too concerned with the finish as I plan to install base boards after paint.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/03/IMG_8456-1.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/weeaazz/media/IMG_8456.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/03/IMG_8455-1.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/weeaazz/media/IMG_8455.jpg.html)

At this point I was satisfied I could start on the floor. It was very dusty after dealing with the drywall and paint so I blew the majority out with the shop vac, then purchased some heavy duty degreaser. scrubbed it in as best I could, then pressure washed it out and repeated.
Then came the first etching, It went easy enough, It stated my bottle was good for 500sq/ft so I used it entirely hoping it would be sufficient. The etching is easy, but cleaning afterwards is a rinse and repeat process, the very fine concrete dust takes several rinses, brushing and squeeging to get it all out. Since this is all that the cheaper DIY kits suggest as necessary prior to paint I thought I was done...

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/03/IMG_8495-1.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/weeaazz/media/IMG_8495.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/03/IMG_8469-1.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/weeaazz/media/IMG_8469.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/03/IMG_8470-1.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/weeaazz/media/IMG_8470.jpg.html)

As per the basic procedures the next step is to repair concrete damage, I barely had any other than a couple chips and a a crack running the entire center line of the garage. So I picked up Rustoleum concrete patch and repair epoxy. It's a nice 2 component product which applies easy enough and takes 8 hours to dry. At first I thought I did this step prematurely but in the end I am very happy I did it now.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/03/2eba2c1061864f7aa97a18a479697f65-1.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/weeaazz/media/2eba2c10-6186-4f7a-a97a-18a479697f65.jpg.html)

Well once this was dry I reassessed the concrete and wasn't satisfied, By this time I was deep into youtube and other forums learning of the process and with all the bad stories I figure I'd do it right, do it once. And without a diamond grinder, etching is really your only option.

So I bought a different branded Concrete etcher, a water pale, and did it again, keep in mind I'd previously used the epoxy sealer, and I figured I'd have to do it again after re-etching. etch, scrub, rinse, rub, rinse, squeegee, rinse, squeegee, let dry overnight...
Well to my surprise after etching again, the epoxy was exactly as it looked prior, and with the now repaired crack and smooth surface, it made it much easier to clean the concrete dust out.

Settled on the product I purchased Sherwin Williams Armorseal 1000 HS

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/03/IMG_8501-1.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/weeaazz/media/IMG_8501.jpg.html)

A couple days ago my fiancé' decided to bring up the topic that one of our close friends' father does this for a living... how sweet of her..
So I contacted him and he has given me a lot of help. I've sent him pictures,(as shown above) and he pointed out that the darker grey spots are signs of concrete sealer still existing and this should all be removed.

He recommended Muriatic acid to finish the job. For those who haven't used it before, It's a very strong and potent acid, so don't forget your Breathing apparatus, goggles, non-latex gloves... probably rubber boots too, although my old sneakers held up fine, I can't recommend it to anyone else... He also recommended to use it at a ratio of 50/50 with water, the bottle recommended 1/8 so I chose a happy medium seeing that it was my first time.
With the acid you poor it down, disperse it with a brush, then wait 5 or so minutes for it to do its job, then scrub and rinse it off, several times. you'll be so sick of scrubbing by the end but perhaps if you start with 50/50 Muriatic acid you won't need to do it 3 times like I did.
However with each etching the concrete became noticeably lighter and more absorbent to water, so it goes to show what is required to get it to the point to allow the epoxy to really cure with the concrete.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/03/IMG_8502-1.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/weeaazz/media/IMG_8502.jpg.html)

If you've read this far you're probably hoping for results.. but there aren't any, Should I finally be satisfied with the concrete tomorrow, I will be applying the first layer of Armorseal, SW say thats enough, but EVERYONE else recommends two so I see myself doing that unless magic happens.

ALSO, This is not a step by step DIY, this is just the process I took, and if anything, learn from my mistakes and try make it a quicker project than I have.

ctcz28
03-11-2017, 06:49 AM
A commercial epoxy floor would be fantastic, but sorry, I don't have the $2K - $4K to have it done (4 car garage). I applied the SW Armorseal 2 part epoxy to new garage floor about 10 years ago and it has held up well. Plenty of good feedback above so I'll try not to repeat any of that. Here are some tips to consider for any of you thinking about this type of product.
(1) If you want to put it on thick, you may want to buy double the number of recommended kits. I had 2 garages to do connected by a door. I did one first and then the other some weeks later. I purchased the kits separately, many weeks apart and they were from different "lots". The color was very close between the 2, but not exact so buy all you need at once and make sure they are from the same manufacturing batch or lot. You should be able to return an unopened kit. I double coated mine since I did not get enough on the first coat, still way way cheaper than the commercial epoxy, like an order of magnitude cheaper.
(2) Go light in color. The dark colors will suck all the light from your garage and reflect none from your ceiling lights. A friend has a dark grey color on his garage and it is very dark and he even has windows in his garage door. I used the tan color and it is nice and bright. I would not even buy a house with a garage coated in a dark color, makes the garage too dark. The light colors will show dirt however, so you may need to clean it periodically.
(3) The 2 part SW epoxy coatings have a finite pot life (like they all do) and you'd be surprised how long it can take to roll the coating on a 2 car garage floor. Don't waste time doing the vertical surfaces around the floor perimeter or cutting-in, you'll probably run out of coating or time and it will get too thick to apply.
(4) I purchased from SW a color matching (make a swatch to take into the store) paint to coat the short perimeter wall around the garage floor that I applied with a brush after my floor had dried (I think it was just a plain latex paint). Works great, it's cheap and you can do it at your leisure without worrying if the epoxy will set too soon. The perimeter won't get any wear so you're just coloring it. This also permits you to skip "cutting-in" the floor where it meet the wall, just roll the floor and the small area of floor that the roller misses can be painted with the brush when you do the short walls.
(5) Don't put too many chips on the floor, it will be hard to find washers and nuts you drop.
(6) I put on the clear coat with the abrasive in it and it works great, no slippage when wet.

Hope these tips help in making a decision about your floor coatings.

slimjim
03-11-2017, 07:06 AM
3 and 4 are great to know, I was concerned about this, I've been trying to get someone to come help out today so I wouldn't be concerned about the epoxy curing in the tray, but I think I'll take your advice and just paint it.

slimjim
03-12-2017, 07:02 AM
UPDATE:

No progress...

I still wasn't happy with several areas still holding sealer, I've purchased more muriatic acid and will hit it again, but it has now snowed in NC so I probably won't be able to etch again until tomorrow. I'm in too deep to rush anything now.

Razzor67
03-12-2017, 07:17 AM
Just a thought. If you can't get the floor clean to your satisfaction. When we coated the floor in my shop
We sandblastied the concrete to insure adherence. Dirty job but with grease and oil involved it certainly
Worked.
Ray

minendrews68
03-12-2017, 03:39 PM
James, I think the extra work you're doing in the prep work is more than going to pay for itself. I agree with you, don't put the coating until your positive you've done the best prep work you can do. Just remember to let it dry very, very well before starting the sealing process. Porous concrete can hold a lot of moisture. Looking great so far though..

slimjim
03-12-2017, 05:46 PM
the concrete is 95% perfect and ready, but some darker smoother areas where the acid and etching never got to well enough are still bothering me. It really seemed like the concrete etched perfectly where I directly dropped the muriatic acid prior to scrubbing, and as I separated the garage into sections, the problem areas are the separations of these areas, so that is where I'll target tomorrow, and I'm more than confident it will then be perfect.

gordonquixote
03-13-2017, 05:36 AM
PPG makes a two-part epoxy called Aquapon that requires two coats but not a clear topcoat (so it won't turn yellow from UV sunlight). It is a high abuse induatrial coating that you can tint to any color.

TheJDMan
03-14-2017, 05:17 PM
There are tons of videos on youtube about epoxy flooring. This is just one of many but after watching a number of these I get the sense that the floor prep is not as critical as one might think.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31stYg690Vw#t=130.397458

slimjim
03-15-2017, 06:39 AM
There are tons of videos on youtube about epoxy flooring. This is just one of many but after watching a number of these I get the sense that the floor prep is not as critical as one might think.


I agree, depending on your plans for the garage, I've seen some deceptive youtube videos where a light etch was all they required. The SW rep said that you can basically prep to what your level of use will be, he suggested what my garage was like after my first etch would be good enough for a nice garage with nothing too extreme to test the epoxy, but with high performance tires(especially living close to the freeway like I do), trolley jacks, jack stands etc it is best to etch it correctly for a proper bond.
My uses for the garage are nothing too crazy, perhaps the home depot boxed sets would have sufficed, but it really isn't all that much more expensive to use industrial epoxies and the prep seems similar with either.
Anyways, I spot etched the garage again, then hit it all again entirely in Muriatic acid, and now, a week later than planned, the concrete is perfect, I have let it dry for two days while continuously vacuuming the surface to remove any remaining concrete dust.
I would paint it today but it is too cold, so I'm all set for a start tomorrow.

slimjim
03-25-2017, 09:04 AM
So the weather was finally warm enough on monday to lay down the epoxy. The temp was around 55 degrees so I calculated it required about an hour and a half sweat-in time, and since it was so cold, it meant my pot life time would be about 5hrs so I figured I'd have enough time to also epoxy the raised lip around the outside of the garage. Not long into this I realised just how much epoxy was being used on this job so I decided to scrap the idea and just make sure I got the entire floor down. The epoxy goes on really thick, and I was concerned I wouldn't have enough to complete the entire garage. to my surprise I finished it with about 20% left over.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/03/IMG_8538-1.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/weeaazz/media/IMG_8538.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/03/IMG_8540-1.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/weeaazz/media/IMG_8540.jpg.html)

To keep it brief, I wasn't blown away by it, it really absorbed into the pores, and it never filled the larger pores, and even worse, the etching revealed fibreglass hair reinforcement in the concrete that are impossible to remove without burning, and the epoxy showed them all like imperfections.
The good news is it all cured perfect, no problem areas in the concrete as yet

slimjim
03-25-2017, 09:15 AM
I never purchased the 2nd coat initially, partly because the SW rep said 1 could be enough....wrongggg.
After some drama with SW not having any left in stock and the epoxy only having a 7 day window to lay a second coat, we got our hands on some and I laid it down today at 60 degrees air temp.
just over an hour of sweat-in and a pot life of about 4 hours I got to work.
the second coat spreads at 150% coverage of the first coat seeing as it does not absorb into the pores. So I spent the first hour finishing the raised edges of the garage and then began a nice thick coat on the floor.
I decided to purchase the decorative flakes just to have on standby for if I still wasn't happy with imperfections, and after completing a small area I decided it is best to use them just to hide any imperfections my OCD will never leave alone, In the end I'm happy I did.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/03/IMG_8572-1.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/weeaazz/media/IMG_8572.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/03/IMG_8573-1.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/weeaazz/media/IMG_8573.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/03/IMG_8571-1.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/weeaazz/media/IMG_8571.jpg.html)

I'm much happier with it now, although It is being left alone to cure before I fully assess it and decide whether or not a clear polyurethane finish is needed.
Also, something I will need to figure out soon when I begin installing cabinetry, the plastic sink in the garage will be removed for a kitchen style sink, but the first coat managed to fuse the legs to the concrete... might be a job for a grinder to remove it :dunno:

ctcz28
03-25-2017, 07:00 PM
Looks really great, I like it better with the flakes. Great shine even without the clear top coat. I figured you'd need two coats. I suspect the super expensive professional coats cover in one application, but they should for the cost. Good job! Garage transformation for sure.

minendrews68
04-14-2017, 06:30 AM
Good job James. The second coat really made a big difference. I know your happy! The OCD thing. That's me, I need to get over it to an extent though. Good looking floor regardless.

slimjim
04-14-2017, 07:23 PM
Thanks Carl, and this also reminded me that I forgot the final update:
I did go ahead and add the clear coat, its called Sherwin Williams rexthane, I also added a small amount of anti slip additive to it, not because I was worried about slipping but because I just wanted a uniform finish.
Counting back that's 4 weeks since the last epoxy went down, 3 and a half since the clear coat. The mrs has been parking in the garage for about 10 days now and I've been wheeling around powersaws and tool benches and not a single mark has shown so far.
I'm happy with the results to say the least and now I can focus on cabinetry and finishing the walls! just in time for the Camaro to come home.

minendrews68
04-18-2017, 11:11 AM
It's funny, the flakes in the paint make it look like the GM trunk spatter paint, only with larger flakes. Good job!

pittpens24
04-22-2017, 03:13 AM
Were those pics above before or after the clear went on?

slimjim
04-22-2017, 07:27 AM
those pictures were from before the clear coat, although it doesn't look any different with the clear, it just has a more uniform shine

slimjim
04-22-2017, 07:34 AM
for reference.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/04/IMG_8624-1.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/weeaazz/media/IMG_8624.jpg.html)

pittpens24
04-22-2017, 09:47 AM
looks awesome - thanks

srh3trinity
04-22-2017, 05:45 PM
Looks great! Great thread. I want to do this, but the previous owner of my house might have had the leakiest two cars I have ever seen (Mercedes diesel and Porsche). I also can't figure out logistically how I could do my 3 car garage due to all of our "stuff " May have to do it in three sections.

rohrt
04-23-2017, 04:08 AM
Nice tutorial.

I wonder if the muriatic acid will work on old oil stains on the concrete?

pittpens24
04-23-2017, 05:31 AM
Looks great! Great thread. I want to do this, but the previous owner of my house might have had the leakiest two cars I have ever seen (Mercedes diesel and Porsche). I also can't figure out logistically how I could do my 3 car garage due to all of our "stuff " May have to do it in three sections.

Although I have never used the commercial stuff before, I have done the Home Depot version crap a couple times. If you do it in 3 sections, you will have lines on the floor at each section when it dries. To keep this from happening, you have to maintain a wet edge. I have a 2 car garage, but what I have done in the past that works great is roll all my stuff into the driveway and tarp it all from the garage soffit to act almost like an awning. Also helps to keep moisture off the area that extends past the garage doors while drying overnight

slimjim
04-23-2017, 06:28 AM
Nice tutorial.

I wonder if the muriatic acid will work on old oil stains on the concrete?

I wouldn't be surprised if it works, the stuff is very strong, especially at the 50/50 ratio I was advised to use it at. There are also some pretty extreme degreasers available now. The muriatic acid also needs to be pressure washed a couple times after, add a degreaser to the first wash after the acid and I don't think anything would be left in your concrete.


Although I have never used the commercial stuff before, I have done the Home Depot version crap a couple times. If you do it in 3 sections, you will have lines on the floor at each section when it dries. To keep this from happening, you have to maintain a wet edge. I have a 2 car garage, but what I have done in the past that works great is roll all my stuff into the driveway and tarp it all from the garage soffit to act almost like an awning. Also helps to keep moisture off the area that extends past the garage doors while drying overnight

I read a lot of reviews stating colours not matching with the home depot and lower stuff, but not so much with the Sherwin Williams products, But it's also advisable to buy all of it at once to ensure it comes from the same batch.
I thought I'd also have to seperate my garage into two sections due to all of the stuff in there, I am very very glad I didn't, with the amount of washing, scrubbing, vacuuming and general effort going on it just wouldn't be very time efficient, It took weeks to do it in one section, 2 weeks of prepping(ok not if I had of started with 50/50 Muriatic acid),4 or 5 days of drying between the final pressure wash and applying epoxy, another week by the time a second coat and clear was on and another 10 days before the car was parked in there.. It would almost be worth hiring or borrowing a storage trailer for a couple weeks to empty the garage, I can tell you, the Mrs wasn't over the moon about a lot of my garage things in the house for several weeks.

greysmith
07-29-2017, 01:53 AM
Hi there, floor coating is the best way to make your garage look good. It is also easy to clean and durable. When my friend was moved to his new house he hired professional movers in Brooklyn NY (http://movingrightalong.com/business_service_pros.html) who provided him garage cleaning and flooring services. According to him their way of working was quality driven. He also gave them a tip when the work was done.

slimjim
07-29-2017, 04:01 AM
Sad to see this is another thread that photobucket ruined, but as an update, as I its now 4-5 months later, the floor is still impeccable, it's the best thing I have done in the garage, super easy to keep clean, but I don't think the anti slip additive is necessary, it would be much easier to mop without it(it tears a cheap swiffer to pieces, ask me how) perhaps in another 6-12 months time I'll scuff the floor and add another layer of clear, but it isn't a concern now.
But I can't recommend doing epoxy enough, Soon I'll be doing it to the father in laws 4 car garage.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/07/0LNnS9C-1.jpg

blitzer454
07-29-2017, 07:36 AM
Nice color choice. I did mine back in 2007 using the U-Coat It system. So far none of the epoxy has lifted but I have scratched the hell out of it and it's not as shiny as it first was. But even those scratches don't go all the way to the cement, and I love how easy it is to clean up spills.
142727

Warthog5
06-12-2019, 08:30 PM
It has been 20 years, but I used to apply an industrial grade epoxy called Tile Clad which was sold at Sherwin Williams stores. I had a job one summer to coat an airplane assembly building with over 400k sq ft with the two part epoxy. We first track-blasted the concrete, then we coated with a nickel color. We did not put on the clear coat, but I would recommend it. The stuff was pretty expensive at around $60/gal that many years ago. Strong stuff though.

What he said. :) We use it in the Post Office garage.

After 1 1/2yrs of weekly hitting it with toxic Steam Cleaning soap and a Steam cleaner it will lose it's gloss.....Not something the average guy would do. The ONLY way this stuff would come up.....is If you dropped a brake drum and it hit on the edge so that it chipped the concrete. I have it in my shop.....It's been there for years...Mine needs to be redone, but it's a pain to move and clean and paint by yourself.....Mine has overspray on it from painting multiple boats that I've built.

slimjim
06-13-2019, 04:53 PM
It's probably been 2 years since I did this and it's still the best thing I've done in the garage. I plan to add another of layer of clear when I finally get the car into paint and body, mostly just because I can

dkar26
06-14-2019, 09:38 AM
I would add that filling in the expansion joints in the garage makes it look even better and makes clean-up that much easier. I love my color too

165118