garage paint

[AAW]

Okay... so I think I'm in WAY over my head on this one.



I figured just a little paint and *poof* shiny new garage!

[rob07002]

To make things alittle simpler I reccomend the following if you choose to paint:

1) Is it a new slab? if so you will need to wait any where from a few weeks to a few months to completely cure. Ask the product manufacturer for guidelines on new concrete.

2) For new or old slab tape a piece of plastic or aluminum foil about 1-3' square over the concrete floor in a few days pull up and check for condensation. If its moist then you may have problems with paint, and amy want to consider tile

3) Make sure whether paint or tiles that whoever does the work takes the time to clean and ESPECIALLY etch the slab before applying paint or tile glue. This is the most important process to get good long lasting results.. Do not scrimp , you need to get as much dirt and grease off the floor as possible to ensure a good bond.

4) Any good floor contractor should already know to do this. Most the Ucoatit or Rustoleum "kits" have the cleaner and etching solvent included....

Good Luck and don't forget some pics when its done.

[Damn True]

By the way..."2-part paint" is NOT the same thing as EPOXY.

[rockdogz]

I bought the 2-part epoxy kit from Home Depot and it lasted about a year on a new garage floor before peeling up in spots. If the garage pad was poured with the house (common around here at least with attached garages), then wouldn't it be 1-2 months old anyway?

[AAW]

Okay...so I "said" I was running to the market last night and instead ran to the house we're buying and knocked on the door. The current owners know my plan already so I handed them a roll of Saran Wrap (don't laugh..it's all I had!) and asked them to tape it down with the roll of tape I gave them. They'll call me in a couple days...

[Damn True]

Cool. See if you get water. If not get ahold of a contractor to do the prep/coating. If so, you'll have to go with the industrial tile.

Either way...he's gonna be psyched.

Rockdogz, Id guess the stuff from the big orange box may not have been an actual epoxy coating.

[Jim Nilsen]

Theresa, I am so impressed by what you are doing

I consider myself a floor expert and have considered all of the things to do to my floor in my garage and can say that if you have the money the tile is the best route to go.

WHY? No matter what happens tile is the easiest to replace or repair as long as you have extra tile. If it comes up you can glue it back down, if it gets damaged you can replace it. Nothing is permanant in a garage and something will always happen to make it need repair.

The RACEDECK is really nice stuff and you can take it with you or change it easily but it is costly and so is tile.

I plan on going with the black and white tile when I finally get my car done but have considered the RACEDECK many times since the cost is somewhat compareable. You can install the RACEDECK with help in a matter of hrs. yourself eliminating labor cost.

Tile will add value to the garage since it is permanant and RACEDECK does not. Not a big point but sometimes it is something to consider.

And for the final best way to do a floor? Steel is the best thing if you all can afford it. I have put 1/2 in. plate in floors that have held up to everything you can do to it and the nice thing is you can paint and repaint it and you can weld to it if you want. I just love a steel floor for what it can be.

Jim Nilsen

[AAW]

Wow, Jim, thanks.
So far, it's a little intimidating... but I think he'll like it.

Steel? Wow that would be nice, but a little out of our league right now.

Cool idea though.

[Damn True]

There is a good thread over on CC.com http://corner-carvers.com/forums/sho...4&page=1&pp=40 with a bit of a chronology on how peoples floors have held up. The thread is about 3 years old now but folks have been updating it.