Garage Flooring

[Malcolm]

My garage superstructure construction starts a week today and will finish in three weeks time. I have been advised by my freinds in the know that I will have to wait a minimum of 1 month to let the floor dry out having been exposed to rain etc for a while. Then they shall supply me with 8 gallons of two pack epoxy floor paint which they regualrly use in warehouse applications. Sounds similar to what is discussed above.

Roy had special floor tiles down but he always seemed to be cursing them. I think he lifted them? Maybe Paul can enlighten us?

Has anyone used a masonry sealer beneath the epoxy paint after acid etching?

Malcolm

 

[Brett James-McCall]

Malcolm,
I would suggest sealing/treating it as well. My garage floor had been down for a few months and I had to recover after a year, where areas lifted (yes I didn't treat it). I beleive Screwfix do a concrete sealer.

Brett

 

[Mark Worthington]

Pat, If you're a Texan then why are your kids drinking Coke instead of Dr. Pepper? You must be a transplant.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

Coke rules the south!

Do NOT NOT NOT use any sealers under your epoxy! Acid etching will not cut through the acrylic sealers and will result in slick spots which will cause the epoxy to disbond.

Don't forget to topcoat with a polyester polyurethane - you'll greatly improve your stain resistance.

And as far as the black light, a black light will always pickup hydrocarbons, you shouldn't need any dyes. We use them after sandblasting to make sure the are no residuals of oil and grease on the steel before painting.

 

[James]

Don't bother with Epoxy flooring unless you're putting it down on new concrete. Even then you'll need to acid etch, prime and then coat.

I had my factory floor coated with epoxy. We used neat hydrochloric acid to etch, then rinsed off, dried and coated. It still came up!! We have some very heavy machinery and considerable traffic so maybe that's why it came up, but I think its because it's shit. Since 2000 I've had this bloody floor coated 3 times. It's all crap IMO.

I've had another quote recently and the company wanted to use a scrabbler to bring it all up and start all over again. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif No chance!

I've just finished a meeting with these guys: www.ecotile.com

I've got some samples on my office floor right now. They are bloody strong, bloody easy to fit, bloody durable and they come in bloody load of colours - BLOODY GOOD ALL ROUND /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

In the U.K they start at about £28 per sqm.

I will fit my factory with these in the coming weeks. If successful then I shall order a job lot for my wharehouses.
Malcolm, if you are reading you might want to consider this option. I will also use this stuff for my garage.

It is by far the best solution for covering concrete I have ever seen.

Regards,

J.P

P.S The only other solution is to tile the floor properly - but that's time consuming, not an option for me.

 

[Jim Glickenhaus]

Pat
It's great coating.
Best

 

[Mike Dozier]

www.ucoatit.com

Saw on Speedchannel and at Carlisle...

MikeD

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Pat, is your product sold in Australia??

 

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

Hi Malc -

Roy's floor in his workshop is now coated with a two-pack epoxy coating - works well athough will 'chip' if you drop a heavy metal (with corner) item onto it. Also somewhat slippery is you let oils or water leak onto it.

Roy's previous floor system was a tile system that to me looked identical to the one James details and to use his words, Roy would describe it as 'bloody useless' for a garage. With the best will in the world, fluids get spilt and with this system they run between the joints and get below the tiles. If petrol or other strong solvents are spilt, the tiles then tend to bow upwards at the joins. In addition, the small circular indentations and bumps make sweeping or keeping clean a nightmare! they don't sweep well.

All the above failings are IMHO and of course if your car is never dirty, is never driven, has no leaks and you are perfect to the point that you never spill anything - then the failings need not matter....

Roys old floor -

 

Hey J.P., sorry to hear about your problems. Not the first time though. As with most tings, prep is very important, as is not have high moisture vapor permeation through the slab. One thing a well-coated floor enables you to do is clean it, unlike tile and carpet. But in the end it all comes down to what you like and what you are willing to tolerate as any floor will have its drawbacks.

It is possible to get a nice floor. I get a bit obsessive about painted floors, so please excuse me for posting some pictures.

 

By the way, thanks Jim.

Here's another.

 

And for a decorative look...

 

Almost done...

 

Done

 

[Chuck]

When can I move into your garage? I'll bring food and beer? That is beautiful. Do you know what the cost per square foot is for materials?

I did my old shop with industrial epoxy and never had any problems. I always credited that to etching it twice. I was younger then and had sinus issues for about a month since I, of course, didn't wear any breathing protection. The stuff we breathed as young mechanics.

Chuck

 

Painters paint so they can get a free high!

Cost varies with what you want. The hanger with the Black Hawk costs about $0.70 per foot in material plus sundries. The one with the chips runs about $0.90, if quick math in my head is correct.

 

[Jim Glickenhaus]

Paul
These are solid granite and are set in epoxy cement. So far they've survived a D jag and you know how those puppies leak.
Best

 

[Malcolm]

JP, I agree with Paul on the tiles thing. Your planned tiles do look like the ones Roy had. Also I need 145 sq m of the stuff so cost rules it out. Nearly £4000 from the price you mentioned. That is ten years engine servicing costs to me!

Pat, you really seem to know floors well. You help is much appreciated.

When it rained recently the floor slab got wet. With the new concrete being power floated it really looked like glass. It even went that glass translucent green colour.

What colours do people think is best for garage floors? In olden days they used to paint the floors of timber battle ships red to hide the blood! Does this mean I need coffee , oil or paint coloured floor paint?

Malcolm

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Malcolm, I am living in a renter right now, while I wait for my new house to be finished.
Floor looks a lot like Pat's pics and is navy warship grey with black flecks. Looks fantastic and shows no dirt.

 

[James]

The tiles I have seen are the one's that Roy has used. BUT, they come in a variety of finishes and colours. I ruled the dimple finish out immediately, for the same reason Paul mentions - A bloody nightmare to clean!

The same company offers a tile that has a smooth flat finish, easily cleaned etc. Solvents etc. are not used in my factory so that is not a concern.

However, for my garage. Might have to look at epoxy if solvents etc cause problems. There is a good company called HMG paint.

www.hmgpaint.com

Very reasonable prices on expoxy 2 pack etc.

Pat, fantastic floors! Superb advice, cheers!

Malcolm, 145sqm? Sounds like a small factory you bloody nutter! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Regards,

J.P