floor paint/epoxy
 

Any suggestions on floor coatings. I've used u coat and after a couple years it looks like crap hot tires just lifted it. Looking for something more durable. Will be doing hobby/race car work light stuff.

Re: floor paint/epoxy
 

http://www.yellowbullet.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=528972 Reading this yesterday and a guy was quoting $5-8 per sq.' to prep and coat. That sure seems like a lot of money ! ---Trevor

Re: floor paint/epoxy
 

Trevor, I don't think that is too far off. Been a while since I was a Volunteer FF and our FD coated the floors (about the time I was leaving in 2003). Big mess about how it was to be done, but If I remember right you must CLEAN very good and then etch with some specific acid, then apply the coating and then seal and I believe there was to be some type of maintenance coats periodically. I do remember cleaning up some stuff shortly afterward and it went very well. Looked very good too.

Re: floor paint/epoxy
 

Marc,

I am also looking to redo my garage floor. I'm looking into a product called RockSolid Floors https://www.rocksolidfloors.com It uses Polyurea, its a very hard coating. Very easy to apply, but the floor prep is very important. I think that is the cause of most issues with coatings not holding up, floor prep.

If you want it done professionally, anywhere $3 to $6 a square foot seems to be the going rate.

Re: floor paint/epoxy
 

Go to the GarageJournal.com forums. This topic has been discussed nine ways to Sunday. There is a whole topic about flooring. Lots of good info.

As for personal experience, I use Sherwin Williams Tile Clad HS. Comes in lots of colors. I have done numerous floors with it and had no lift up. This stuff is really hard stuff.

Re: floor paint/epoxy
 

We are currently redoing our race car facility completely. If you have raw cement, clean, etch, and apply epoxy. We use Carboline brand. Many colors, splatter available, add walnut shells for traction, and we are going to clear the Mopar Blue color for the floors. If you have an epoxy that is down (or some other hard coat), use a commercial sander and grind the top, clean and apply the epoxy. On raw cement, the etching is very important. Doesn't take long, just use a hand sprayer and wash. The floors we are redoing are 17 years old, and have had lots of abuse. In our dyno building, the floors are 14 years old and not subject to much abuse. Building is mostly closed, little or no traffic (human or car) and the floors still look excellent and need nothing, except for my desire for Mopar Blue floors with big "M's" in them. Carboline is a commercial coating and probably a little more expensive, but is really hard. The commercial floor grinder we rented was no match for the 17 year old stuff.

Re: floor paint/epoxy
 

Hi,

Years ago I bought a new house with a 3-car garage.....

The concrete had never been driven on and I used Thompson Water Seal on the floor....

I put it on with a mop as heavy as I could, waited for it to soak in and put down another coat...

I did that 3 or 4 times and used that garage for 7 years.....

The floor held up to everything but brake cleaner.....

Oil and solvent cleaned up with a mop......

No chipping from jacks or jack stands either......

Bob

Re: floor paint/epoxy
 

I used Behr 1-part epoxy concrete & garage floor paint 4years ago and the only thing that will not clean up is dye from racing gas. I have a friend that paints for a living-he has given up on so called industrial floor paints and uses this stuff on everthing. The big thing is it is water based and you do not need to mess with acid.

Re: floor paint/epoxy
 

I used ppg commercial epoxy floor coating. It's been fine I would do it in a much darker color though. Mine is light beige and it shows every speck of dirt or grease.

Re: floor paint/epoxy
 

Tile Clad is brutaly strong ,we have some floors that are 20 years old with it on and they are still decent.
We also used to use it to coat the inside of leakey SS cyl heads.
Works great for that too!

Re: floor paint/epoxy
 

I did my garage floors back in 2008 when I built it... I used Rust O Leum (SP) .. I got the industrial strength... Its comes in several colors and has the flakes and all... The only thing is I think its too hard.... Anything that slides or even a stool that gets scooted across it scratches the floor... You can wet mop it and it does cover some of them but I just did not expect that... I can't recommend it for that reason... I have a neighbor that built his commerical garage about the same time and he used U Coat IT and he is still very satisified with his.... When the time comes to re-do mine that will be what I use....

Re: floor paint/epoxy
 

Before you paint. You must acid etch and dry well. I did my floor when brand new in 1999.
After acid etching I used Sherwin Williams 2 part epoxy paint w a roller.Mix it when you use it. 2 coats. Commercial grade. Never lifted. Only damage was a clunker engine mishap chipping it. No chemical has ever penetrated it. Flakes were optional. I said no, contractor was a flake enough for me who built garage, lol.
Chris.

Re: floor paint/epoxy
 

My covered carport was painted 6-7 years ago with (??) paint.. If I apply epoxy or (??) to it.. Do I need to etch the floor if it has paint or (??) on it now.. It's held up fairly well but , it's time.. What should I use?

Re: floor paint/epoxy
 

On my last house I used the Rustolium brand stuff and put the chips in it. I found it was very hard to sweep and get all the dust out. On my current home and shop I used rustolium again but did not put the chips in it and it is alot smoother and easier to keep clean. Current floors were done 10 years ago and other than a few chips here and there from dropping stuff they are fine except for some very light fading near the doors and windows.

Re: floor paint/epoxy
 

I just completed a garage renovation over Memorial Day weekend. I used Shield Crete from Sherwin Williams. I researched online for sometime and it boiled down to 3 brands - Shield Crete, Armor Coating and U-Coat It. Based on my online searches, I felt that all three brands were relatively the same. At the time, Sherwin Williams was having a 40% off sale which is what put them over the edge. I cannot stress enough on the prep work prior to laying down the epoxy. I did not like the outcome the cleaner/degreaser so I rented a concrete grinder so I could ensure getting all of the stains from oil, grime and petroleum products that leached out of tires into the concrete for 26 years would come out. After I took about a 1/64th of an inch off the top, I power washed the garage out and then acid etched it, and then power washed it out 3 times. Layed down the epoxy (beige) and added the chips. After it set for about 30 hours, I layed down 2 coats of sealer on top. I then let it cure for 6 days before I rolled the cars in. The directions state to allow 72 hours though. I just wanted to make sure. So far so good. None of it has peeled up. I am having tire staining issues though and cannot seem to scrub enough to remove the stains. I have used Simple Green, Spray 9, Castrol Super Cleaner and Mr Clean Magic Eraser. Any advice? As soon as I get the stains up I will be putting down some type of rug or device so the tires can no longer stain the floor.

Thanks