Topic: Garage Floor Coatings ???

[sparty]

SOHCers,

I am looking for recommendations on garage floor coatings for my new house.  I been on the web and there are plenty of products, but I would like a SOCH testimonial.

Sparty

[Gordon]

When I was 13 my parents had a house built for us.  One of the chores my dad had for my brother and I was coating the garage floor before we moved in.  They still live in that house, and that garage floor still looks as good as it did the day we moved in, twenty years ago.   

I'll email him and see if he remembers the brand of paint we used.  Whatever it was, I'm sure it was bought at Home Depot.   

[Gordon]

Here's his reply:

I don't remember the brand, but it was mixed with some epoxy.  I have been looking to repaint it in the near future.  There are many more choices now.  I will probably go with one from either Home Depot or Lowe's that has something mixed in it to make it non-slippery.  I'll probably do the same for the patio, too.


Not super helpful, but that's all I got.  I'm not sure why he's planning on re-doing it in the near future as it's still in great shape (just had a good look at it in January), but this is coming from a guy who just a few months ago was seriously considering carpeting the back yard patio.   I had to talk him out of it.  Something I'm sure my kids will have to do for me 30 years from now.

See what I mean about the Home Depot part?  There was no Lowe's when I lived there, and I swear my Dad could not drive past the Home Depot without stopping in for something.  If it was a tactic to keep us from asking him to drive us anywhere, it worked very well!

I've looked into the garage floor coating that Home Depot sells now, and I haven't seen anything that would make me not want to buy them.  The only thing that's stopped me from doing it is the fact that I'd have to remove everything from the garage for at least three days.  If I have the opportunity at the next house we buy, I'm definitely doing it.     

[gerhed]

I put down Race Deck--snaps together

[Gordon]

I put down Race Deck--snaps together

I've considered that type of flooring, but what do you do if/when you have a relatively large spill/leak? 

[seaweb11]

I have some of that "sport court/plastic floor" stuff around my hot tub. Drains well, but it's a pain to lift up and clean out dog hair dust etc every spring.  I can't actualy imagine it in a shop where stuff gets dropped or spilled?

 I used these tiles on my recent garage build. http://www.garageforums.com/?s=floor+tiles

It's only been a few months and  I like it.  it's also only a $1.00 sg/ft. 

Build link.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=36272.360

Good luck with your project

[sparty]

I have some of that "sport court/plastic floor" stuff around my hot tub. Drains well, but it's a pain to lift up and clean out dog hair dust etc every spring.  I can't actualy imagine it in a shop where stuff gets dropped or spilled?

 I used these tiles on my recent garage build. http://www.garageforums.com/?s=floor+tiles

It's only been a few months and  I like it.  it's also only a $1.00 sg/ft. 

Build link.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=36272.360

Good luck with your project

Nice.  I'll go with the tiles.

Thanks pal.

[Bob Wessner]

I've used the two part epoxy with the flecks in a couple of basement areas. Worked well, looks good. My brother-in-law used in on his garage floor, even with the traction flecks, v-e-r-y slippery when wet, particularly in winter when you track snow and slush in.

[seaweb11]

As in the link I gave you,

I also
" used two alternating colors. I chose Armstrong #51910 (black) and #51911 (white) because they are not solid colors, but speckled with chips of the complimenting color."

It looks (wrong) when looking at just one tile, but when laid out across the floor it gives the desired effect, while hiding a bit of a dust and dirt before you sweep it up again

Got mine from a local dealer.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

I too thought strongly about the tiles until I spoke with an installer as he was repairing a floor at work. He told me to think twice about doing that in Colorado with all the snow. I quickly envisioned my wife pulling into the wet slippery garage and continuing into the wall, my car or bikes when she hit her brakes. She just doesn't get it sometimes. 

[Gordon]

I've used the two part epoxy with the flecks in a couple of basement areas. Worked well, looks good. My brother-in-law used in on his garage floor, even with the traction flecks, v-e-r-y slippery when wet, particularly in winter when you track snow and slush in.

From what I've seen, the colored flecks you can put on the surface of the paint are mainly just a cosmetic thing and not meant to add much traction, but I could be wrong.  Many of the floor coatings now come with an optional packet of sand to mix in before applying.  I would think this would work much better, but I've never tried it myself.

[Retro Rocket]

I have painted thousands of square metres of epoxy floors mainly industrial and all you need for a non skid floor is a bag of clean sand {you can buy the sand in any number of profiles}.
While the paint is still wet you just use your hand and "throw" the sand in an arcing motion, just like feeding the chickens  . Get a piece of cardboard and do a test, you will be surprised how easy it is and the sand goes down in a very uniformed way. I have also used paints {paving paint} that you mix the sand in and it usually works out more expensive and not as good a result, you must continuously stir the paint or the sand either sinks or clumps together. After you have put the sand down, if you are happy with the abrasive surface, you can either leave it as it is or if you want to soften the sand a little and still make it "non skid" then you just thin down a little more paint and put a thin coating over it, this will also "lock" the sand into the finish. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Mick

[tramp]

just did a 2 part epoxy in a shed
a little pricey
$65 covers 250 sq ft

[Retro Rocket]

The main product we use is called "amerlock" it is a very hard wearing product, it copes with semi trailers, large forklifts and just about anything you can throw at it. It is a 2 part epoxy and you must wear a mask when applying it. It isn't cheap but it will last the life of the garage.

Mick

[gerhed]

I put down Race Deck--snaps together

I've considered that type of flooring, but what do you do if/when you have a relatively large spill/leak? 

The tiles come apart fairly easily--can be cleaned up with scouring powder (or WD-40 of course), too.
Couple times a year I drag the whole thing out onto the drive way & clean it good.

[Bob Wessner]

I have painted thousands of square metres of epoxy floors mainly industrial and all you need for a non skid floor is a bag of clean sand {you can buy the sand in any number of profiles}.
While the paint is still wet you just use your hand and "throw" the sand in an arcing motion, just like feeding the chickens  . Get a piece of cardboard and do a test, you will be surprised how easy it is and the sand goes down in a very uniformed way. I have also used paints {paving paint} that you mix the sand in and it usually works out more expensive and not as good a result, you must continuously stir the paint or the sand either sinks or clumps together. After you have put the sand down, if you are happy with the abrasive surface, you can either leave it as it is or if you want to soften the sand a little and still make it "non skid" then you just thin down a little more paint and put a thin coating over it, this will also "lock" the sand into the finish. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Mick

The sand makes a lot of sense. How does it affect the cleaning of the surface?

[kghost]

Just a quick reply.

Epoxy painting of concrete surfaces depends entirely on the prep.

I've been involved in many hanger finish/refinishing.

Brand new concrete is the best to paint. No oil or grease etc.

This leads to an extremely durable finish and its very resistant to gas and Oil.

Older concrete is more problematic.

Old painted floors are even worse.

On the older concrete the painting is the easy part...it absolutely has to be clean and prep'ed.

Often prolonged exposure to gas will cook the epoxy off the floor.

Seems to be a particular problem with Modern car gas. Av-gas (100LL doesn't make it peel.

I used Bahr on my house garage. Prolonged gas from say a carb overflow would peel the epoxy. I usually sanded the spot and repainted it.

On the new house I went with the snap together tile.

I have had a problem with prolonged exposure to car gas discoloring the White squares. Leaves a yellow stain on them.

I snap them out and bleach them with some plain old clorine bleach.

Doesn't do anything to the Black ones.

Overall I'm happier with the Tile. As others have said....its a hell of alot less slippery then painted surface.

An additional benefit...if you move you can take the tile with ya 

On a side note....if your building a shop or garage...the best thing I have seen it 20 years is PIGMENTED POILISHED CONCRETE.

Concrete has a pigment mixed in when its poured. After setting its polished.

When the floor dulls....give it a sand and polish. Voila...fresh concrete and a high gloss finish.

We have one hanger on the airport built in the 50's to fit a DC-3. I can tell you the floor is still pistine and looking great.

[Retro Rocket]

The sand makes a lot of sense. How does it affect the cleaning of the surface?

It depends on the finish. If you just use the sand without putting a thin top coat on it it will hold a little dirt but it isn't hard to clean, for a garage i would put the thin top coat on and then even though the surface is still abrasive, it cleans very easily. We have used this type of finish in mechanical shops {ultra tune} and after doing one of their shops they wanted us to do all their new premises. Just remember that there are different grades of sand form very course to very fine. We use pool filter sand as it comes in sealed bags {10 or 20 kilo's} and is readily available here, we also use crushed glass, this also comes in different grades. Do a sample on a piece of cardboard first to get the "non slip" finish sorted out before you try it on the floor.

Mick

[cb350twin]

We have our garage painted with some 2 part epoxy stuff. Forgot the brand but it was gray and you could add the colored chips. Cost about $200 It didn't last worth crap seems like during the winter the salt dripping off the cars would make it peel, and we tried our best to clean the cars/ kick off the snow before they were garaged. Gas from the bikes would make it also. Even dropping something would make it chip or wet tires sitting overnight. We contacted the company with pictures and they said it was defiantly not suppose to do that.. They refunded our money and they even asked us to send in some chips of the coating so they could test and they still couldn't fine out why it was doing it. One my buddies has it in there garage also. Which I believe it the exact same brand.  I asked him about he was like.. "Ya it dose that. We just paint it every year" He didn't seem too concerned about it.

[Retro Rocket]

The best floor coatings are the industrial 2 part epoxy coatings, they are expensive but are there forever.

Mick