# Garage Floor Paint/Epoxy



## meth (Apr 22, 2008)

Hey guys - looking for some of your great feedback. I just finished cleaning up the basement - painting the block walls and concrete floor to keep it neat and better looking until I formally finish it.

Now I am on to the garage and was looking to figure out what would be the best option for the flooring. In my previous home I tried many of the latex products and the rustoleum 2 part epoxy product. Even though I followed the prep instructions I always experienced hot tire pick up and once that started the integrity of the floor just went to hell. In my current house (about 15 years old) the garage floor has never been finished so I am sure I will need to clean thoroughly, possibly etch and remove all grease stains and fill all cracks. 

My question is what is the best product to use - there seems to be a bunch of conflicting reviews and opinions on epoxy versus concrete stain and I am very confused! I was originally going to go with U Coat It, however I saw some conflicting reviews where there were some problems with that product, I also looked at the wolverine products, and something called Roll on Rock (?). Bottom line is I want a real nice job that will hold up to hot tire and stay looking good for years to come. Any opinions on epoxy versus stain? Do any of these products really hold up? I hate to say cost is not an issue but I am willing to pay for the right product.

Thanks for your input!


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## poppameth (Oct 2, 2008)

I would not recommend stain. These are generally acrylic based and silicone modified. There are a mess to get up later and I don't think they'll hold up that well for your situation. As for epoxy, two part industrials are best. Carboline makes a nice one that you pour out and squeegee into place. Then roll over it with a pin roller to smooth it out. This is a 100% solid product. Think spray in bed liner for your floor. It's similar but not quite the same. That's one of the toughest finishes you could do but it's expensive and not user friendly application. The next step down would be a normal two part epoxy floor paint (industrial, not the DIY Lowe's junk). These are pretty tough and more user friendly to apply. Next down on the list is a one part high solids urethane coating, also an industrial finish. I sell one from Pratt & Lambert. It's pricey but we've had very good luck with it. It's proven to be just as tough as your standard two part industrial epoxies so far and it a lot easier to use. Just roll on two coats, one across the other. No pot life to deal with, no mixing of the two parts. The worse thing about this stuff is the fumes. It's definitely harsh.


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## meth (Apr 22, 2008)

Thanks - I think I will stay away from the stain, I will go with a more industrial product, however since I will be doing it myself it need to be a DIY'er. I'm okay with the 2 part systems, however maybe I will look into the product you mentioned as well. Does it have a specific name from Pratt &Lam? Again, I'm most concerned with hot tire pick up and the longevity of the product


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## poppameth (Oct 2, 2008)

Here is the product link to it.
http://prattandlambert.com/products/industrial-maintenance/paint/techgard-h-s-u-floor/index.jsp

A co-worker used it in his best friend's new garage about 8 months ago. If there had been any issues at all with it, we'd have heard pretty quickly. The stuff only comes high gloss but we found that if you apply one coat normally then apply the second coat with SharkGrip texture added to it, the sheen gets knocked down to a nice satin finish and you have better traction on it as well.


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## meth (Apr 22, 2008)

thank you for the link - I will certainly research it along with the others mentioned. I'm sure that after the holiday some of the others on the board will chime in with some suggestions as well.

thanks again!


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## yesitsconcrete (May 11, 2008)

wow, wish i'd seen this advice the 1st time - no stain, huh ??? darn & i've had it on our garage floor for 3 months w/o any problem :yes: don't know where some information comes from but acid-reactive concrete stains're water-based & mixed w/hydrochloric acid in a fairly mild strength,,, color comes from the mineral salt's reaction w/free lime in the cement ( cement's an ingredient of concrete, remember ? ),,, other stains using wtr ONLY are call'd 'water-bas'd stains',,, we also have conc dyes based on another carrier,,, we generally use solvent-bas'd 50% solids high weight methylacrylate to seal however, in my garage, we used urethane - same stuff we roll onto epoxy floors to protect the epoxy.

apron store mtl's water-bas'd which doesn't mean its a bad product,,, their normal customers're dumb as a box of rocks & a CHEAP BAS***** to boot !!! :laughing: jobs usually fail because of 1, POOR PREP; 2, wrong mtl selected; 3, incorrect application method; & 4, poor prep ! ! !

never have run into any 'silicone modified' mtls used for conc repairs OR coatings,,, whether you use 2part OR 3part, do a moisture test 1st,,, we apply urethane OVER epoxy for protection,,, there're new polyaspartics which're much faster 'n' stronger than epoxy/urethane - typical garage = 1 day's work & the stuff cures down to -38f, i believe,,, all in all, you get what you pay for: 1, good prep isn't cheap; 2, cheap mtls promote failure; 3, NOT having the right equip's critical to success; & 4, most h/o-diy jobs fail because the operator ( that's we, guys ! :thumbup: ) 

as we often mention, the cheapest part on a bmw motorbike's the rider :laughing: Merry Christmas ! ! !


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## poppameth (Oct 2, 2008)

There are different types of concrete stains out there. Some much better than others. The most common I've seen in any store is a silicone modified acrylic, like H&C for example. Those are the ones I'd definitely steer clear of.


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

i like this stuff
http://www.daichcoatings.com/Design Ideas Images/pages/Project34_jpg.htm

DM


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## yesitsconcrete (May 11, 2008)

as has recently been told to me by my down-the-street local sher-wms store mgr, s-w bought h&c,,, they also own min-wax & dulux,,, never have used h&c but have often repaired/removed/replaced it,,, most pro's don't use it but painters (who think conc stains're their work) & some other wanna-bee's do.

imn-s-hfo, acid-reactive stains're the absolute best altho some artisans are showing good work w/more eco-friendly stains.


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## meth (Apr 22, 2008)

Thanks for the continued input. yesitsconcrete, can you supply a link to a product that you would recommend? I would like to look up a particular product and do some research. Dangermouse - thanks I will look at that link as well.


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## yesitsconcrete (May 11, 2008)

elitecrete.com'll get you to a distributor,,, look thru it - could open a new life for you,,, look especially at polyaspartics - sparticall !

btw, no financial interest,,, happy new year !


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## meth (Apr 22, 2008)

Thanks - I will look into it. I am also interested in the daichcoatings product, so we'll see where the research takes me and what other feedback we receive on this forum


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## Greytguy (Nov 18, 2008)

Other than making sure the concrete is really clean, what all is involved in preparing it to ensure that the epoxy (or other product will adhere? I saw a show on HGTV where the homeowner had a contractor put down an epoxy floor and the contractor used some kind of machine to prep the concrete. Is that typical?


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## yesitsconcrete (May 11, 2008)

rarely watch hgtv especially after participating in some tv segments,,, typical editing makes watchers think they could diy immediately,,, if the learning curve were that easy, everyone'd be doing it,,, YES, its typical that we either ( grind - scarify - etch ) to be certain the receiving surface's ' really clean ',,, w/o seeing the actual floor, i have no idea what process we'd pick as all floors're different even tho they share common denominators,,, good prep's the MOST important item,,, w/o it, everything that follow's a waste of time & $,,, repairing/replacing poor work makes the installation of a good job more expensive & labor/equipment intensive.

what's not screen'd is an evaluation process incl product selection, rising moisture test, & reasons for product selection,,, unfortunately, its difficult to gain hands-on experience from watching tv, dvd's, websites, & labels,,, altho some have luck, its usually a dart game & the success ring's small compared to the rest of the board,,, but good luck, nevertheless !


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## yesitsconcrete (May 11, 2008)

mouse may like that product but, amongst the pro's, it doesn't rate highly as most of us feel there're better products containing better mtls're avail to us,,, but typically we all guarantee our work.

personally, i prefer to buy american, too !


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

mtls're? if there is an american company that makes/sells the same type product, pls. post a link?
ain't Canada our ally?
DM


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## yesitsconcrete (May 11, 2008)

far's i know, mouse, its nothing more'n water-bas'd epoxy w/aggregate,,, just a reinvention f an old wheel on a snazzy website,,, no better nor worse just as chattahoochee stuff's roll'd out every 5 yrs accompanit'd by claims of ' new & improved ! '

sidenote - sure canada's admitting they're allies still ? ? ? :yes:


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

well, sure, epoxy, aggregate/whatever, then a thick urethane. i liked it because it was an easy DIY, looked great, and has lasted 15 years + already and it still looks like i just did it! one project was a backsplash for a bathroom vanity. another was a horsehead flower/pencil vase thingy. a basement landing i did has only a few small dings in it from people moving washers/dryers/freezers, etc., but still looks nice.... 
as i said before, if there is american made similar/same product, please post a link. i always buy USA whenever possible, and the nearest place i can get the stuff is 30 miles away!

chattahoochee? is that in Canada?

DM


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## meth (Apr 22, 2008)

Yesitsconcrete seems very knowledgeable in this area and I appreciate all of the posters expertise/opinions. I have decided to not do this as a DIY (I think), but to look for a pro who will warranty the work - in case there is hot tire pick up then they can come and fix it. The problem is that I cannot find a contractor that will do it. I have called several of the concrete contractors and no one does this or they choose not to do floor covering or quite frankly have not returned numerous messages. I would have thought given the state of the economy it would be mcuh easier to find a contractor, but what the hell do I know. My quest continues - if I can't find a reliable contractor then I will need to keep this as a DIY project and take it from there.


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## yesitsconcrete (May 11, 2008)

guess what - my daughter & her current sig other did her garage w/apron store mtls 3mos ago & now they're complaining its coming up :whistling2: guess you can tell kids the stove's hot but personal experience's still the best teacher,,, most conc contractors're ignorant about this work as its very specialized,,, try googling elitecrete,,, they've done diy network shows & 1 schedul'd in may ( ? ),,, they'll pass it on to the distributor for your area.

my garage's a giraffe - 1/4 acid stain w/urethane, 1/4 polyaspartic w/no sealer, 1/4 reg epoxy w/urethane, & 1/4 cementitious w/methylmethacrylate sealer,,, bride's puzzled & annoyed but i call it my ' test track ' :laughing: 

gee - a contractor who doesn't return calls ? ? ? who wouldda thunk it ? ? ? :yes:


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## meth (Apr 22, 2008)

Thanks for the info - I have checked out the link and sent them an email on a contractor recommendation - As for your Giraffe - does one seem to be holding up better than the others? Do you park your car in it? If so any hot tire pick up?


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## yesitsconcrete (May 11, 2008)

actually all 4're doing well but its only been 4 or 5 mos,,, no hot tire pickup,,, park 1 lexus, 1 toy p/u, & 1 bmw bike,,, plus i use the floor to make sampleboards,,, am not babying any of the parts,,, if i sell/install it, i should also be confident using it, right ? ? ? otoh, i don't sit in/on any part & turn the tires nor do i do that on the newly placed ( 1yr) conc d/w.

here's a pic of our driveway's throat,,, engraved 'grout lines' w/4" grinder spinning a .625x4" diamond blade,,, the house # was engraved w/.110" blade to result in convex reflective #,,, all sealed w/2 coats aliphatic urethane.


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## meth (Apr 22, 2008)

looks great! An elitecrete rep contacted me back wanting to know if I was interested in acid staining, micro finish or trowel. Since I am completely out of my element here - I would guess acid staining - what is your opinion?


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## yesitsconcrete (May 11, 2008)

figuring ' bang for the buck ', expense'd be ( low to high ) acid, trowel, epoxy, & polyaspartic w/us but your guy may charge differently tho not likely,,, the 1st 3 should be sealed w/aus as i did mine,,, micro's not a good finish for a garage as its only polymer & cement w/o fine aggregate,,, but that's me - look at the site & pick sumthin' YOU like,,, the hot floor here in atl's the apron store's vinyl chip embedded in epoxy,,, looks like **** to me but, if i had my way, we'd all be driving 4dr impalas w/305 v8's & 2bbl carbs :laughing:


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## meth (Apr 22, 2008)

I'm thinking acid stain - any idea on a realistic range on a per/ft cost?


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## meth (Apr 22, 2008)

The contractor I had come out uses a product from Miracoat, anyone familiar with this?


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## yesitsconcrete (May 11, 2008)

altho we've never used it, miracoat's been around a while,,, don't recall any of the pro's posting bad about it,,, may also be i'm older & suffering memory lapses  the 1 thing you need to remember's many mtls're good - its up to the contractor to select the proper application & do the work accordingly.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

I'm just building my 24x36 garage
Concrete floor hasn't gone in yet
I know concrete has to cure for strength
How long after that can these applications go on?


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## yesitsconcrete (May 11, 2008)

no one knows when conc cures altho it does gain most of its strength in the 1st 48hrs,,, usual test periods're 24hrs, 7d, & 28d,,, for all coatings ( polyaspartic, epoxy, or decorative cementitious overlays, or protective sealers ) we wait 30d and perform a moisture test prior to applications.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

I was figuring on at least 30 days, I had read on forums that it does continue to cure over 28 days
Thanks


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## yesitsconcrete (May 11, 2008)

depending on conditions, you're 'zactly right, davey :laughing: since no one knows, we accept/test design strengths based on what we CAN measure - time.

ps - don't waste time diving labadee, haiti - no fish OR color !


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Hey, anything has to be warmer then here !!
Cozumel is my favorite destination


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## yesitsconcrete (May 11, 2008)

looks like moi when we had to ice dive in n j, davey,,, next stop's bonaire & the wall


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## BikerDave (Feb 7, 2009)

I redid my basement and garage with Epoxy. I definitely made some mistakes, but in the end, I'm pretty happy with the job. I've documented what I did right and wrong with some accompanying pictures at http://www.goodrum.cx/fall2007projects if you're interested. I think you'll appreciate my spiked shoes for walking across drying epoxy flooring.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Nice job, my basement floor is a mess
No plans to do that, its too sectioned up
But I want to do the garage before we start using it
I figure a nice clean fresh floor is best

Are these finishes slippery?
With snow melt in the winter I don't want the wife taking a header
She can trip over an ant, really :laughing:

I was expecting a bigger pergola !!


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## BikerDave (Feb 7, 2009)

With the flakes, it's not slippery at all. They do have an additive for clear epoxies to create a "Grit" feeling to them if you're not using flakes.


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## yesitsconcrete (May 11, 2008)

the additive's call'd ' shark's grip ' ( ground polycarbonate ) [ sher-wms ],,, apron stores sell crush'd & grad'd garnet,,, sand breaks down,,, the best stuff's alum oxide but too much & you'll change the color.

i always use it in the 1st coat of urethane over epoxy then backroll in the 2nd coat of urethane.


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