Epoxy floor paint

I have always used u-coat it - did it myself

Not cheap but imo worth it

Prep is the most important part of any application

 

+1

Most modern coatings will work for their intended applications when properly applied. The problem with garage floor coatings comes when folks try to apply the product over old oil or other contaminates on the garage floor.

When some homeowners find out they have to use acids or other "scary" chemicals to prep the surface, they sometimes bail and go right to applying the finish on a less than optimal substrate.

Just like painting a car, proper prep for any surface can sometimes take 10x longer than the application of the final finish.

Get in a hurry, or don't use the correct "stuff" to remove contaminates and you will end up with epoxy off your floor and on your tires.

The best results usually come with brand new garages that have not been contaminated by fluids and traffic. Also, the pros know how to properly prep the surface too and may be your best bet for a finish that lasts.

What looks worse, your original concrete with a few unsightly stains or a new epoxy finish that has lifted in spots and shows your concrete base?

Knowing when to DIY and when to sub it out is a tough call sometimes but you have to balance dollars with results.

Or just tile the damn thing and be done with it, lol! (Oh no, that open up another can of worms in selection and prep too. Choices, choices.)

Alden

 

I put down U-Coat It brand in my new shop 5 years ago.
Looks as good as the day I did it.
I have spilled gas, oil, brake fluid, anti-freeze, etc on it, just wipes up.
Could not be easier to maintain, ocasional vacuum, wet mop with their detergent, good to go.
Regards
Jeff
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Whatever you do, do not use Epoxy Professionals in Michigan. A guy named Daniel.

He did my floor 2 years ago, its all messed up and he is not honoring his 5 year warranty against delamination. One of those times the lawyer will cost more than the recovery if successful but I am so pissed off at this guy who wont return calls or stand behind his work I don't care!

 

I used Garagetek here in Metro Atlanta (2nd time coating a new floor) and the results have been great. The floor is amazing and is easy to maintain. Here is a before and after pic. They come out and lightly grind the floor to open up the concrete, apply the epoxy paint, then the flakes. You can walk on it in a day and drive on it in 7 days. Costs about $1,100 per parking spot, so my 3 car garage was about $3,300.
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I used Wolverine after lots of research including the Garage Journal site. Did it myself and it went really well. Don't remember the exact cost since its been a few years. Maybe $500 materials?

 

I've been thinking about these for my floors, but my floors are a bit unique. They are steel. Lots of round headed slotted screws. Some flat sheet and some is diamond plate.

Does anyone think this type of coating will work?

GT

 

DIY kits are intended for people who have basic skills in flooring. I would recommend you to hire a good contractor or professional painter to do apply the epoxy coatings. I have seen many places where coatings started peeling even after 2 or 3 months of application. The main reason will be poor quality of the paint or improper use. Here at Mississauga companies like Proseal Floor care systems Inc provides epoxy flooring with reasonable costs. Such companies can suggest you the best brand of paint available.

 

The main issue is not the paint but rather the prep

 

Yes prep is the most important. I ground 1700sqft with a 7" hand grinder. Never want to do that again!

 

Suggest you check out The Garage Journal Board - Powered by vBulletin
Lots of great info --- manufactures and distributors to answer questions and multiple product reviews.

 

Right topic right time for me.
One of companies I contacted in here in Aus, described the process and they scrub / grind the surface even on new floods to expose the porosity in the concrete. they put down a bonding sealer, then urathane and then an epoxy sealer, Not cheap as it worked out at $100 + AUD a meter !
The description of the prep gave me a head start. I have recently had my driveway professionally cleaned for the house sale and I will use the same process in the new garage before I treat the surface.

 

Sherwin-Williams high solid 2 part epoxy
with 2 coats of clear
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you can rent a buffer from home depot and put a grinding disc on it. This covers a greater area in a shorter period and keep you off your knees.

 

Stay away from the Rust-O-Leum expoxy kit. I had a pro painter do the acid prep & thorough cleaning prior to application but it has not worn well at all. The paint has peeled, come up on tires, etc.

 

That didn't work out for me unfortunately. Progress was very slow and would barely touch the surface. Ended up burning up the buffer after adding 100lbs to it.

I'm thinking maybe the surface was just to hard as it was poured 17 years ago.

 

Look into having your cement stained, not a cheap process but looks amazing.

 

I have done both epoxy and polished concrete. The polished concrete looks dope but it gets pretty slippery when wet.

 

Most of the time when epoxy peels it's because of the moisture content of the concrete being to high, it's still expelling it and it will push the epoxy off the floor, you should test before you actually put epoxy down.
prep is key, grinding is best, but acid prep can work just fine as well, I acid prepped mine twice, it was VERY clean.
If you have too much moisture moving through the concrete, look at acid staining, that is much less DIY to get best results, but frankly it can look very cool, massive coloring and swirling, especially when polished and glossed.

 

Used the Rust-o-leum cheapie kits, 12 years ago.....3 car garage, new build.

Only a few years ago did some start coming up, at the tires and a few other
areas, actually still looks pretty good today. Spent less than $200 for 3
kits, and a day's work. Did not drive or put anything on floors for a few days,
so cured real well.

The formulations today are much improved over what I bought at Home Depot
over 12 years ago. One of my neighbors had his done by a pro, cost thousands,
and had to fight him to come back and redo, as it was coming up within months.
so a pro does not guarantee good results.

As others have said, everything is floor prep, virgin floor helps, and letting it cure
as long as possible before driving on it. Also, not turning the wheel until you are
rolling when coating is new helps a lot.

On my next house I will again be doing it myself.

 

I helped a friend of mine about 9 years ago do the inexpensive Rustoleum kits in his 4 car garage. Today it's a little scuffed up and pulling up in a few spots but overall still pretty good considering the price. (we just etched it, new concrete). Might still be 100% if we ground it first.

I used Legacy epoxy/urethane on mine. So far so good. Will be interesting to see how it holds up.
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I have heard that some folks have had good results with 1x1 glued down vinyl tiles. Cheap and easy DIY.

Anyone have any personal experience with that?
Alden

 

I did the main house garage with black and white industrial tile back in the late 90's and while it did look very nice it was a pain to keep nice. In addition, even with the thicker industrial material it was still rather delicate if you do any work on the cars. Floor jacks, jack stands etc all left indentations. The only good thing I can say about it is the picture I submitted to Car & Driver Magazine won me a place in the "Ten Best Garagemahals" back in the 1999 issue of their ten best categories.