Hey you guys with the SWEET garage floors...

Zino · 06-03-2007, 10:47 PM

I just built a new garage/shop. I had planned on polishing the concrete floor to an extreme luster and deep gray/black finish with a diamond abrasive grinding machine, similar to the concrete floors you see at all the new Lowes, super Wal Marts, Home Depots etc. But I am having a hard time finding a way to rent the specialized equipment for me to do this. Every company I can find will only do the work themselves. And its HUGE $$$$$, because its normally only commercial jobs and any residential jobs have become a bit of a yuppie thing to have done, so they try to rape you thinking you are a useless yuppie moron with clean fingernails.....

Anyway, so now I am starting to re-think this, and may take a step back and just epoxy coat the floor. So you guys who have the beautiful clean, bright shops with the great looking epoxy coated floors, what epoxy system did you use ?? I desire a very very high luster, I am not worried about skid resistance, I'll just be careful walking when its wet.... The smoother and shinier the better.... like glass and totally impenetrable from oil, trans fluid etc etc. And it cant chip, flake or spall from rolling a floor jack on it etc etc.

I greatly appreciate any help/suggestions you may offer.

Kevin P. Panzino
GT/FA 1202

SSDAD · 06-04-2007, 02:28 PM

Three years ago I applied an industrial grade epoxy floor paint from Benjamin Moore on a new concrete floor. I have been very satisfied with the performance. The semi-gloss (gray) greatly enhances the lighting in the shop area and clean-up is very easy.

It was a very simple process for a do-it-yourself application. After simple etching with muratic acid, then rinse and let dry for 48 hours. The epoxy applies with a roller and drys without an roller marks.

My paint supplier recommended taking a plastic trash bag and sealing it to the floor with duct tape for a couple of days. After a couple days, remove and look for signs of moisture. If moisture appears, another product maybe recommended.

SSDAD

SSDA Hemi · 06-04-2007, 09:53 PM

I have recently coated my floor of my new 30 x 54 garage with a two part epoxy. It holds up well, but I believe my floor was too smooth for the epoxy to adhere to. I follwed directions to a T, but if you drop something hevy on the floor the epoxy WILL chip. Either finish your concrete with a rough finish, or bead blast the surface. Also, it is not cheap!

Phil Veldheer Racing · 06-05-2007, 11:41 AM

e-mail me at 455@i2k.com for some photos.

Phil

Owen S Quirion · 06-05-2007, 01:15 PM

We built a brand new shop here where I work 3 years ago and there was an argument over the merits of these industrial Epoxy floor coatings vs. a polished finish and the Epoxy guys won. The floor looks like crap now and I would rate the performance as poor. Blisters, scratches, dull finish. Stick with a sealed polished finish and you will be happy.

Owen S. Quirion
BF/S 1985 Pontiac Grand Am

Zino · 06-05-2007, 09:21 PM

Well, thanks for the responses guys!! Unfortunately I'm still on the fence. The floor is very very smooth, since I finished it with a power trowel. So, coating with epoxy will indeed require some etching as a few of you have suggested, which is really a kick in the teeth and a step backwards since I went to great effort to finish it so smooth. And the epxoy chipping is something that I am seriously concerned about. No matter how careful you are you drop things. .... I gotta admit I'lm still leaning to polishing, but I need to find some way to either get it done reasonable, or find a place to rent me the equipment.....

Kp

Wayne Totaro · 06-14-2007, 01:35 PM

I used U-Coat it. Found at www.ucoatit.com This is a fantastic product. If you need pictures of my garage let me know and I will e-mail.

Kenny Wigington · 06-14-2007, 10:21 PM

Kevin, I think there are a few colored sealers that are very durable. It would be very slick though if it gets wet. Like ice.
You already have a smoooth surface, just might need a couple of crack stops cut into it. Be bad to have a beautiful floor marred by a few errant cracks that wiggle acroos the surface. They dont have to be deep either.

The polishing equipment is probably very expensive. I have' nt had any reason to price it. I wired a huge church 3 yrs ago that had polished and color sealed concrete floors in a lot of the entry. It did look very nice when they were finished though.

Good Luck !

I hope they will replace that win light , on my side ! It looks like yours still works ?!

STK 2894

06-03-2007, 10:47 PM	#1
Zino Junior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 6 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hey you guys with the SWEET garage floors... I just built a new garage/shop. I had planned on polishing the concrete floor to an extreme luster and deep gray/black finish with a diamond abrasive grinding machine, similar to the concrete floors you see at all the new Lowes, super Wal Marts, Home Depots etc. But I am having a hard time finding a way to rent the specialized equipment for me to do this. Every company I can find will only do the work themselves. And its HUGE $$$$$, because its normally only commercial jobs and any residential jobs have become a bit of a yuppie thing to have done, so they try to rape you thinking you are a useless yuppie moron with clean fingernails..... Anyway, so now I am starting to re-think this, and may take a step back and just epoxy coat the floor. So you guys who have the beautiful clean, bright shops with the great looking epoxy coated floors, what epoxy system did you use ?? I desire a very very high luster, I am not worried about skid resistance, I'll just be careful walking when its wet.... The smoother and shinier the better.... like glass and totally impenetrable from oil, trans fluid etc etc. And it cant chip, flake or spall from rolling a floor jack on it etc etc. I greatly appreciate any help/suggestions you may offer. Kevin P. Panzino GT/FA 1202

06-05-2007, 11:41 AM	#4
Phil Veldheer Racing Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Holland, MICHIGAN Posts: 155 Likes: 43 Liked 26 Times in 8 Posts	e-mail me at 455@i2k.com for some photos. Phil __________________ PHIL VELDHEER 3455 STK IHRA WORLD Record Holder 2007-08-09-10-11-12-13-14-15-16

06-05-2007, 01:15 PM	#5
Owen S Quirion Junior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Captiol District of New York Posts: 71 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	We built a brand new shop here where I work 3 years ago and there was an argument over the merits of these industrial Epoxy floor coatings vs. a polished finish and the Epoxy guys won. The floor looks like crap now and I would rate the performance as poor. Blisters, scratches, dull finish. Stick with a sealed polished finish and you will be happy. Owen S. Quirion BF/S 1985 Pontiac Grand Am __________________ BF/S 1985 Grand Am 3.0 V6

06-14-2007, 01:35 PM	#7
Wayne Totaro Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 235 Likes: 1 Liked 39 Times in 13 Posts	I used U-Coat it. Found at www.ucoatit.com This is a fantastic product. If you need pictures of my garage let me know and I will e-mail. __________________ J. Wayne Totaro 1117 STK

06-14-2007, 10:21 PM	#8
Kenny Wigington Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Cumming,Ga. USA Posts: 967 Likes: 36 Liked 60 Times in 12 Posts	Kevin, I think there are a few colored sealers that are very durable. It would be very slick though if it gets wet. Like ice. You already have a smoooth surface, just might need a couple of crack stops cut into it. Be bad to have a beautiful floor marred by a few errant cracks that wiggle acroos the surface. They dont have to be deep either. The polishing equipment is probably very expensive. I have' nt had any reason to price it. I wired a huge church 3 yrs ago that had polished and color sealed concrete floors in a lot of the entry. It did look very nice when they were finished though. Good Luck ! I hope they will replace that win light , on my side ! It looks like yours still works ?! STK 2894 __________________ 2894 STK

06-04-2007, 02:28 PM	#2
SSDAD Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: USA Posts: 5 Likes: 5 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Three years ago I applied an industrial grade epoxy floor paint from Benjamin Moore on a new concrete floor. I have been very satisfied with the performance. The semi-gloss (gray) greatly enhances the lighting in the shop area and clean-up is very easy. It was a very simple process for a do-it-yourself application. After simple etching with muratic acid, then rinse and let dry for 48 hours. The epoxy applies with a roller and drys without an roller marks. My paint supplier recommended taking a plastic trash bag and sealing it to the floor with duct tape for a couple of days. After a couple days, remove and look for signs of moisture. If moisture appears, another product maybe recommended. SSDAD

06-04-2007, 09:53 PM	#3
SSDA Hemi Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: NJ Posts: 503 Likes: 130 Liked 451 Times in 77 Posts	I have recently coated my floor of my new 30 x 54 garage with a two part epoxy. It holds up well, but I believe my floor was too smooth for the epoxy to adhere to. I follwed directions to a T, but if you drop something hevy on the floor the epoxy WILL chip. Either finish your concrete with a rough finish, or bead blast the surface. Also, it is not cheap!

06-05-2007, 09:21 PM	#6
Zino Junior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 6 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Well, thanks for the responses guys!! Unfortunately I'm still on the fence. The floor is very very smooth, since I finished it with a power trowel. So, coating with epoxy will indeed require some etching as a few of you have suggested, which is really a kick in the teeth and a step backwards since I went to great effort to finish it so smooth. And the epxoy chipping is something that I am seriously concerned about. No matter how careful you are you drop things. .... I gotta admit I'lm still leaning to polishing, but I need to find some way to either get it done reasonable, or find a place to rent me the equipment..... Kp