OT: Anyone painted their garage floor with epoxy recently?

[DanDombrowski]

Hey guys, haven't posted in awhile since I bought the E46.

My fiancee and I just closed on our first house yesterday, and I am EXTREMELY excited to have my first 2 car garage. Its got a nice workbench built in already (very happy about that), and plenty of room on the sides.

We have about 2 weeks before we're planning on making the big move, so right now we're just playing around a bit (running ethernet wires through the attic and floor, fixing some bathroom tile that needs to be regrouted, hanging pictures on the wall, things like that). I'm thinking I also want to paint the garage floor with an epoxy coating to protect it.

Anyone used any in particular that they recommend? I realize you have to let it dry for some time (the reason we're doing it now before we move in). I was just planning on going to home depot and asking someone there, maybe they have a weekend course on it.

I definitely promise to post photos when I'm done. I've got a good bit of air tools and am very happy to finally have a garage I can get some work done in. Take care all!

[RallyD]

I helped a friend do his a while back. we used the rustoleum kit from Lowes.
I think that the Quikcrete brand kit might be a little better though.

CONCRETE ETCH (http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=19) (your kit may have included this)

PROFESSIONAL FLOOR COATING (http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=14)

SEALER (http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=13)
definitely use the 2 part sealer. Don't cheap out on this step. The one part sealers turn yellow.

ANTI-SKID ADDITIVE (http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=18)
Without this it will be like an ice rink when your shoes are wet.

Prep is essential. We rented the floor scrubber and used a power washer. Make sure the concrete is completely dry.
If done properly you might be able to finish in 3 days. I could take up to seven. Do it right, do it once.

[brosher]

I've got a handyman book with an article on it. I'm not emotionally attached to the book if you want it.

[RobPatt]

I used the quikcrete in tan... w/flakes...

turned out awesome, just pulled the car in last night, after waiting the 72 hours for vehicle traffic....

follow directions carefully, like anything good prep is key.

2 gallons were perfect quantity for my 2 car garage...
read the paper that says mix the first gallon... then trim the edges...then mix the second gallon and do the whole rest of the place....

two changes I did, however...

1. I didn't use the quikcrete anti-skid additive... I used one by valspar (or was it american traditions..(think that's the lowes brand?) Anyway the one I used gave a great no-skid texture... and a very low gloss.

2. just bought a $5 thing of muriatic acid and mixed w/water (see the directions on the acid container for concrete etching)... the acid is WAY chepaer than whatever cleaner/etcher they sell... I'd already just used simple green and a pressure washer to get up any oil residue, etc. first... so did the cleaning that way... then did the $5 acid/etch job...

other than those 2 things, followed directions... about $110 later I've got a GREAT looking, easy to clean/maintain garage floor.

cheers,
Rob



Hey guys, haven't posted in awhile since I bought the E46.

My fiancee and I just closed on our first house yesterday, and I am EXTREMELY excited to have my first 2 car garage. Its got a nice workbench built in already (very happy about that), and plenty of room on the sides.

We have about 2 weeks before we're planning on making the big move, so right now we're just playing around a bit (running ethernet wires through the attic and floor, fixing some bathroom tile that needs to be regrouted, hanging pictures on the wall, things like that). I'm thinking I also want to paint the garage floor with an epoxy coating to protect it.

Anyone used any in particular that they recommend? I realize you have to let it dry for some time (the reason we're doing it now before we move in). I was just planning on going to home depot and asking someone there, maybe they have a weekend course on it.

I definitely promise to post photos when I'm done. I've got a good bit of air tools and am very happy to finally have a garage I can get some work done in. Take care all!

[DanDombrowski]

Wow, great info guys! Thanks!

I was planning on picking up something at Lowes, so I suppose I will probably also go with the quickrete kit. I fortunately have a pressure washer, so I will be able to pressure wash ahead of time. Thanks for the tip on the muratic acid, I will pick up some of that as well.

One thing Im unsure of - there are 2 settlement cracks in the garage floor. Did you have any cracks in your garage floor? If so, did you fill them in ahead of time, or just paint over them?

Any other ideas that I should use to really make an awesome garage, besides a lift?

[Brandon J]

The kits at Lowes are good, but the Sherwin Williams paint is better. They don't sell the flakes but the Valspar are good flakes to get. Just get enough. What the pros do is pour enough epoxy while another person uses a squeegie (sp?) to spread it around. Then after it is spread and brushed in the corners, they wear those shoe lawn airating things, that have a bunch of spikes. That person moves quickly to spread a lot of the flakes around. After it dries for about 24 hours, they come back to cover the whole thing in a clear seal.

You will find many kits either don't have enough epoxy or flakes. Also, if you are worried about slipping, it happens to all the kits, then you might want to add some sand. Sand can even be added remotely to the walk areas where someone could slip. The seal is important if you plan on doing the shop work. It helps to repel the corrosive fluids even if the epoxy says it is resistant. The seal can also help with the wear of the traffic. There are seals that dry with a more matte finish. I would rather touch up the seal in a few years rather than the epoxy.

As people have said, prep is key. There are specific fillers for the cracks in the concrete. It's a caulking type for concrete that can be used. Also, if you rush the prep or dry time, peeling is likely to occur sooner. Proper concrete temp is also key.

Good Luck!

[duby55]

Muratic acid is the best concrete cleaner to use but I would be very very careful using it. Do not breath the vapors, man thats nasty! Protect yourself. It burns cloths like battery acid too. Works great but it can be dangerous. As for the cracks, check out hydralic cement, and clean out the cracks as deep as you can before filling them. I wish I did mine before I accumulated so much great junk. It makes a nice clean looking garage. Good luck with the new home.

[Tiger]

Fill it with chaulk type fillter and smooth it out flat with a piece of wood or your hand... don't let it bump out. This way, the seal is flexible so not likely to crack again.

If it is a tiny crack, the anti skid might do the trick.

[Dave PA]

hey i didn't know better.

the muratic acid makes your garage like 100 grit sand paper. when you pour it on and then wash it off w/if i remember vinegar water solution try to keep it all contained into your garage and not outside it. if you have a drain in the garage keep it all going in there. MAKE SURE you have a good mask to wear. that muratic acid KILLED me for like 3 days (and i still don't think i can smell right from it).

you'll need that pressure washer to blow that top layer of concrete off after the acid bath (it's all the sand particles).

the painting is the easy part. just make sure it's not cold when you do it and wait a good 3-5 days. the longer you wait the better. one of my goofus neighbors didn't wait and he pulled it all up (he was a tool bag).

you might not need to put the particulate in there. up north they mix fiberglass strands into concrete pours to help avoid cracking. when i acid washed mine it looked like i had all of these little hairs in it. that's what it was from.

be safe and good luck with it! it makes clean up a breeze!!!

-dave

[bmwpower]

www.garagejournal.com

[RobPatt]

....read the directions, mix as the bottle says (think it was like 20:1 water:acid).... only let it sit a minute or two.. then rinse... it's all on the side of the jug of acid...directions for etching concrete....

YES..I did have a few cracks.

Also at lowes in the concrete section is a bottle of concrete filler... bottle is the shape of a mustard/catsup squeeze bottle (pointy top) like at a BBQ place or something....

The stuff is a goo like toothpaste... bead it into the cracks (like joint compound or spackling).... let it harden per the instructions.

Don't think you can squeege the quikcrete stuff around... you'll need a roller put onto a broomstick.

As for the flakes - depends how many "flakes per square foot" you want.

I didn't go overboard at all, just a light sprinkle... and the flakes that came with it were sufficient. DO, however (again like the instructions say) practice shaking the flakes out of the dispenser.... so you can find the shake rate (in your arm) that makes the "flake density" on the floor that you like....

simple easy fun project.

Cheers,
Rob sends....

[Tiger]

One step up would be Armstrong vinyl tile laid out in checker style... white/black, white/grey or grey/black... I am going to do this in the spring... glue it down to concrete floor in 4 x 4 checker... 4 tiles together to make one large 24" by 24" checker.

Griot Garage's is top of the line unlimited expense quartz tile... whoo... too slippery for my taste... also too expensive... I can't imagine my garage tile cost more than high end kitchen tile!