Garage Flooring

[EvolvedDSM]

Who's using what? :)

I've got about 400 square feet to cover up. I don't need anything crazy as I'm mainly trying to keep the kids on their feet while wet/snowy. Of course, I'll need to be able to roll around a floor jack and perform some vehicle maintenance, so these factors need to be considered.

Originally, I was thinking about an epoxy finish with some "sand" mixed in for the non-slip aspect, but prep is key and I don't want to have to do this every few years. I've seen some half-ass prep lead to paint lifting, which leads to stripping and starting from scratch.

Looking at coverings, there's anything from cheap indoor/outdoor carpeting to not so cheap vinyl floor mats/rolls. Then there's tile (both rigid and vinyl).

Again, I don't need a Garage-Mahal here, just something to keep everyone from busting their ass and looking decent while still being able to take some moderate abuse/chemical baths.

[ucsigep]

I have epoxy, love it. Mine was professionally done, though.

[BlackEclipse]

I use nothing - just the bare concrete.

[EvolvedDSM]

I use nothing - just the bare concrete.

That's what I would prefer, but my shit has the coefficient of friction equal to an ice rink when wet.

I don't mind a professional install, but always looking to save money going DIY. If the work is warranteed for the 20-ish years that the epoxy claims it will last, it might be worth the extra cash.

[ucsigep]

I wouldn't know who to send you to back there, the guy that did mine here is a friend of a friend and hooked it up, was actually cheaper than doing it myself. lol But after having it done, I will probably always have it done professionally, as it is way better than any DIY job I've ever seen. Though I will say I watched the guys do it, and I have a firm grasp on how to do it, it's certainly not an easy DIY job.

Maybe check with some local businesses like Phil and see if any of them can recommend someone.

[BlackEclipse]

Jamie, your concrete sounds like my parent's garage floor which is smooth as glass. I have a slight texture on the surface of my concrete so it is not slippery.

[EvolvedDSM]

Yeah, unlike my drive, the garage has zero texture. I've considered just a gritty clear coat, but it would still be ugly and probably entail just as much prep as going full on with the epoxy.

[BlackEclipse]

Isn't there a way to sand/grind or etch it with acid to create a texture?

[EvolvedDSM]

I've got some muriatic acid out in the pool shed that I've accidently spilled on our concrete decking and can't say it made a significant change once I rinsed it off. (Although, it did make some pretty green bubbles.) Maybe I'll test out a section in the garage. Even if it doesn't do anything, this is basically part of the prep for the epoxy and I'll have a 1 ft^2 head start.

[ucsigep]

you actually etch it with acid in the process of putting the epoxy on. If the floor is smooth as glass, it actually will make it even more work to do the epoxy.

[Sparky]

Why don't we use this?:

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11274249&search=garage%20floor&Mo=0&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=5000043&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=garage%20floor&Ntt=garage%20floor&No=0&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1

I don't have any experience with it but have never been disappointed with anything from Costco.

[BlackEclipse]

The question is: Will brake cleaner dissolve it? What about diesel fuel?

[Stanislav94]

Here you go...

[EvolvedDSM]

Why don't we use this?:

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11274249&search=garage%20floor&Mo=0&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=5000043&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=garage%20floor&Ntt=garage%20floor&No=0&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1

I don't have any experience with it but have never been disappointed with anything from Costco.

That one caught my eye earlier. I'd be paying a little more for the pre-packaging, but it has everything I could possibly need (and more) to get it done. While we're letting the floor cure, we could go wax Mike Black's Eclipse with some diesel fuel and brake cleaner.

[91E39A]

Or you could come over to my garage(s) 10 minutes from your house and help me epoxy my floor...

-Dan

[Sparky]

That one caught my eye earlier. I'd be paying a little more for the pre-packaging, but it has everything I could possibly need (and more) to get it done. While we're letting the floor cure, we could go wax Mike Black's Eclipse with some diesel fuel and brake cleaner.

:beer

[EvolvedDSM]

Here you go...

Any experience (work or home) with U Coat It? A quick search yields positive reviews, but about twice as much as the Costco option.

[Mike C]

I don't have any experience with it but have never been disappointed with anything from Costco.

Better get used to buying much more from there :Banana

[BlackEclipse]

I say....cookout at whoever's house is getting it done first so we can see the product and learn from their amateur mistakes.

[hndaklr]

http://www.jnkproducts.com/daytona_flooring.htm

http://www.jnkproducts.com/greatfloor/daytona/daytona3.jpg

Why not try this??

[EvolvedDSM]

Why not try this??

They're on the list of options, but to finish my garage would take about $1200 (plus shipping?). At that point, it may be more in my interest to pay a pro to lay the epoxy down.

I'm not convinced the "plastic" tiles will take the abuse of the isolated pressures of jacks, stands and me dropping transfer cases. Granted, I can replace the damaged tiles, but have to dig for them if they're in the middle of the flooring. I don't want to do the job more than once.

[hndaklr]

How about outdoor carpet??? It's cheaper.
http://www.flooringwebsite.com/Carpet/Indoor_Outdoor/Grass-Tex/Board_1/Front/All_Sports_Turf/All_Sports_Turf.jpg

And they have several colors.
http://images.lowes.com/general/t/turf_carpet.jpg

[EvolvedDSM]

How about outdoor carpet??? It's cheaper.


That's a quick and dirty option to get me through the winter and into spring, but I still want to find something a little more permanent.

[BlackEclipse]

Pour some of that cheap rock salt de-icer stuff on your garage floor..gauranteed to cause it to flake away...then you will have a rougher surface.

[EvolvedDSM]

No thanks! I guess if I'm going to roll something out, I'd rather go with this: http://www.bltllc.com/blt_main.htm Again, this is going to be more than the epoxy (more than twice the cost), but is definitely more convenient.

[ucsigep]

and me dropping transfer cases.

It's not that funny, but I still lol'ed

[mbilyeu]

Chip at it with the carbide mining bits I sell. Guaranteed to chip away and roughen up concrete. 100 bucks worth will do any garage. Just drop tip down from waist level and in no time will your concrete floor have a unique texture.

[DQ Driver]

What's wrong with concrete?

-MIKE!

[Stanislav94]

No experience with U Coat It, just saw a commercial on TV.

[EvolvedDSM]

What's wrong with concrete?

-MIKE!

I want something warm and cozy to take a nap on.

[BlackEclipse]

Buy a couch.

[DQ Driver]

I want something warm and cozy to take a nap on.

More wrenchy, less warm and fuzzy aesthetics.

-MIKE!

[MrBlunt]

My neighbor down the street did his 3 car with U Coat It. Its been 2 years and it still looks brand new. Very nice product. It's pricey but it is nice.

I plan to do the Shermin Williams 2 part coating in my garage. My next door neighbor does commercial floor sales and swears by the Shermin Williams product. He said before they did their own product they used it and never had issues with it coming up even in high traffic warehouses. Its about 80 bucks a gallon, I know I need 2 gallons for my 2 car garage (1 can of each). I just planned to go to Lowes and buy the flake from the Dupont epoxy stuff to put down for looks.

[DSMu4ia]

I've done 6 garage's with the Rustoleum stuff, my personal garage has been coated for 4 years.

I have 3 spots that flaked up in mine, one is from a Walmart battery that exploded and leaked onto the floor (I thought it was water for 2 weeks so I didn't bother cleaning it up), one is from a grease stain I thought I had prepped well enough but when you roll hot z-rated tires over it and park the car on it... it eventually pulls it up. Another is a low spot that water lays in the garage.

A good simple green cleaning makes it look new again and for the tough stains, brake cleaner will clean it right up without taking the paint off with it.

Coating your floor is probably the best thing you can do to your garage IMO.

I recommend over prepping, 2 coats of the Rustoleum product (all I have experience with, I will be trying the Sherwin Williams stuff next though), and flakes on the top coat.

I've dropped cinderblocks on mine, dropped trannies on it (don't ask) and I can't get it to scratch or even chip.

I can post my overkill prep work list if you would like to see it.

Average garage that I've done is 24x24 and that's where the 2 coats come from...you will need 3 kits to finish it. Usually will cost right at $200-$225 in materials by the time its said and done.

[EvolvedDSM]

I can post my overkill prep work list if you would like to see it.

Thanks for the input! I would like to see what you did as far as prep. I've got an idea in my head, but sounds like you've got the experience ;)

[The Dad]

The prep that would be hard is clearing out the entire garage floor. I have shelves and cabinets along 3 walls.

[BlackEclipse]

He could probably do one half of his garage one week then a week later do the other half. My floor is split down the middle with a seam.

[ucsigep]

nah, you want to do it all at once. It's enough work doing the prep work, you wouldn't want to do it on different days.

This is all why 1) I had mine done professionally, and 2) I had it done as soon as I moved in my house, I never put anything in my garage until it was done so the floor had no oil, tire tracks, or anything else for them to deal with when prepping.

[BlackEclipse]

It could take MONTHS to prep my floor. I have years of crud buildup from many different chemicals/paints/oils.

[EvolvedDSM]

I can dump the garage in a couple of hours. I do have a few items I wouldn't want outside more than a couple of days (up to a week), but can get the rest in the basement or somewhere else (temporarily).

[MrBlunt]

I'm interested to see your prep as well. I was told to use muriatic acid diluted 50:50 with water. My friend John works for NTB and says they have a product that you spray on a grease spot, leave it for an hour, the rinse it off and it takes up EVERYTHING. So I thought of looking into that as well if its not too expensive. Muriatic acid isn't too expensive at all.

[DQ Driver]

Someone set up a group buy for garage flooring products.

-MIKE!

[doggo]

Check this stuff out...its the best I've used it for pump station cement flooring (gas/oil resistant) and am planning to do my garage with it after I re-pour the garage floor...

tnemec.com

Means cement spelled backwards. It's expensive but the absolute best epoxy based stuff. They have zinc in their garage floor stuff makes it just about rust/ stain proof- like zinc-coated brake rotors...but on your floor.

[EvolvedDSM]

Check this stuff out...its the best I've used it for pump station cement flooring (gas/oil resistant) and am planning to do my garage with it after I re-pour the garage floor...

tnemec.com

Means cement spelled backwards. It's expensive but the absolute best epoxy based stuff. They have zinc in their garage floor stuff makes it just about rust/ stain proof- like zinc-coated brake rotors...but on your floor.

That's overkill for my needs. I don't have an oxidation issue, just a traction one ;)

I restrained from picking something up last night as I received another suggestion/recommendation for the U-Coat-It. I'll have to look at that one a bit more.