Garage Floor Coatings?

[blk96gt]

We're building a new house and I've been looking at garage floor coatings. Are they worth it? What brand did you go with? I've talked to people that love them, some that don't like them at all, and others that are just kind of meh about them.

There's also the tile option. This guy seemed to have good success with it http://www.corner-carvers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1058374&postcount=222

[Supercharged111]

I helped a friend do the epoxy thing on his floor. We engine swapped a car of his but that's really the only heavy wrenching it's seen. We did it back in 2010 and it still looks good. I'm apprehensive that I'll be able to get my floor clean enough for it to stick the way he did his since it was a 2 year old house with boring not car people who'd lived there before him and not slopped gallons of oil all over it.

[Wade]

We specify commercial flooring for auto shops, restaurant kitchens, etc. You want urethane cement, 1/4" thick. Expect it to be around $10/sf installed. The do it yourself methods are not bad, but will damage/flake/peel over time. Dex-O-Tex TekCrete SL or similar.

I don't recommend tile in a garage. A point load is more likely to crack it, and it won't have the slip resistance that you want in most cases.

[mach1]

Expect it to be around $10/sf installed.

Wow!!! That's crazy money.

[dtanker65]

I used Rustoleum epoxy from HD when I built my new garage. I followed the instructions and put it down before there were any oil stains and I have been very happy with it over several years of extreme abuse. The paint chips that the kit comes with are attractive and offer some no-slip edges. I used it in my trailer as well but I added the non-skid additive there. Great product! No concrete dust in the shop, easy to clean and it has not come un-stuck anywhere.

[ShadowBolt]

I put down Ucoat It over 10 years ago. Still looks good and no pealing or lifting from hot tires. I read a ton prior to doing this. The difference in failure and success is floor prep. I rented a floor Buffer and first used Bear concrete cleaner and etcher a mild acid. Then I used Tied with the buffer. After waiting for it to dry overnight I put down the base coat then the "flecks" then the clear. The instructions say to re-coat the clear ever few years. I keep saying I'm going to do that but........

JJ

[dtanker65]

The difference in failure and success is floor prep.

JJAbsolutely!!!

[blk96gt]

Thanks for the info. $10/sqft is way more than I'm going to pay. I'll probably look into the Ucoat and the HD/Lowes stuff and see if I can find some caparisons. Is it worth it to use the non-skid additive?

[Suck fumes]

I used the lower stuff with no "sprinkles" and it still looks fine after 6 yrs. I parked my car in there too soon so I have 4 permanent tire marks haha. Have to let it cure for a few days.

[Wade]

If you go the cheap/do-it-yourself route, as has been said, prep is the key. Clean clean clean. Broadcasting the specks, flecks, whatever you want to call it is good because it helps hide imperfections and adds slip resistance. Since this is a new house, make sure the builder does not seal the concrete. Most don't, but higher end homes will have have a sealer that will keep the epoxy from sticking.

[Supercharged111]

So how clean is clean enough? That's been my biggest concern. I recently used a concrete cleaner, deck brush, and pressure washer on my floor and it got a lot of shit up, but there is still discoloration where the stains were.

[dtanker65]

Thanks for the info. $10/sqft is way more than I'm going to pay. I'll probably look into the Ucoat and the HD/Lowes stuff and see if I can find some caparisons. Is it worth it to use the non-skid additive?

I don't care for the non-skid additive other than on the trailer ramp, it is a sand finish essentially. New concrete fully cured will weld with the epoxy if done right. High gloss epoxy is beautiful, but it is slicker than snot if wet. The flecks do add decent foot traction.

[ShadowBolt]

So how clean is clean enough? That's been my biggest concern. I recently used a concrete cleaner, deck brush, and pressure washer on my floor and it got a lot of shit up, but there is still discoloration where the stains were.

I forgot to say I did pressure wash the floor last. I had a few oil stains (very small) but no issues so far.

JJ