Garage Floor Paint

[Tempest]

I'll be moving into a new house soon

and would like to put one of the epoxy type paints on the floor to make clean up easy. I was wondering if anybody has used any of the products and what your opinion/experience is with it.

Any recommendations are appreciated.

 

[JavaMan]

I've been putting it off for quite a while, but, I've about decided to go with a mat instead of painting.

 

[Drew99GT]

Look no further we've tried a few brands over the years from local stores and they all start peeling after a couple years. ucoatit is indestructible.

 

[hone eagle]

I used a product from behr - #@$%!,hot tires lifted it.Followed instuctions to the letter,acid wash,rinse,rinse,wash,wash,prime,wait,paint ,wait (3 days)to cure,lifted and standing water made it curl up.Single part epoxy.

 

[JavaMan]

There are probably good products out there if the surface is prepared properly. I just don't know if I can prepare the surface properly. I have some light oil stains that I've scrubbed, but, I can still see them. I'm not confident that paint will stick and be durable on these areas. If it doesn't I believe I would be stuck with an even worse problem. That's why I've decided to go with a mat. But, in a new house, old oil stains shouldn't pose a problem. I would certainly get it done before I pulled the first vehicle into the garage.

 

[V1]

I used Benjamin Moore's "Floor & Patio" this past summer. The floor was prepped above and beyond recommendations, but the paint lifts where the tires rest. You must use floor mats.

A guy I know that does concrete for a living said that the best thing is to have the floor profiled. That means, use a machine to roughen the surface. Before applying products, the floor should resemble the roughness of a sidewalk. Every product will eventually come up, but the two-part epoxy-type products have the best reputation.

This seems to be one of those "you get what you pay for" ventures.

 

[alreadygone]

The last part of that is where the rub is,,,(pay for). If you want easy clean, last a lifetime, WILL NOT COME OFF!! Bite the bullet and have yor local Rhino Lining dealer (or similar polyurethane coating dealer) come spray if once and forall. Considerably higher than a pickup bed, but you're probably gonna be in that house longer than you'll ever own a pickup.

Bob

 

[JTK]

Quote:

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I used Benjamin Moore's "Floor & Patio" this past summer..

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V1, was it this stuff by chance? http://www.benjaminmoore.com/wrapper_pg3...ctid=32#article
Kinda OT, but the reason I ask is, I need to paint a previously painted (and pressure washer blasted) basement floor. Floor is in fair condition. Just wondering how this paint held up aside from the tire patches. I got hooked on Ben Moore paints a cpl years ago.
Thanks!
Joel

 

[BigAl]

I did mine about 15 years ago. I washed it well with TSP, let it dry for a couple of days and then painted it with two-part urethane similar to Imron. (It was left over at work from a silo painting project and they would have had to pay to dispose of it, so they let me take it home.) I tinted it gray. I poured it on and rolled it out . . . two coats a few hours apart.

The floor had a lot of oil and paint stains before I started and it wasn't totally clean before I painted it, but it held up OK anyway. I was advised to use an epoxy primer, but cheaped out and just used the free paint. I planned to tear down the garage in a few years anyway to build a bigger one to use for my future woodworking business. That never happened, and probably won't. I've sold off most of the equipment I rebuilt for the shop . . . I decided I enjoyed rebuilding the machines more than making furniture . . .

From the start, the floor was pretty slippery though, especially with wet shoes. There are now a few places where paint is missing . . . stuck to tires from long-parked cars, and some overspray stains from painting a few car panels. It could probably use a touch-up, but overall it has been a success and really doesn't look too bad. Oil spills still wipe right up.

 

[V1]

JTK, yes, that's the stuff I used in the garage. I do not recommend it for garage floors based on my experience, but it should be alright in your basement.

It took over three weeks for it to completely cure. Before then I was able to gouge it with my fingernail. However, after that three-week window, it hardened up pretty well. Overall it is quite durable, but doesn't stand up to hot tires. Standing puddles of water tend to soften it up as well.

In my opinion, the expensive, epoxy-based products are the way to go. I've seen some so durable that I bet you could do donuts in a Bobcat before damaging the finish.

 

[LAGA]

I have been in the concrete trade for 30 years. My father was a finisher for 43 years. I have poured thousands of garage floors. Two years ago when I knocked down and rebuilt my own garage I went with the Rust-oleum Industrial brand floor covering from Home Depot. It is a heavy duty version of their more common garage and basement paint. Just make sure to follow the instructions to the letter, except lose the paint chips that come with the kit and sprinkle silla sand on the paint for a non slip surface.

 

[benjamming]

I plan on using what XS650 recommended in the following thread. Euco Diamond Hard

Information from previous post

 

[Devman]

Quote:

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I have been in the concrete trade for 30 years. My father was a finisher for 43 years. I have poured thousands of garage floors. Two years ago when I knocked down and rebuilt my own garage I went with the Rust-oleum Industrial brand floor covering from Home Depot. It is a heavy duty version of their more common garage and basement paint. Just make sure to follow the instructions to the letter, except lose the paint chips that come with the kit and sprinkle silla sand on the paint for a non slip surface.

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Right on the money...stick with the Epoxy based garage floor coatings. Silica sand for non slip, I have yet to notice wear on floors using Rust Oleum epoxy coatings. And if the floor is prepared right the first time, this stuff will not lift off, or flake.

 

[Volvohead]

Among the common garage floor coatings, an epoxy is going to hold up the best.

But not all epoxies are created equal. There are different grades of epoxies and oil and water based formulae. The solids content is also a factor in coating quality.

Laga is correct that the commercial formula Rustoleum coatings are quality products. They are oil based epoxies with high solids content and should not be confused with the cheaper consumer grade kits sold in stores. The former is what we used in our garage. While they require some extra application effort, I am very satisfied with the results.

But as with any coating, preparation is everything and there are no shortcuts. If you don't have the equipment or the time to do it right, hire a contractor. It will be much cheaper in the long run.

 

[LAGA]

One other thing to add. If you do the job yourself get a 3/4in nap roller and apply the epoxy heavier than you think is necessary. I have found that a thick coat is better than a thin one.

 

[Bamaro]

Quote:

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Look no further we've tried a few brands over the years from local stores and they all start peeling after a couple years. ucoatit is indestructible.

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You cant go wrong with that one - UCoat It.

 

[michaelc80]

I built my shop in 2001 and coated the concrete floor in 2003 with Rust-Oleum garage epoxy. Once side of the shop houses the lift, mechanic bay and tractor, the other side holds my summer driver (300ZX).

There are no areas where the coating has lifted from hot tires. There are no areas where the coating has lifted from chemicals (oil, gas, kerosene, etc). I use mineral spirits to clean the area under the lift when it gets really dirty.

The only problem areas are where I've spun the tractor tires with the chains on them. I have a couple areas about the size of a dime that are gouged out due to the weighted tire/chain combination when I put them on each fall and remove them in the spring. As I install them I have to twist the wheels, and if the chain is in the correct position it will gouge the finish. Not surprising since the tire/wheel/chain combo weighs 600# plus.

The coated floor is far superior to working on bare concrete. I can lay on the floor and not get dirty or covered with concrete dust. Spills wipe up and the entire shop looks cleaner with the tan floor.

That being said, if the floor is currently coated with something, or you're not willing to invest the time/effort/money to prep it correctly, then you're better off with bare concrete.

 

[car_junkie_moron]

Why not use garage floor tiles from sams club?

 

[Ross]

How do all these coatings hold up to jack stands and floor lifts? I do alot of work on my cars in the garage, and don't want any chipping or cracking from a car on jack stands.

 

[V1]

Floor tiles would remind me of being in the kitchen. To me that's unacceptable. A topcoat just looks more professional in my opinion.

If you're worried about jack stands, you could always put some cardboard beneath them. So far I have not seen any damage from my jack stands or floor jack.