Expoxy flooring vs
- Thread starter Jamels5oh
- Start date
Yeah. or do the whole floor with a single coat of clear epoxy while the concrete's clean and fresh, and maybe color under the lift and maybe anything else permanent.
It took a while, but we did a 30,000 ft^2 area about 300-400 ft^2 at a time with almost zero waste. Each section was 5m X 5m (expansion joints) and got a coat of clear and then a coat of grey. It was an older floor, and some areas needed a second coat of grey.
It took a while, but we did a 30,000 ft^2 area about 300-400 ft^2 at a time with almost zero waste. Each section was 5m X 5m (expansion joints) and got a coat of clear and then a coat of grey. It was an older floor, and some areas needed a second coat of grey.
Just trying to see where my little dollars would be best spent.Why not both? I'd get creative... Do you have to epoxy the whole floor? Or, maybe, just epoxy the working space directly around and approaching the lift and seal the rest? It doesn't have to be all-or-nothing.
I get it... we're all dealing with "the incredible shrinking dollar"
I will say this, even though it will come off as self-serving, figure out what you want to do with your flooring 1st. You only get one shot at a empty, virgin floor. Once you start moving stuff in it gets exponentially more difficult to make your ideal floor, whatever that is, a reality.
dcg9381
Well-known member
Polyurea to the rescue (it's a fraction of epoxy and easier). You want to do the floor first before you get **** in there. Lift can come as the money tree produces dollars.
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My budget may not allow for it. I've talked to many others, and they (98%) said they would do the lift or wish they had went with a lift instead of the floor.
I checked the site out. The kits are nice...I just have to budget my money because this will likely break me for years to come, lol.
very true. Nothing is set in stone as I'm trying to plan this out.I get it... we're all dealing with "the incredible shrinking dollar"
I will say this, even though it will come off as self-serving, figure out what you want to do with your flooring 1st. You only get one shot at a empty, virgin floor. Once you start moving stuff in it gets exponentially more difficult to make your ideal floor, whatever that is, a reality.
Mike65
Well-known member
All I did in our garage is I just sealed the concrete & latter this year or next year I will be adding a 4 post lift. My old body does not sliding around under the trucks anymore.
What does a gallon of clear epoxy floor paint cost there? Here it costs about $40 for a one-gallon kit, and that covers 250-350 ft^2.
To single coat 2,640ft^2 should take 8-10 gallons so $320-400 for paint.
If you have a nice clean, clear, cured slab, getting a coat on should be pretty quick and easy. Once you have that first coat down, recoating is pretty easy. You don't have to worry about etching and oil-spots and whatnot. You can just scrub, scuff and paint.
I would single-coat the whole floor with clear, second coat the area just under the lift and then install the lift.
In a few years when you're stewed-up you can add a few coats of color to the whole thing.
To single coat 2,640ft^2 should take 8-10 gallons so $320-400 for paint.
If you have a nice clean, clear, cured slab, getting a coat on should be pretty quick and easy. Once you have that first coat down, recoating is pretty easy. You don't have to worry about etching and oil-spots and whatnot. You can just scrub, scuff and paint.
I would single-coat the whole floor with clear, second coat the area just under the lift and then install the lift.
In a few years when you're stewed-up you can add a few coats of color to the whole thing.
Hopefully, I can get this build going. I think I may go this route
I never looked into clear epoxy. I will do that...thanks
dcg9381
Well-known member
I do not understand non-catalytic epoxy finishes. Nor would I use one.
Shea
Well-known member
Just to avoid some confusion about the post regarding clear epoxy paint for $40 - there is no such thing. However, there is 1-part epoxy paint that runs around $40 a gallon, but it is only available in colors and not clear. It's just a latex acrylic paint with 2-4% epoxy ester resin added to help increase its durability. There are also clear acrylic coatings (not epoxy), but they are not any more durable than 1-part epoxy paint. A true 2-part epoxy clear will cost around $140 per gallon or more.
I just used a Sherwin williams Armorseal 8100 in a biotech lab on the walls, it’s a great product and is a flooring type coating
cost wasn’t that bad.
concrete prep is where most of the expense is, Shot ping, or grind is what I’ve used for prepping. Then fill the joints
cost wasn’t that bad.
concrete prep is where most of the expense is, Shot ping, or grind is what I’ve used for prepping. Then fill the joints
Black300zx
Well-known member
My 0.02 - you need to ask yourself what's more important. Do you care about having a shop floor that looks nice, or are you OK with oil stains. Is resale value a concern? Is a lift a nice-to-have luxury, or do you work on cars and equipment regularly?
One thing to keep in mind is that prep for a floor coating will never get any easier, but you can always install a lift in the future if it's more of a luxury than a need.
One thing to keep in mind is that prep for a floor coating will never get any easier, but you can always install a lift in the future if it's more of a luxury than a need.
dcg9381
Well-known member
Thanks for explaining it. I've never done one of these myself, but have done them with others. 100% do not recommend.
$1/sqft for an industrial level floor coating - you're never going to regret that, even if it delays the lift a bit. Once that shop it up (with stuff in it) - prep gets so much harder.
Anythings spilled on the polyurea floors of my shop, my house (yes, finished interior), or my garage - you just wipe it up and done.. Brake fluid, acetone/keytone (apparently this can soften it if you leave it on) and all the regular stuff like gasoline, diesel, and oil - it's magic.
If on an absolute budget and I had to choose, I'd honestly tape off the areas of the shop where things were likely to get nasty and apply it there.
Do the floor first, once you get your stuff in, you'll never have the time to get it back out and do the floor. I cringed at paying to get my floor done last year, I've DIY'd a few times with great results, but I knew it would be years before I could get the stuff out of the garage again and glad I went ahead and paid for it to get done. A lift is a fun weekend project for later.
To be clear, what I said was "What does a gallon of clear epoxy floor paint cost there? Here it costs about $40 for a one-gallon kit..."
THB1,340 X $1/THB34.08 = $39.91
As mentioned, by others, your building will only be empty once, so that is (obviously) the time to do the floor (what ever system you choose). We have 3 buildings, one epoxy (looks fantastic), one with a basic sealer, one is old, with a combo of paint and raw concrete. The last, I regret not addressing the floor when we bought it ~25 years ago. At this point with the contents, it's completely unrealistic to do it now.
Notgrownup
Well-known member
My clear epoxy was a sacrificial piece really to seal. I acid etched my floor while it was virgin, clear with anti slip media…I abuse it with welding , wood working and whatever I throw at it it’s still looking decent.. I used Legacy Industrial at the time.
