Garage floor (almost) on a budget

[Jorj]

Hello,
Just joined the forum and already found a lot of great information.
Was planning to go with a 100% solids system but was not sure what to order in Canada. All this until I have found a local ad for 2 kits of Rustoleum Epoxyshield for 50$ Canadian both. So I can say I'm on a budget for the moment
My garage is 225sqft and was wondering if I can use a primer, one coat of epoxy without flakes, another with flakes and a top coat.
If you already had such experience, what primer and top coat should I use?
All this after I grind the floor
Thank you!

 

[owdlvr]

Re: Garage floor on a budget

What are you planning on doing on your finished floor? Just parking / storage, or mechanical work, or what?

Read up on that Rust-oleum product, there is a fairly high failure rate for it. Now, for the price you can't really go wrong...but don't expect it to be perfect, or even last too long.

 

[Jorj]

Re: Garage floor on a budget

Just parking and storage. I know about the failure rate, that's why I wonder if I should use a primer first and finish with a quality top coat.

 

[owdlvr]

Re: Garage floor on a budget

Save your money on grinding. Do an acid etch of the whole floor, lay that product down out of the box...and if it fails in a few years, grind it off and do it with a better grade product. If you're lucky, it lasts. My Palguard floor, which is just *slightly* better than the rustoleum (its solvent based, not water based)...has lasted 11 years with a good acid etch/clean before hand. It looks somewhat beat up, but we do full restorations and race car builds on it.

Priming or top-coating a 'lesser' product might help it, but I think your probably just wasting dollars.

 

[owdlvr]

Re: Garage floor on a budget

...I should add, at $50 plus some acid and a proper respirator, even if the floor merely gives you a few years before you need to grind and re-coat, you're doing _really_ well.

 

[Jorj]

Re: Garage floor on a budget

Actually the acid won't cost me anything as I have a bag in each kit. Will try first to eliminate the mudding marks.

 

[Slono]

Re: Garage floor on a budget

Hi, first post, been lurking tons for the past few weeks. I'm also located in Canada and I'm having big problems finding distributors. Can anybody recommend a distributor for garage floor material for coating? Base and top coats as well as flakes. This may or may not help the OP as he seemed to have the same problem finding places to buy stuff aside from the normal big box retailers.

 

[Jorj]

Re: Garage floor on a budget

One franchise started selling their products in Canada: Beton Surface.
They seem to have good products, but the prices are not yet competitive.

 

[Jorj]

Garage floor on a budget

Following the advices here I started the cleaning process.
Just water, plastic broom and metal brush for the moment.
Still looking for primer and clear coat. Right now I'm at 20canadian c/sqft for 2 coats.

 

[StillSmokey]

Re: Garage floor on a budget

Hi, first post, been lurking tons for the past few weeks. I'm also located in Canada and I'm having big problems finding distributors. Can anybody recommend a distributor for garage floor material for coating? Base and top coats as well as flakes. This may or may not help the OP as he seemed to have the same problem finding places to buy stuff aside from the normal big box retailers.

I'm in Edmonton, and ordered from Armor Poxy, I'm very happy with the quality and price, ended up slightly over $1/sqft with primer and top coat for my 1100sqft garage, and I had a lot left over

 

[Jorj]

Re: Garage floor on a budget

Very good price. The thing is that the price/sqft goes down when the surface size goes up. For a 1 car garage and 3 coats the prices are around 2USD/sqft.

 

[DBALL]

Re: Garage floor on a budget

I used the same kits with the Rustoleum 2 part clear coating. It held up well in the six years that i owned the place. The only issue that I had was that the clear coat started to yellow in areas that saw a lot of sun.

 

[Jorj]

Re: Garage floor on a budget

I had the inspiration to call rustoleum to ask if my kits are still usable and the answer was no . Will only be able to use flakes and acid.
Already found a local vendor (Montreal, Canada) and he will sell me a 100% solids kit and clear coat. Will post products and install pictures during week-end

 

[Jorj]

So from a water based diy kit I went to this:

It's from a local producer of high quality 100% solids epoxy.
I have enough for 2 coats of epoxy and 3-4 of clear. Will use 4lbs of flakes for my 225 sqft garage.

And yes, now it's almost on a budget products and tools were 245 USD and still missing the anti slip sand.

 

[Jorj]

Finished acid etching but I'm not pleased by the result. Some areas are smooth and I'm afraid the epoxy won't stay on for long.
Now looking for a grinding solution, after cleaning the concrete ....

Doors closed:

 

[Jorj]

Finally, after asking some more local opinions, fisrst coat is down:

Used 1 gallon and had plenty (around .3) left in my bucket.
Tomorrow will put the second coat a lot more thick. Planning to use 1.5 gallons. The challenge will be the perimeter.
Managed to put the product in less than 30 minutes and the rest was still usable. Spiked shoes helped me do some touches.

 

[Jorj]

And flakes are on:

Product was amazing, easy to apply ang good coverage. From 1.5 gallons I had just a little left. A little too much flakes, but was too fun to trow them ) Not even 2 lbs used...
First coat of clear in 24h

 

[Jorj]

After 2 coats of clear (still wet):

Like this it seems it will be slippery as ice. I have until this afternoon to decide if I'll go with another coat with sand. Until now it's a 4 coats system

 

[9dreizig]

Jorj,
I've done a couple of garages with this stuff.. If you prime the floor correctly, it's tough as nails.. Looks like you've done it right!!

 

[ynot4me2]

looking good