So, it seems like I've run out of warm working weather before I could get my floor coated. It's a fresh slab about 4 months old, and it's looking more and more like I used the last of the warm days last week to grind it in preparation for coating. I need to park a couple of vehicles and mowers on the slab for winter hibernation, but I want to keep rubber, fluids, and other stuff out of the porous concrete. Can I just lay down some plastic sheeting of decent thickness, or is there something better that I should be doing? I'd probably tape the edges, or use some heavy weights to keep the plastic from shifting around or becoming a trip hazard. What are your thoughts?
Protecting freshly ground slab during the winter?
- Thread starter stm317
- Start date
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Why not grind when you are ready to coat? Doesn't make much sense to me in splitting those tasks up
Man, that's a great idea!
I was going to do that, but life intervened and I had to buy a new vehicle rather than coat my floors. I was hoping that I could still get it done this season, but it's not looking good. From what I've seen, most epoxies need to be applied with ambient temps between 50-90F. So, I'm moving to 'Plan B', and I'll do it in the spring when things warm up consistently again.
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Todd.Brock
Well-known member
Put some race deck down until you are ready to coat, then send me the race deck
. I think you like me blue, right??
I would get some heavy mil plastic or tarps and have at it. Is your garage heated? I would get pissed off walkng in plastic for next 6 months to do projects and such. Could you just contain the items with known leaks and then refrains in the spring?
. I think you like me blue, right?? I would get some heavy mil plastic or tarps and have at it. Is your garage heated? I would get pissed off walkng in plastic for next 6 months to do projects and such. Could you just contain the items with known leaks and then refrains in the spring?
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Man, that's a great idea!
I was going to do that, but life intervened and I had to buy a new vehicle rather than coat my floors. I was hoping that I could still get it done this season, but it's not looking good. From what I've seen, most epoxies need to be applied with ambient temps between 50-90F. So, I'm moving to 'Plan B', and I'll do it in the spring when things warm up consistently again.
Sorry, i missed that it was already ground. Thought you were going to do it soon
Put some race deck down until you are ready to coat, then send me the race deck
I would get some heavy mil plastic or tarps and have at it. Is your garage heated? I would get pissed off walkng in plastic for next 6 months to do projects and such. Could you just contain the items with known leaks and then refrains in the spring?
Im sure I'd like you, but I tend to grow attached to stuff like that, and blue is usually my favorite color, so it would be extra difficult for me to give it up.
To your question, this is a recently built, detached shop. It's not yet heated or insulated. I won't be doing many projects out there this winter, but I'd like to get the bigger projects and toys moved out of our primary garage so that the wife and I can park inside for the first time ever.
The plastic seems like the fastest,easiest, and cheapest way to keep everything in the best possible shape, and if it survives intact, I might even be able to reuse it as vapor barrier for the ceiling next spring when I insulate. I just wanted to run it by the experienced voices around here to make sure that it wasn't going to be harmful to the slab, or cause issues that I haven't considered.
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Todd.Brock
Well-known member
Ha!! If you send it in, Then Jorgen could feature both our garages and we be upcycling and saving the enviro and all that hipster stuff.
Go with the heavy mil stuff if you want to save it for next year. I just bought a 10ft x25ft roll for use as a vapor barrier. I think it was about 25 bucks. Hopefully you can find it cheaper.
Go with the heavy mil stuff if you want to save it for next year. I just bought a 10ft x25ft roll for use as a vapor barrier. I think it was about 25 bucks. Hopefully you can find it cheaper.
TractorJeff
Well-known member
Put the ceiling material on the floor and park on that. Better than sliding around on plastic.
cash68
Keeper Of Rotor Hill
I bought a rubber parking mat for $175 or so. It's great. Pressure wash it in the spring.
$175 X (2 vehicles + 2 large mowers) = $500+
20ft X 100ft of 6 mil vapor barrier =$75
And if it works out, I might be able to reuse the vapor barrier for other stuff after the floor is coated.
I've got a little more cleanup to do, but I'm going to try and get the vapor barrier down tomorrow unless anyone has objections.
lakeroadster
Well-known member
Food for thought:
If you tape the plastic it to the floor... you'll have adhesive residue to deal with.
One big sheet... you'll get condensation under it... guaranteed.
How about an individual piece of plastic for each vehicle, no tape needed, the tires will hold it in place.
If you tape the plastic it to the floor... you'll have adhesive residue to deal with.
One big sheet... you'll get condensation under it... guaranteed.
How about an individual piece of plastic for each vehicle, no tape needed, the tires will hold it in place.
I'd thought of a way to avoid taping directly to the slab, but the condensation is a concern. Thanks for the suggestion.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
How about a carpet remnant from a local flooring store? It would breathe at least.
tncatadjuster
Well-known member
Plastic with ram board on top, reuse both after coating. Keeping it moist is only going to improve the slab. Dry it before coating, after a light grind, it should be good to go.