What if I don't seal my floor?

iamhistory · Jan 18, 2009

I have a 30x40 pole barn with 6" air entrained, fiberglass reinforced concrete floor. It is three years old and I never sealed it. The guy who did the floor for me is in love with concrete and was telling me to buy a nice soft horsehair push broom to sweep it with and how to care for it, what to seal it with,......I said, hey it's just a concrete floor why do I need to take that much care of it?

What happens if I don't? Will it chip, stain, just look old, etc?

It's working shop that I do work on my vehicles and tractors in, among a ton of other things like butcher deer during hunting season and get blood on the floor. (that's a ****** by the way.....hard to get off)

My neighbor is a mechanic and has his business right there at his home. I was shooting the breeze with him one day and asked him if he sealed his garage floor. He said he has to do it every five years or so.

It got me thinking about the point of sealing the floor. His floor looks HORRIBLE.......stained, oily, couple chips out of it, etc. It's a very well used garage and he is always full of business. He used to work at a Firestone shop and said they sealed their floors about the same amount of time and told me what they used, that it was expensive, etc. So I got to thinking about my floor b/c I was considering what to seal it or cover it with. I don't want to put a lot of money into it and if it's going to only last a bit of time, why seal the thing to begin with? What are the pros and cons?

Thanks Guys!

nova65ss · Jan 18, 2009

I never did anything with my garage floor don't see a need to really. If something spills on it I do not care I clean it up when I can. I have the thought that once it is painted, sealed, etc it will always have to be done again to look good, seems like none of them will hold up to everything. If it gets chipped it will show on a floor that has been painted. Never really understood the whole thousands of dollars on a painted floor. :headscrat

I am quite sure there are some good reasons just my thoughts on the whole thing.

iamhistory · Jan 18, 2009

I'm kind of in the same thinking Nova.....plus it's a lot of work for how much return?

'the epoxy floor guy' · Jan 18, 2009

We have a GREAT water based sealer that will keep your floor from staining or being 'damaged' by caustic chemicals, Gas, Brake Fluid, Acids, Etc. The product costs $55 per gallon you can apply it with a garden weed sprayer. One gallon will cover 400-500 square feet. It will soak into the top layer of the floor leaving a slight shine. It CAN also be tinted giving the floor a "stained" look. Tint would add $5 per Gallon and cover the same.

Torque1st · Jan 18, 2009

Sealers help decrease the dust that always seems to be on a concrete floor. You know how it is when you broom it three times and still kick up dust... Sealers also help prevent salt penetration that can cause spalling. Sealers will not help a floor that was poured too wet or improperly finished tho.

nova65ss · Jan 20, 2009

Torque1st said:
Sealers help decrease the dust that always seems to be on a concrete floor. You know how it is when you broom it three times and still kick up dust... Sealers also help prevent salt penetration that can cause spalling. Sealers will not help a floor that was poured too wet or improperly finished tho.

That makes sense to me. I am shocked though that there are no other responses or reasons, surely there are more.

krooser · Jan 20, 2009

I coated my floor after about 10 years of use. I wish I'd done it before I moved a single thing into the shop.

I bought my floor coating from a local paint store.. About $300.00 to do 1500 sq. ft. Looks good, holds up well and is easy to clean.

My shop is NOT a fancy place... you won't find artwork on the walls, a fancy car on a parking lift and every tool in it's place. There are engines lying around, a partial;y disassembled Triumph in one corner, some metalworking machinery, a welding bench, etc.... a working shop.

The floor makes it easy to clean the joint up once in a while... and I like that.

KenS · Jan 20, 2009

While sealers have several upsides as mentioned, one downside is that they can be very slippery when wet. I also have found that solvent cleaners and oils will soften the sealer.

Also, if you later decide to coat the floor with epoxy/urethane/etc/ you have to grind off the sealer. In my garage, the sealer does seem to help keep the dust down and it makes sweeping up a breeze.

Dave Carney · Jan 20, 2009

nova65ss said:
I never did anything with my garage floor don't see a need to really. If something spills on it I do not care I clean it up when I can. I have the thought that once it is painted, sealed, etc it will always have to be done again to look good, seems like none of them will hold up to everything. If it gets chipped it will show on a floor that has been painted. Never really understood the whole thousands of dollars on a painted floor.

I am quite sure there are some good reasons just my thoughts on the whole thing.

Exactly my thinking. If there was a simple sealer out there, that could take the abuse of fabrication work, and any kind of spilled automotive fluid, and any kind of "cleaner" I might use on the floor (carb cleaner, brush cleaner, whatever, depending on the stain) and wasn't too slick when wet, didn't need to be re-done periodically, didn't lift with hot tires, didn't cost an arm and a leg or require extensive pretreatment work, I might use that.

nova65ss · Jan 20, 2009

So far we have

1. Easy to clean (although I really do not know how much easier it can be to clean up a spill on finished concrete)

2. Not as dusty ( although a garage is going to be dusty, dirty and leaves blown in etc.)

3. The way it looks. ( even then there is tire lifting, stains, chips, etc.)

AlphaGarage · Jan 20, 2009

Not everyone is going to want a finished garage floor, just like not everyone is going to want a nice garage door, or over head storage.

Why pay the extra money for a nice door? Even a cheap 20 gauge roll up will keep your privacy and is secure enough.

Sure it looks nice when new, but eventually it will get dirty. And why clean it, or paint it, when it going to just get dirty again?

And what's with the overhead storage, or shelves or cabinets? A garage is going to be cluttered anyway. How much easier can it be than to just toss everything on the floor or in the corner?

Heck, why spend any money making any environment pleasant to work in and look at?

I guess I must be missing something. Almost ever NASCAR and Indycar prep shop I've seen has coated floors, most electronic assembly rooms have coated floors. Auto assembly floors are coated, aircraft hangers have coated floors, pharmaceutical facilities floors are coated. Clearly these people are coating those floors for some reasons, can't figure out why...

Maybe it's because a good coating will resist spills, so the fluids won't stain the substrate and be easy to just wipe up, reducingthe chance of slips and falls.

Maybe because a quality coating is actually stronger than the concrete, so dropped items won't chip the floor. And a smooth, unchipped floor won't catch dirt and it will be easier to roll creepers and other wheeled items over.

Maybe because a coated floor will increase the amount of light bounced back from the floor, making it easier to work under cars and increasing productivity.

Maybe because it just looks great.

Maybe because life is short and a pleasant work/play environment adds to the quality of life.

Or maybe we should just go back to banging rocks together in earthen caves.

PurdueSD · Jan 20, 2009

AlphaGarage said:
Not everyone is going to want a finished garage floor, just like not everyone is going to want a nice garage door, or over head storage.

Why pay the extra money for a nice door? Even a cheap 20 gauge roll up will keep your privacy and is secure enough.

Sure it looks nice when new, but eventually it will get dirty. And why clean it, or paint it, when it going to just get dirty again?

And what's with the overhead storage, or shelves or cabinets? A garage is going to be cluttered anyway. How much easier can it be than to just toss everything on the floor or in the corner?

Heck, why spend any money making any environment pleasant to work in and look at?

I guess I must be missing something. Almost ever NASCAR and Indycar prep shop I've seen has coated floors, most electronic assembly rooms have coated floors. Auto assembly floors are coated, aircraft hangers have coated floors, pharmaceutical facilities floors are coated. Clearly these people are coating those floors for some reasons, can't figure out why...

Maybe it's because a good coating will resist spills, so the fluids won't stain the substrate and be easy to just wipe up, reducingthe chance of slips and falls.

Maybe because a quality coating is actually stronger than the concrete, so dropped items won't chip the floor. And a smooth, unchipped floor won't catch dirt and it will be easier to roll creepers and other wheeled items over.

Maybe because a coated floor will increase the amount of light bounced back from the floor, making it easier to work under cars and increasing productivity.

Maybe because it just looks great.

Maybe because life is short and a pleasant work/play environment adds to the quality of life.

Or maybe we should just go back to banging rocks together in earthen caves.

...Maybe everybody doesnt share your enthusiasm over floor coatings. :beer:

Seriously though, when someone makes a floor coating that has a proven track record of holding up to welding/ grinding/ jack stands and doesnt cost more than any other piece of equipment in the shop... i will be interested.

I do believe you are selling the best there is, problem for me being, the best isnt good enough and its too darn expensive.

no hard feelings hopefully...

nonhog · Jan 20, 2009

I may be wrong but sealing and coating ? Two different things ?
Glad I sealed my shop and I think a worn "natural" floor will look better with a few stains and chips than worn epoxy 10 years from now IMHO .

*Nothing against epoxy ! I reread my post and hope I did not come across that way . I like epoxy but dont think its for me .*

nova65ss · Jan 20, 2009

I can make a list of added benefits from a good garage door but that is not the topic on hand.

My intent is not to belittle those that have done/ do floor coatings but to see if there is anything aside from what is listed to gain by doing it. That was the OP question. I do not do floors and have very little knowledge on them that is why I am chiming in here as well.

Keep · Jan 20, 2009

I finished mine simply because I got sick of looking at a "dirty" floor. I do a lot of work in my garage, oil, grease, grinding dust, etc etc etc.

I just liked the fact that if I do spill oil or something on it I can simply get out the oil dry and clean it up with out having to deal with another stain on the concrete.

I also looked at it from a resale point of view. I know that when I sell my house that having a good clean, nice looking garage will give me the advantage over then a greasy, dirty stained one down the street.

Though it may just be me.......

iamhistory · Jan 21, 2009

Or maybe we should just go back to banging rocks together in earthen caves.

oh good grief.........

in that case let's all drive ferraris, have a garage full of snap-on tools, have gold plated fixtures, big screen tv's, fully stocked refrigerators and scantily clad hot hard bodied women like we've only seen on calendars.............to make the shop environment better of course.

I can appreciate the idea of having a nice floor and would love to have one. But isn't comparing a non-finished floor to being a cavemen a little of a stretch?

iamhistory · Jan 21, 2009

I'm with Purdue and others.........I would like the thought of and the look of having a nicely done floor but if it's not going to last and I'll have to redo it every few years (or whatever the average is) it's really not worth the time, money and work involved just so I can sweep less dust.

I have tractors and pickups with muddy tires in my garage all the time and a sealed floor will have little impact on how much I have to sweep. All though I do think it would make it EASIER to sweep and keep up with.

Hmmmm......tough decision. My shop is three years old plus, so now if I do the floor I need to take everything out, hope for good weather for a few days and put the time, work and money into doing the floor that I wasn't willing to put in when the floor was brand new. I did allow the floor to cure very well and while I was waiting I checked on several types of sealers, epoxies, paints, etc. The prices were ridiculous at $100 per gallon or more for some......cheaper for others but they were also less durable. For me I couldn't, and still can't, justify it. It would be nice though.

Torque1st · Jan 21, 2009

The sealer I recommend is a PENETRATING SEALER, a substance that penetrates the pores in the concrete and seals them. It is not a coating that can be scraped off or worn away unless the concrete itself is worn down. A sealer becomes part of the concrete itself. I see a lot of confusion above between concrete sealers and coatings. Many manufacturers call some of their coatings a sealer when they are just coatings creating more confusion. Epoxies, waxes, and acrylics are COATINGS.

There are a number of companies that produce concrete SEALERS. Some of these penetrating sealers are used by highway departments to seal bridge decks. They are not the stuff that is a COATING that makes the surface slippery. If the surface is damaged deeply the sealer can be reapplied to the damaged area. Light scrapes and scratches are not a problem. Bridge decks are sealed to help prevent or slow down the corrosion of the internal reinforcement or the steel form decking.

Two readily available concrete SEALERS:
http://www.concretesealer.net/works.htm
http://www.vseal.com/101/concrete_sealer.php

The product below is a COATING, not a sealer.
http://www.seal-krete.com/garagefloor_sealer.htm

lh4x4 · Jan 21, 2009

I was told that the floor cannot use an epoxy finish if it has been sealed. I did have mine sealed to help reduce dust. Now, I am wondering it I should have. I might like to have the epoxy floor at some point.

Coastal · Jan 21, 2009

Another caveman here. I have a working shop, I build hotrods, and whatever else, yes coatings look great, but for the price....I would much rather buy another big tool. I just poured a new slab, I think im going the route of nothing....or linseed oil.

I got the concrete colored too, I guess im a fancy caveman. :bounce:

Ugg

JMURiz · Jan 22, 2009

Torque1st said:
The sealer I recommend is a PENETRATING SEALER, a substance that penetrates the pores in the concrete and seals them. It is not a coating that can be scraped off or worn away unless the concrete itself is worn down. A sealer becomes part of the concrete itself. I see a lot of confusion above between concrete sealers and coatings. Many manufacturers call some of their coatings a sealer when they are just coatings creating more confusion. Epoxies, waxes, and acrylics are COATINGS.

There are a number of companies that produce concrete SEALERS. Some of these penetrating sealers are used by highway departments to seal bridge decks. They are not the stuff that is a COATING that makes the surface slippery. If the surface is damaged deeply the sealer can be reapplied to the damaged area. Light scrapes and scratches are not a problem. Bridge decks are sealed to help prevent or slow down the corrosion of the internal reinforcement or the steel form decking.

Two readily available concrete SEALERS:
http://www.concretesealer.net/works.htm
http://www.vseal.com/101/concrete_sealer.php

The product below is a COATING, not a sealer.
http://www.seal-krete.com/garagefloor_sealer.htm

That's what I'm looking for, a penetrating sealer that will cut out the dust from my raw floors and offer some protection.

I'm nervous about an epoxy product in my garage because there is a lot of turning wheels when getting in/out of my garage and if it's not applied perfectly I'm sure I'll have some tire pickup.

I think I'll look into penetrating sealers for inside my garage and a tinted one for my 'white as a ghost' driveway.

AlphaGarage · Jan 22, 2009

iamhistory said:
oh good grief.........

...I can appreciate the idea of having a nice floor and would love to have one. But isn't comparing a non-finished floor to being a cavemen a little of a stretch?

Sometimes it is a bit of a stretch... And then the other times...

Thanks to Ron for the pic, check out his man cave here...

Torque1st · Jan 22, 2009

lh4x4 said:
I was told that the floor cannot use an epoxy finish if it has been sealed. I did have mine sealed to help reduce dust. Now, I am wondering it I should have. I might like to have the epoxy floor at some point.

Personally I have no use for an epoxy coating on my floor that is slippery unless some type of grit or flake is used, will wear away, chip, peel, burn, or scratch easily. Epoxy and acrylic coatings are pretty but that beauty is only skin deep and it does not last...

iamhistory · Jan 22, 2009

Touche' AG............good one.

That gave me a good laugh.

Shocker · Jan 23, 2009

Torque1st said:
The sealer I recommend is a PENETRATING SEALER, a substance that penetrates the pores in the concrete and seals them. It is not a coating that can be scraped off or worn away unless the concrete itself is worn down. A sealer becomes part of the concrete itself. I see a lot of confusion above between concrete sealers and coatings. Many manufacturers call some of their coatings a sealer when they are just coatings creating more confusion. Epoxies, waxes, and acrylics are COATINGS.

There are a number of companies that produce concrete SEALERS. Some of these penetrating sealers are used by highway departments to seal bridge decks. They are not the stuff that is a COATING that makes the surface slippery. If the surface is damaged deeply the sealer can be reapplied to the damaged area. Light scrapes and scratches are not a problem. Bridge decks are sealed to help prevent or slow down the corrosion of the internal reinforcement or the steel form decking.

Two readily available concrete SEALERS:
http://www.concretesealer.net/works.htm
http://www.vseal.com/101/concrete_sealer.php

The product below is a COATING, not a sealer.
http://www.seal-krete.com/garagefloor_sealer.htm

That ChemTech product seems interesting. Used on bridge decks etc. Have you used it before?

Torque1st · Jan 23, 2009

I am not a contractor. I have not used that particular sealer but it is interesting. I have seen penetrating sealers used in several applications but I do not know what was applied. Some contractors act like it is a trade secret, and it very well might be. Some sealers are even said to help the concrete cure by sealing in the moisture and allowing the concrete to cure without the top drying out. There are all sorts of State highway department studies that can be found where different sealers were used in accelerated aging tests. The State tests seldom use trade names tho.

Shocker · Jan 23, 2009

I am going to give them a call tomorrow. I like the idea of epoxy, but the cost is pretty high and I am not sure if it will stand up to metal wheels and jack stands etc.

Thanks for posting that info.

Mike

AlphaGarage · Jan 23, 2009

Shocker said:
I am going to give them a call tomorrow. I like the idea of epoxy, but the cost is pretty high and I am not sure if it will stand up to metal wheels and jack stands etc.

Thanks for posting that info.

Mike

A quality epoxy can handle that type of punishment easily. Check out this project.

Shocker · Jan 25, 2009

Yeah, I saw that and it looks great, but I just can't afford the Wolverine system.

I suppose I could save it up, but I want to use the shop and not wait for 6 months.

Shocker · Jan 26, 2009

Well, after talking with Jim Sist over at ChemTech, he says that their sealer is really not designed for working shop floors.

It has been designed for heavy traffic warehouses and such to reduce the dusting and increase the toughness of the concrete for forklift traffic etc.

It does allow the concrete to breathe, thus spills will soak into the surface if left on for a while.

Vinko · Feb 15, 2009

AlphaGarage said:
Maybe because life is short and a pleasant work/play environment adds to the

You list some good reasons, this happens to be one of mine for certain shop improvements. :thumbup:

Though floor improvements happen to be last on my list. I'm running two large Amada saws, several chop saws, presses, one or two other saws, grinders, forklifts, etc etc. 40,000 sq. ft to clear out wouldn't be pretty. Maybe someday.

Shocker · Feb 16, 2009

I am going to call H&C Coatings tomorrow and see whats what with their solvent based sealer. Sounds pretty good and it is reasonably priced.

jacksonries73 · Aug 10, 2020

My facility is located in a semi-arid climate that can have 50 degree daytime/nighttime temperature swings. We’ve had trouble with epoxy flooring installations in the past. Do you have any suggestions? :dunno:

Evilcactuar · Aug 10, 2020

Holy Necro Batman!

drmarkr · Aug 13, 2020

Evilcactuar said:
Holy Necro Batman!

Hey, don't *****.....at least he used the search function!

What if I don't seal my floor?

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