Am i crazy to NOT coat my floor...

[fastrucken1]

So the floor in my 30x48 was poured about a month ago and was debating putting some kind of coating down but I'm starting to second guess it. I still have some bigger projects to do on it like insulate and put up the inside ceiling and walls (drywall), Get the concrete poured from the driveway to the shop and grade and landscape and inside wiring and lighting. My quick estimates for a DIY system for some kind of coating (epoxy or the like) for 1400sqft would probably be near 3k and that money could be better spent else where.

This shop is just for me. Will be used for working on cars and other random projects.

 

[antinym]

I haven't coated mine. No regrets yet. There are oil stains on the floors. I got better things to worry about.

 

[mrobins297aaa]

3K for diy for 1400 sq ft seems kind of high.
I did my 2300 sq ft with "Epoxy Coat" 100% solids one coat for just under $1200.
It's been down 8 years and still looks good and hasn't lifted anywhere.
I did not top coat it.

 

[Q777]

Everyone told me to acid etch and coat my 30x48 before I started moving everything in, because it’s so much more work to move everything back out...
I didn’t get around to it, because I couldn’t find a product that felt like good value for money. I haven’t regretted it.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I wish I had coated my shop floor. This may be my greatest regret on the construction. 25 plus years later, my concrete floor is s source of dust and rough as 40 grit sandpaper. The floor eats shop stool wheels.

 

[frank001]

So the floor in my 30x48 was poured about a month ago and was debating putting some kind of coating down but I'm starting to second guess it. I still have some bigger projects to do on it like insulate and put up the inside ceiling and walls (drywall), Get the concrete poured from the driveway to the shop and grade and landscape and inside wiring and lighting. My quick estimates for a DIY system for some kind of coating (epoxy or the like) for 1400sqft would probably be near 3k and that money could be better spent else where.

This shop is just for me. Will be used for working on cars and other random projects.

I did my 960 sq. ft. epoxy garage floor for less than $250.00. Still holding up well after more than four years. The problem with not coating, in my experience, is that the concrete will 'dust' pretty much forever. No matter how much you sweep it, there will always be more dusting from the top of the concrete. Also oil and other fluids will soak in and stain the concrete without some kind of coating.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=284998&highlight=frank001

 

[marinusdees]

40' x 40', 31 years old. Sprayed the floor with Thompson's Water Seal when new. Would not do it differently today, but am totally ignorant of new coatings. Some oil stains, but I'm not eating off this floor.

Diagnosis of craziness is outside the licensure limits of this forum.

 

[BigGarage]

So the floor in my 30x48 was poured about a month ago and was debating putting some kind of coating down but I'm starting to second guess it. I still have some bigger projects to do on it like insulate and put up the inside ceiling and walls (drywall), Get the concrete poured from the driveway to the shop and grade and landscape and inside wiring and lighting. My quick estimates for a DIY system for some kind of coating (epoxy or the like) for 1400sqft would probably be near 3k and that money could be better spent else where.

This shop is just for me. Will be used for working on cars and other random projects.

You can prime & paint it for much less than that and since it's not a high traffic area I'm certain you'll be happy with a good quality concrete paint. My floor cleans up easily (when I care enough to clean it) and it looks nice. Keeping humidity from rising up through the concrete is another benefit of a floor coating, whichever you decide on.

Here are a few pics of mine when it was new and a little while later. I wanted blue so I spent more on 1 gal. cans of the base and had it mixed up. You can buy 5 gal. buckets of Slate Grey and save money. In that center pic it's just wood dust on the floor from routing and cutting those shelves.

P.S. To answer your thread title's question; Yes, you'd be crazy not to coat it with something. The floor in my garage has been repoured over the original floor due to the cars dripping saltwater on it in the winters here. If you are in Ohio you get the same weather I do. Take care of that floor while it's new and you'll never regret it.

Dennis

 

[clubairth]

I think it depends on the use?

I was certain that Epoxy was the way to go. But I am so glad I did nothing. I work in my shop. That means welding, painting, grinding, spilling and dropping things. Porcelain tile is very slippery with anything on it. I would not even consider it.

I do not have a man cave or trophy show case. I have a shop. I work in it. I spent the money on a properly finished slab that is level.

I will epoxy my garage floor in the future but that is only for car parking. I love the look for sure!
.
.
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[JRas]

Never seen it hold up, any shop I worked, or buddies garages.

I did a 3 car garage fairly cheap with some home depot kit, looked good but I doubt it would last with shop use.

Seems like oils and hot tires ruins it..

 

[Shea]

Floor coatings are not for for everyone and they are not always the best solution. It all depends on what your priorities are in terms of finish, function, type of use, and etc. Some people are very happy with just applying a good penetrating sealer and calling it a day. As long as you know that the concrete may still stain if spills are not cleaned in a reasonable amount of time, they work quite well for many people that have busy floors that don't put a priority on a decorative finish.

I have to disagree with the porcelain tile comment. There are many examples of porcelain tiled garage floors in this forum alone that are abused and still look new. They also are not slippery when the right tile is chosen.

If you are driving cars in the garage or workshop, paint is a poor choice no matter how well you prep or prime. Car tires are going to pull it up eventually and it turns into a huge project when you decide to go with something better.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Whatever "curing" sealer the concrete crew put down was almost undetectable. I got tired of the dusting so I coated mine with a densifier/sealer. 1800 sqft for about $300. I should have done it sooner. Spills or drips are easier to clean up and sweeping is much easier.

 

[climb.on]

I think you'd be crazy not to do something. Densifier & sealer at least, I think. You just really need to decide how much you value that look and ability to clean it up. I love my epoxy. I was going to wait, but decided at the last minute to do it before I filled the shop with stuff. No regrets. Well, the color is a little too light, I kinda regret that, but I'm just forced to clean more often. Looks awesome when it's clean.

 

[James-W]

Re: Am I crazy to NOT coat my floor...

I think you'd be crazy not to do something. Densifier & sealer at least, I think. You just really need to decide how much you value that look and ability to clean it up. I love my epoxy. I was going to wait, but decided at the last minute to do it before I filled the shop with stuff. No regrets. Well, the color is a little too light, I kinda regret that, but I'm just forced to clean more often. Looks awesome when it's clean.

I agree that it is best do some type of floor coating in a garage for homeowners that work on their vehicles and other pieces of equipment. Without it the floor will get get stained and start to look "less than desirable" and then it is a bit late to think about doing something about it.

The "normal" homeowner doesn't do very much wrenching in their garage, but the members of this forum tend to do a lot of wrenching in their garage. Because of that, we tend to spill things on the floor that will cause stains. So for us at least, a floor coating is much more important that it is for a homeowner that does little or no wrenching in their garage.

 

[frankieskiller]

Why not just do densifier application and then a coat of sealant? Both are super easy to apply and it will strengthen and protect the surface.

I just finished the densifier layer and it took 10 minutes to apply to my 400 sq/ft garage. You have to wait 7 - 10 days before doing the sealant but, that should take less than 30 minutes to apply.

I'm using Ghostshield 4500 and 8510.

 

[346ci]

At least put a sealer on it, before you start moving items in.

 

[bad_idea]

Look up GhostShield. I used that on my 30x40 last year when I built it. Very simple to install (sweep the floor and spray on with weed sprayer) and cost around $300 IIRC. The concrete does not dust and spills wipe up reasonably enough.

 

[fastrucken1]

Ok guys thanks for the replies, Looks like I will at least use a densifier and a sealant. I will also look at possibility a product like armorproxy ( see its closer to 1.20/ sqft

 

[Garage Flooring]

So the floor in my 30x48 was poured about a month ago and was debating putting some kind of coating down but I'm starting to second guess it. I still have some bigger projects to do on it like insulate and put up the inside ceiling and walls (drywall), Get the concrete poured from the driveway to the shop and grade and landscape and inside wiring and lighting. My quick estimates for a DIY system for some kind of coating (epoxy or the like) for 1400sqft would probably be near 3k and that money could be better spent elsewhere.

This shop is just for me. Will be used for working on cars and other random projects.

A densifier and Ghostshield 8510 would be one option: https://www.garageflooringllc.com/siloxa-tek-8505-concrete-sealer/

A single coat of clear epoxy @ 200 SF / gallon would be a great option: https://www.garageflooringllc.com/polyurea-garage-floor-coating/ I see two different numbers. Assuming the 1400 is correct that is 7 gallons of material or $963 before discounts, anti skid etc. More here: https://www.garageflooringllc.com/2018/07/26/clear-polyurea-applications/

1500 SF Two coat polyurea garage floor system as a kit (color, clear, flake, anti skid, etc) is going to net at about $2300 whereas a high solids epoxy kit
(TLK500TC x 3) is going to net out at $1730 after discounts.

 

[Bad00SS]

I didn't want to spend the $5,000 it was going to take to diamond grind and epoxy. I spent $300 on ghost shield 8510. put it down in a garden sprayer and it dries transparent. cant tell its there. The oil and water bead up like when you wax the hood of a car.

 

[cash68]

Never seen it hold up, any shop I worked, or buddies garages.

I did a 3 car garage fairly cheap with some home depot kit, looked good but I doubt it would last with shop use.

Seems like oils and hot tires ruins it..

Mine's fine. It's been 3 years. It's not paint, and I had the slab prepped (shot blast, V-d out cracks filled, scoured/ground, filled spalling, then ground level.). Opening up the pores is KEY to a good bond.

 

[PNWguy]

Look up GhostShield. I used that on my 30x40 last year when I built it. Very simple to install (sweep the floor and spray on with weed sprayer) and cost around $300 IIRC. The concrete does not dust and spills wipe up reasonably enough.

GS 5805 is $280 for 5 gallons, and the manufacturer "requires" two coats, so you'd need about 10 gallons for your 1,200 sq ft shop. You're closer to $600.

Am I missing something?

 

[Garage Flooring]

I didn't want to spend the $5,000 it was going to take to diamond grind and epoxy. I spent $300 on ghost shield 8510. put it down in a garden sprayer and it dries transparent. cant tell its there. The oil and water bead up like when you wax the hood of a car.

That's the way it should!

 

[Bad00SS]

Heres my water test on the ghost shield 8510.

 

[bad_idea]

GS 5805 is $280 for 5 gallons, and the manufacturer "requires" two coats, so you'd need about 10 gallons for your 1,200 sq ft shop. You're closer to $600.

Am I missing something?

Garage Flooring LLC recommends one heavy flood coat of 8510 after densifier. Just looked up my order and I purchased 1 gallon of densifier and 4 gallons of 8510 for a total of $460 shipped. Put it down last October and have been satisfied with the results.

 

[ddawg16]

When I was building my garage, I started researching floor coatings....that is how I found GJ.

After much research....I tossed down 2 gal of concrete sealer. 10 years later, it is still doing it's job. Once I start to slow down and run out of projects, I'll do something about the floor. Either Racedeck, Epoxy or tile.

 

[Garage Flooring]

Heres my water test on the ghost shield 8510.

That is a fantastic photo. I would love to share it on our site etc!

 

[56Mark]

If you put down GS, can you put porcelain tile over it at a later time?

I just finished a new house and would like to protect the garage floor but I have too many loose ends to finish up to lay tile any time soon.

 

[Bad00SS]

That is a fantastic photo. I would love to share it on our site etc!

you can use it. I am impressed with this product.

 

[Garage Flooring]

you can use it. I am impressed with this product.

Thanks!

 

[jkeyser14]

If you put down GS, can you put porcelain tile over it at a later time?

I just finished a new house and would like to protect the garage floor but I have too many loose ends to finish up to lay tile any time soon.

No, you cannot put tile over the sealer. The sealer is hydrophobic and will prevent the mortar from bonding. Furthermore, sealers can penetrate up to 1/4", so you can't just grind them off.

This is why I densified but didn't seal my garage floor. My long term plan is to tile it.

 

[Garage Flooring]

If you put down GS, can you put porcelain tile over it at a later time?

I just finished a new house and would like to protect the garage floor but I have too many loose ends to finish up to lay tile any time soon.

Double checked with the plant. Yes but have to etch with acid first.

 

[fastrucken1]

Guy Thanks again!!!!!! This has been very helpful. I'm Really leaning to a densifier and some of the ghost shield. I think this will be a very cost effective way to protect the floor for now.....

Would there be any worry if i wanted to do epoxy a couple of years down the road?? Kinda like the tile question above?

 

[Jazz1]

They look great but I would never coat floor of working garage. Too slippery for my liking. When my floor was poured it was smoothed just enough, don't want a dance hall finish.

 

[BigGarage]

They look great but I would never coat floor of working garage. Too slippery for my liking. When my floor was poured it was smoothed just enough, don't want a dance hall finish.

To each his own but they do make a slip-resistant grit that you can mix into paint for concrete floors, steps, patios etc.. I painted my front & rear stairs and used double the amount of grit and my stairs aren't slippery until the grit is covered in snow. Water isn't slippery at all. I could've used the grit when I painted my garage floor and decided against it. Bare paint is a little slippery in the winter with moisture on it.

Dennis

 

[lakeroadster]

I used Eagle Natural Seal on the concrete slab in my barn.

It's available from Home Depot, less than $100 for a 5 gallon pail. Shipped to your door for free.

It doesn't change the look of the concrete, just seals it.

Water beads up nicely.

When I was installing my 2 post Rotary Lift about a quart of fluid (Auto Trans Fluid) leaked out onto the floor, I cleaned it up, you can't tell it ever happened. That proved it's a good sealer to me.

Check out my build thread below.

 

[SGKent]

I gave up on getting mine done. No one was interested in returning phone calls. Ran into the same thing on some other projects recently too... guess money must be growing on trees these days so it is easier to pick it than work.

 

[Garage Flooring]

I gave up on getting mine done. No one was interested in returning phone calls. Ran into the same thing on some other projects recently too... guess money must be growing on trees these days so it is easier to pick it than work.

Contractors or distributor? While its rare someone gets our voicemail on the toll free I know we call back messages ASAP

 

[JeffsJeeps]

When I was building my garage, I started researching floor coatings....that is how I found GJ.

After much research....I tossed down 2 gal of concrete sealer. 10 years later, it is still doing it's job. Once I start to slow down and run out of projects, I'll do something about the floor. Either Racedeck, Epoxy or tile.

DD, i am in that same Jeep CJ phase (for the past 30 years now) and my question here is regarding the sealer and its toughness. Will dragging floor jacks and setting Jack stands hurt the finish? An occasional dropped hammer and hot rocks from a torch?

I am pouring a 5" floor next weekend in my NJ 30x32 pole barn. I definitely feel the need to protect this investment. Hence my jumping onto this thread. But again, i plan to work in here as a hobby and not for a living. The only dancing will be a mosh pit once in a while .

 

[Armorpoxy]

Hi
You should be able to get one of our www.armorcladepoxy.com 3-layer 100% solids kits with upgraded Military Grade topcoat for in the $1.25/sq ft range including the GJ 15% discount, use code GJ2019.