Another acid etching question.

[67 455 Bird ragtop]

I'm getting ready to do my floor in a week or so. The floor is about 1200 sq/ft. Can you apply the acid to this big of a space in one shot before you hose it down ??? Or do you need to do it in sections??

Also, how careful do you need to be about getting this stuff on painted walls ??

I have also read about sulfamic acid to etch your floor. Anyone ever use this??? Supposed to be safer and just as good as muratic acid.

My floor is still basically new. Nothing been on it yet except a few ladders. Floor was also not polished. I had my concrete guy leave it a little rough so the epoxy would have something to bite.

 

[ron in sc]

I have also read about sulfamic acid to etch your floor. Anyone ever use this???

I've also read that phosphoric acid can also be use and it doesn't put off the bad fumes that muriatic acid does. I wonder if anyone has used it.

 

[WolverineCoatings]

I have also read about sulfamic acid to etch your floor. Anyone ever use this??? Supposed to be safer and just as good as muratic acid.

Sulfamic is a pretty weak acid. It's what you get in a DIY kit at the big box store. It won't do near as good of a job as muriatic... but... much safer.

Phosphoric is also used often. It is much safer than muriatic and does a much better job than Sulfamic.

Overall, most people still use Muriatic Acid (diluted Hydrochloric acid HCL) because it is cheap... and works pretty well.

Didn't you order from RockSolid? Don't they include an 'etcher' in their DIY kit?

 

[67 455 Bird ragtop]

Didn't you order from RockSolid? Don't they include an 'etcher' in their DIY kit?

Actually Eric I ordered from you . Well Bill anyway before his leave. Cobalt Blue & Orage for my Gator garage. Hope to start the installation process in the next 10 days. May give you a call later to make sure my prep procedures are correct.

 

[ron in sc]

Phosphoric is also used often.

Any downsides to using this product as it relates to removal of the residue created by the etching process?

 

[connorB]

M85 Pretreatment and Etching product works by leaving the concrete in the correct PH range for the top coat. Muriatic Acid leaves concrete in wrong range and CAN, I say "CAN" shorten the life of the product or problem down the road.

Glenn

 

[ron in sc]

M85 Pretreatment and Etching product works by leaving the concrete in the correct PH range

If I read the technical data sheet correctly this product is 30% hydrocloric acid. That seems to be the same as the muriatic acids I've seen. If that's the case what is the difference? Is it the additives which were not listed on the sheet I read?

 

[connorB]

As soon as concrete become wet the ph changes to ph13 and takes awhile to neutralizie. By using the M85 w/ its additives it keeps the ph range 7 to 9 as soon as the concrete dries to be coated. Waiting for the ph to change in concrete can take up to 30 days. This why you don't coat new concrete within 30 days unless a alkai resist. primer is used. The directions tell you to applie M85 to wet surface (raises the ph) never applie to a dry surface(ph will drop). If the ph is to low it will burn the coating. This is my past experience in the field selling coatings. I'll try to get a tech. answer from the chemist if you need one.

 

[WolverineCoatings]

Actually Eric I ordered from you . Well Bill anyway before his leave. Cobalt Blue & Orage for my Gator garage. Hope to start the installation process in the next 10 days. May give you a call later to make sure my prep procedures are correct.

Ok... I'll make sure to put the call block on... lol... just kidding...

Using muriatic acid will be just fine... be safe though... ventillation. Lower quality products are alot more suseptible to problems than what you are going to use. You should also do a good triple rinse to make sure you get all of the acid out.

Oh... Read the directions... a few times... If you have ANY question... CALL!!!

 

[67 455 Bird ragtop]

Still looking for feedback on my original two questions.

 

[Jay H]

I have 2000 sq ft and I used muratic acid. I did mine in sections (quadrants to be exact). I had new concrete as well and I used 1/2 gallon of acid per 5 gal of water. I tried the recommendations per directions on acid bottle and it did not bubble on floor. The misture I used worked great.

Use a stiff bristle brush to work the acid in and to make sure you have somewhat uniform coverage.

 

[Jaguar Fan]

If I read the technical data sheet correctly this product is 30% hydrocloric acid. That seems to be the same as the muriatic acids I've seen. If that's the case what is the difference? Is it the additives which were not listed on the sheet I read?

As I read the MSDS, it says

"Neutralizer
Add 5% of M83 Oil & Grease Emulsifier to 95%
water for rinsing. This removes any oily deposits
released during the etching process, plus it leaves
the pH of the floor on the alkaline side.

... which, to me, implies that the latter product returns the pH to the proper range. Separately I've read you can get to the same place with a weak white vinegar solution.