To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Another floor coating question

SHOUGHTON

New member
Joined
Jul 9, 2025
Messages
1
I'm new to join the site but have been reading and using it for years. I have a 40' x 60' garage that was built a year and a half ago and I'm just getting around to finishing the concrete floor. I had intended on doing a full flake polyurea coating but I'm having second thoughts. I restore cars as a hobby so it will see welding, body work and floor jacks being dragged across the floor. I built the garage and house and would like to do the coating myself with help from my sons. The floor does have a few oil stains already and I had planned to grind the concrete. What would be a good option to make the floor look nice and protect the floor? Concrete stain with Ghost sealer? Concrete stain with a polyurea top coat? Solid Epoxy? I hate to spend a ton and then have the floor look like hell in a few years. Thanks
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Roert42

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 25, 2023
Messages
195
Location
NE Penn
Any coating you put down will get scratched. Even the super expensive ones like stonehard.

Personally, I say bare concrete and embrace the stains.

Probably the best option is for tile, use in a lot of dealerships.

Other options are carpet tiles in the area where you will not be welding. That way they can be replaced if they get stained from oil.
 

Imatk

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 13, 2008
Messages
322
I have the polyurea floor, did it myself, don't regret it at all.

But yes, you will get "spots" on the floor from weld slag... around my welding table has little black dots all around. Even if you use a welding blanket you'll get them.

Does it bother me? Heck no... that's one small area of my garage that I don't have to lay down on.

Nothing beats a coated floor for keeping oil, dirt, **** in general off of you when you have to lay down on it.

Do it, you won't regret it.

And if it REALLY bothers you at some point, just grind away the spots that are damaged and recoat. That's also the benefit of learning to do it yourself, you can fix areas if need be.

I had a new brake caliper leak onto the floor, I didn't see the leak until the next morning, and by that time it had eaten its way through the coating.

No problem... ground a little, cleaned it up... recoated.

Does it look perfect in that spot? No... but again to me it's kind of like patina, I kind of like it.
But if I REALLY wanted it to look perfect I could have ground it all the way down to concrete and done it again.
 

FJ4FUN

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
620
Location
NorCal
It's tough to beat a high-build epoxy floor when it comes to chemical and impact resistance. For shops that see real abuse we recommend our solid color two component CFLC system. It does not require a clear coat which makes future re-coating and/or spot repair a breeze if desired. If you like to keep a tidy shop or you spend anytime sliding around on your back underneath vehicles you'll come to LOVE a properly coated floor!
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

LegacyIndustrial

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Jun 7, 2010
Messages
7,994
Location
deerfield, IL
Grinding the floor is the right move. You'll get the best bond and reveal any trouble spots like oil soak or curing compounds.
Concrete stain with a clear sealer (like Ghost or similar) looks good up front, but in your use case (welding, dragging jacks, etc.) it’ll show wear quickly and require frequent maintenance. Great for decorative or retail spaces, but not a long-term workhorse. Polyurea full flake is great if you have the budget for it. We have a product that is great for workshops and welding. Dm me if you want to know more.
 

DentalDart

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2026
Messages
12
Location
Ozark
I'm new to join the site but have been reading and using it for years. I have a 40' x 60' garage that was built a year and a half ago and I'm just getting around to finishing the concrete floor. I had intended on doing a full flake polyurea coating but I'm having second thoughts. I restore cars as a hobby so it will see welding, body work and floor jacks being dragged across the floor. I built the garage and house and would like to do the coating myself with help from my sons. The floor does have a few oil stains already and I had planned to grind the concrete. What would be a good option to make the floor look nice and protect the floor? Concrete stain with Ghost sealer? Concrete stain with a polyurea top coat? Solid Epoxy? I hate to spend a ton and then have the floor look like hell in a few years. Thanks

I’m in the same boat as you, except my floors are a little older.
I placed a densifier and then a sealer on the floors after grinding them but it brought up all of the old oil stains and make them stand out a ton.

I looked at hellfire by Legacy Industrial with the Citadel stain in it, looks promising and easy to fix/maintain. Supposed to be better for welding and heat than epoxies.

I’ll probably end up with the Wolverine CFLC 2 Epoxy or 3 Step Epoxy with flakes by Alpha Garage. I wasn’t considering flakes but after talking with Alpha Garage he says the flakes help cover up any imperfections, scratches and other things that may be on the floor than a solid color would.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom