sammer
Active member
Just got in the house from rolling out the military grade topcoat and thought I'd share the experience.
I took advantage of free primer for beige armorclad. Wasn't sure I wanted beige but couldn't resist the bargain. I wanted something light to help keep it brighter.
Called and ordered up a beige master kit, the free primer and the topcoat upgrade. Had it shipped to Eureka Montana to save a few bucks.
Eureka is about an hour south of here.
Kit arrived a couple weeks ago. I knew I needed some time to install it so thought I'd put in some labour on the labour day weekend.
Took a day to get everything out of the shop. Tool boxes out the man door, and the Grind-rite out the big door into the alley. All got tarped over until this is done and I can get a couple buddies to help move them back in.
Floor was a few years old and power troweled, had a couple minor cracks and a few dips and pin holes.
I swept and washed it out, didn't have any oil spills but gave it a really good scrub and rinse.
Started prep with some safe etch product I'd bought at the local hardware store. I knew the floor was pretty shiny so thought the etch in the kit wasn't going to be enough.
Safe etch foamed a bit but didn't even leave a mark. I used 3 gallons of the stuff! So thinking the stuff in the kit might be better I put that down. It made a bit of a mark but still not really what I would call etched. Floor was still pretty shiny.
So off to the hardware store again for some muriatic acid. Brought home a gallon and a cheap plastic watering can and mixed up 3 to 1 with hot water. And voila the floor looked like sand paper. Rinsed it for what seemed like a week then mixed up some baking soda and gave it all another scrub. Rinsed for another hour, then gave it a final pressure wash.
Turned on the ceiling and exhaust fans, through in a 20" box fan and cranked the heat up to help dry it all out.
After 2 days it looked dry and it was time to go.
Let me start by saying if you're going to do this, eat a lot of ice cream in the weeks before you start as, you will need the pails!
Mixed up the primer. Used red solo cups to measure it into the ice cream tubs. My shop is 575sq/ft so divided it into fours and used one bucket for each section. Mix, roll out, and repeat.
This stuff is pretty thin and tacks up really quickly. I trimmed out around the edges and filled in with a roller. Looked like ****, but I had about 1/4 of a gallon left that I hadn't mixed up so once it was set up I went back in and did a few touch ups. Still looked like **** but knew it would be OK once the epoxy was on.
Let me say this stuff stinks, I probably should have worn my respirator!
I tried using the little squeegee for this but it was a waste of time and ended up stuck to the floor in the rapidly curing primer.
Made myself a pair of ghetto spiked shoes with 1/2" plywood and some 1-1/4" deck screws, they actually worked pretty good! Didn't even have to re-tape them.
The next morning I woke up, it was all cured and I was ready for the armorclad.
This is where eating the ice cream would have come in handy as I was out of buckets.
The primer peeled out of the buckets fairly well and with a little scrub were ready to go.
The little squeegee that comes in the kit is a waste of time, it's just too small and flimsy. When the kit arrived I saw this so ordered one of these.
http://www.epoxysuperstore.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11_20&products_id=148
The chips that came with the kit were mostly dark brown and black. I was a bit worried that i would never find anything I dropped on the floor. So inspired by a few other threads I've seen and the designer gray colour on armorpoxy's website I ordered 6lbs of custom flake from Norkan as well. Taupe, cocoa, and cream= Designer beige!
So back to the install...
I was working by myself so knew that once I started I needed to go.
Using the 16oz solo cups like a ladle I mixed up the first batch. Cut in the edges, poured out the rest about 1ft from the wall and tried to pull it with the squeegee. That didn't work! So ended up just rolling it out.
I had divided the flake into 4 bags, so grabbed the first bag and started throwing it up it the air. Didn't get a very nice even spread and had a few clumps but it looked ok.
Next bucket went smoother, found that if I pushed the squeegee it worked awesome. This cut my spread time considerably.
I could spend more time back rolling.
Chip spreading got better as well. Bounce them off the ceiling, this breaks up any clumps and gives a better spread.
All in all it turned our looking pretty good.
Tip... When wearing spiked shoes, don't drag or slide your feet!
And don't walk out into the yard then back into the wet epoxy, unless you have a scraper in your pocket
Took this afternoon off to go to Lions club demo derby. I think this is the 40th labour day Sunday for this event. Shear carnage!!!
Got home this evening, had to watch Fear the walking dead, then out to the shop for the top coat.
I thought the primer stunk!! This stuff will kill you. I had the respirator hanging around my neck when I opened the can and quickly put it on
Even with it on I could still taste it. My whole neighbourhood stinks.
This stuff is quite watery.
I mixed up the gallon and a half in a three gallon pail and cut in all the way around. You have to keep stirring and the anti slip quickly settles to the bottom. Pour a little into the roller tray and stir it with the roller as you work.
Painted myself out the man door and by the time I was done I think the last dregs were really gritty. I put a pretty heavy coat just inside the door as this area get the most wear.
So TIPS for you folks that might want to attempt this on your own.
If your floor has been power troweled pick up some muriatic acid, a gallon did the job on my 575sq/ft floor.
Buy a box of decent nitrile gloves, you'll use more than a few pair.
Buy a decent notched squeegee, it really cuts down on your time spreading the epoxy.
Buy a few good quality roller sleeves. The ones in the kit will work but were a bit shorter than my 9" frame.
Go to the paint store and pick up a handful of paint mixing sticks.
Eat lots of ice cream in the weeks before.
Anyone who thinks they can get away without spiked shoes is wrong.
You will leave something that you need on the window ledge across the room, or need to get at your thermostat, or... It's always something.
Make sure all your ducks are in a row before you start!!!
Damn ducks have a way of scattering just when you think you're ready to go.
Will post finished pictures tomorrow if I have some time.
And more tips if I think of any I missed.
sam
I took advantage of free primer for beige armorclad. Wasn't sure I wanted beige but couldn't resist the bargain. I wanted something light to help keep it brighter.
Called and ordered up a beige master kit, the free primer and the topcoat upgrade. Had it shipped to Eureka Montana to save a few bucks.
Eureka is about an hour south of here.
Kit arrived a couple weeks ago. I knew I needed some time to install it so thought I'd put in some labour on the labour day weekend.
Took a day to get everything out of the shop. Tool boxes out the man door, and the Grind-rite out the big door into the alley. All got tarped over until this is done and I can get a couple buddies to help move them back in.
Floor was a few years old and power troweled, had a couple minor cracks and a few dips and pin holes.
I swept and washed it out, didn't have any oil spills but gave it a really good scrub and rinse.
Started prep with some safe etch product I'd bought at the local hardware store. I knew the floor was pretty shiny so thought the etch in the kit wasn't going to be enough.
Safe etch foamed a bit but didn't even leave a mark. I used 3 gallons of the stuff! So thinking the stuff in the kit might be better I put that down. It made a bit of a mark but still not really what I would call etched. Floor was still pretty shiny.
So off to the hardware store again for some muriatic acid. Brought home a gallon and a cheap plastic watering can and mixed up 3 to 1 with hot water. And voila the floor looked like sand paper. Rinsed it for what seemed like a week then mixed up some baking soda and gave it all another scrub. Rinsed for another hour, then gave it a final pressure wash.
Turned on the ceiling and exhaust fans, through in a 20" box fan and cranked the heat up to help dry it all out.
After 2 days it looked dry and it was time to go.
Let me start by saying if you're going to do this, eat a lot of ice cream in the weeks before you start as, you will need the pails!
Mixed up the primer. Used red solo cups to measure it into the ice cream tubs. My shop is 575sq/ft so divided it into fours and used one bucket for each section. Mix, roll out, and repeat.
This stuff is pretty thin and tacks up really quickly. I trimmed out around the edges and filled in with a roller. Looked like ****, but I had about 1/4 of a gallon left that I hadn't mixed up so once it was set up I went back in and did a few touch ups. Still looked like **** but knew it would be OK once the epoxy was on.
Let me say this stuff stinks, I probably should have worn my respirator!
I tried using the little squeegee for this but it was a waste of time and ended up stuck to the floor in the rapidly curing primer.
Made myself a pair of ghetto spiked shoes with 1/2" plywood and some 1-1/4" deck screws, they actually worked pretty good! Didn't even have to re-tape them.
The next morning I woke up, it was all cured and I was ready for the armorclad.
This is where eating the ice cream would have come in handy as I was out of buckets.
The primer peeled out of the buckets fairly well and with a little scrub were ready to go.
The little squeegee that comes in the kit is a waste of time, it's just too small and flimsy. When the kit arrived I saw this so ordered one of these.
http://www.epoxysuperstore.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11_20&products_id=148
The chips that came with the kit were mostly dark brown and black. I was a bit worried that i would never find anything I dropped on the floor. So inspired by a few other threads I've seen and the designer gray colour on armorpoxy's website I ordered 6lbs of custom flake from Norkan as well. Taupe, cocoa, and cream= Designer beige!
So back to the install...
I was working by myself so knew that once I started I needed to go.
Using the 16oz solo cups like a ladle I mixed up the first batch. Cut in the edges, poured out the rest about 1ft from the wall and tried to pull it with the squeegee. That didn't work! So ended up just rolling it out.
I had divided the flake into 4 bags, so grabbed the first bag and started throwing it up it the air. Didn't get a very nice even spread and had a few clumps but it looked ok.
Next bucket went smoother, found that if I pushed the squeegee it worked awesome. This cut my spread time considerably.
I could spend more time back rolling.
Chip spreading got better as well. Bounce them off the ceiling, this breaks up any clumps and gives a better spread.
All in all it turned our looking pretty good.
Tip... When wearing spiked shoes, don't drag or slide your feet!
And don't walk out into the yard then back into the wet epoxy, unless you have a scraper in your pocket
Took this afternoon off to go to Lions club demo derby. I think this is the 40th labour day Sunday for this event. Shear carnage!!!
Got home this evening, had to watch Fear the walking dead, then out to the shop for the top coat.
I thought the primer stunk!! This stuff will kill you. I had the respirator hanging around my neck when I opened the can and quickly put it on
Even with it on I could still taste it. My whole neighbourhood stinks.This stuff is quite watery.
I mixed up the gallon and a half in a three gallon pail and cut in all the way around. You have to keep stirring and the anti slip quickly settles to the bottom. Pour a little into the roller tray and stir it with the roller as you work.
Painted myself out the man door and by the time I was done I think the last dregs were really gritty. I put a pretty heavy coat just inside the door as this area get the most wear.
So TIPS for you folks that might want to attempt this on your own.
If your floor has been power troweled pick up some muriatic acid, a gallon did the job on my 575sq/ft floor.
Buy a box of decent nitrile gloves, you'll use more than a few pair.
Buy a decent notched squeegee, it really cuts down on your time spreading the epoxy.
Buy a few good quality roller sleeves. The ones in the kit will work but were a bit shorter than my 9" frame.
Go to the paint store and pick up a handful of paint mixing sticks.
Eat lots of ice cream in the weeks before.
Anyone who thinks they can get away without spiked shoes is wrong.
You will leave something that you need on the window ledge across the room, or need to get at your thermostat, or... It's always something.
Make sure all your ducks are in a row before you start!!!
Damn ducks have a way of scattering just when you think you're ready to go.
Will post finished pictures tomorrow if I have some time.
And more tips if I think of any I missed.
sam
