Basement epoxy prep

[grawil]

I'm prepping a basekment floor for a 100% solids epoxy and I have a quick question. It is a small area (100 sq. ft laundry/utility room)and the concrete is smooth (power trowelled). There is a softer, hand troweled patch in the middle of it from some plumbing repairs (fine sand top-coat).

I have a 5" grinder with a cyclone coarse cup wheel that I'll be using to wet-grind the floor by hand. Renting a larger machine isn't an option because access is a big pain. Besides, it's a small area and projects like this build character.

Following grinding, my plan is to flood with detergent+water and use a stiff broom and vacuum to get up the trapped dust (power washing isn't an option).

Grinding + washing was the recommended prep by the manufacturer but I figure it is worth asking: Should I also acid wash the floor following this prep to ensure absorption/adhesion of the 1st coat?

Thanks.

 

[grawil]

So I've done about 1/3 of the floor, grinding wet with my diamond wheel. I cleaned one patch of it with the vacuum, water, more vacuum, etc and it seems to be quite smooth. I've obviously removed material as I have a bucket of sluge and I can see a few spots where the grinding wheel left some tooth marks. I'm a little worried that my wheel isn't making it rough enough.

 

[Td_20]

This may help you.

http://www.concretefloorprotection.com.au/floor_preparation.htm

 

[slickgt1]

That is a lot of work for 100sq-ft of epoxy.

Why not just use something else? Like tile for example. Racedeck would even be better. I mean, it's a laundry room, not the same conditions as a garage. Is all this prep really necessary?

 

[Stee6043]

Are you living in the house during this work? If you're using a solvent based epoxy the fumes are going to be ultra potent. My garage took a couple weeks to really air out after my epoxy job.

It's respirator kind of job...I can't imagine doing it in my basement. Make some kind of plan for significant ventilation.