Basement floor recoat

[redline9k]

my wood workshop is in the basement of our 1894 house / concrete floors. The 20x20 area of my workshop was painted prior to us moving in with what i guess to be big box floor paint. After 5yrs of using it as my workshop, moving the tablesaw around (mobile base), and almost daily use, its wearing down and exposing bare concrete in the high-traffic areas.

There is no noticeable moisture or water intrusion and there were no issues with the existing floor paint other than basic wear (no peeling, bubbling, etc).

What type of product am I looking for that will be more durable than big box floor paint, ok for indoor use, and can be applied over preexisting coatings? I plan to scuff/etch the existing surface, but was hoping to avoid grinding the entire area down to bare concrete.

 

[Shea]

my wood workshop is in the basement of our 1894 house / concrete floors. The 20x20 area of my workshop was painted prior to us moving in with what i guess to be big box floor paint. After 5yrs of using it as my workshop, moving the tablesaw around (mobile base), and almost daily use, its wearing down and exposing bare concrete in the high-traffic areas.

There is no noticeable moisture or water intrusion and there were no issues with the existing floor paint other than basic wear (no peeling, bubbling, etc).

What type of product am I looking for that will be more durable than big box floor paint, ok for indoor use, and can be applied over preexisting coatings? I plan to scuff/etch the existing surface, but was hoping to avoid grinding the entire area down to bare concrete.

Do you have paint on the floor or a coating? There is a big difference between the two and the methods used to prep the floor if you plan to apply a coating.

 

[Stelzer]

Do you have paint on the floor or a coating? There is a big difference between the two and the methods used to prep the floor if you plan to apply a coating.

Did you read their post?

 

[FJ4FUN]

Did you read their post?

I have the same question as Shea and, yes, I did read the post. The OP stated, "what i guess to be big box floor paint." which is somewhat of a mixed metaphor in that typically when referring to "big box _______ " it is referencing the budget epoxy coating kits not masonry paint. If it is paint it will all have to be ground off (etching won't do it), if it's a big box store epoxy coating product, and the coating that remains is well adhered, then it just needs to be scuffed up prior to a new coating being applied. Either way some machining will be needed be it a diamond grinder if it is "paint" or, at a minimum, a ScotchBrite pad/ floor maintainer combo if it is a well adhered epoxy coating that needs to be deglossed.

 

[Shea]

Did you read their post?

Yes, I did. He first said the floor was painted and then stated afterward that he wanted to use a product that could be used over preexisting coatings. The general public often interchanges the terms paint (acrylic latex and 1-part epoxy) and coatings (thermosetting polymers) without knowing the difference between the two. There are various methods to properly prep concrete to accept an actual coating depending on what was initially applied. That is why it is imperative to know exactly what was used. Otherwise, the wrong information could be given.

 

[redline9k]

Do you have paint on the floor or a coating? There is a big difference between the two and the methods used to prep the floor if you plan to apply a coating.

Let’s say it’s paint. It’s def not 2part epoxy. I’m leaning towards a new coat of 1 part epoxy for cost w the understanding I may need to do this in 5yrs again. What brand would you recommend between Rustoleum rocksolid , Kilz, and Behr?

 

[Shea]

Let’s say it’s paint. It’s def not 2part epoxy. I’m leaning towards a new coat of 1 part epoxy for cost w the understanding I may need to do this in 5yrs again. What brand would you recommend between Rustoleum rocksolid , Kilz, and Behr?

For paint again, I would recommend scraping the surface well to remove any loose edges or paint that may be ready to flake off. Once you are sure the remaining paint is sound, rough it up with 100-120 grit sandpaper. A pole sander works for this. A floor maintainer with a 100-grit sanding screen works must faster . Hit the bare concrete spots as well. Sweep/vac and then use a mild solution of mild TSP or equivalent to clean up the dust and any remaining dirt with a mop. After it dries, you are good to go.

Many of the 1-part epoxy paints tend to perform similarly. We have found that DryLok E1 does fairly well. Rust-Oleum has updated their 1-part epoxy paint and it has a slightly higher solids content. Behr tends to have the most complaints.