Budget Epoxy Floor Plan

[cp3k]

Hi all,

First timer here and I was hoping to share my plan with you guys so I could address any issues with what I've come up with. Some background: I'm a new homeowner that wants to pour an epoxy floor before the garage fills up with items. The garage is 500 sqft (conservatively) and was built in the 60s. I live in a temperate climate in California.

I intend to use a 100% solids epoxy coat as both my base and top coat with a full flake applied on the base layer. The epoxy coat is a cycloaliphatic coating that is self-leveling. Assuming the concrete is properly prepped, is there a problem with only using an epoxy coating? Is a moisture barrier/primer an absolute requirement? I'm not as concerned with the lack of UV protection because of the full flake broadcast and the amount of sunlight. For a self-leveling epoxy do I need to use special combed squeegees and spiked rollers?

Also as far as quantities, I want to order 9 gallons of epoxy with the intention of trying to use only 6 for a base and top coat. For a full flake, I want to use 25 lbs of flake with a goal of having little to no excess flake. Do these quantities seem unrealistic?

Item List:

Epoxy Coat (base and top coat) and Technical Data Sheet
Crack Filler

Thanks for your time.

 

[FJ4FUN]

To begin with I cannot, will not comment on MPC-100 product so my input is limited to my understanding of Wolverine Coatings' products.

"I intend to use a 100% solids epoxy coat as both my base and top coat with a full flake applied on the base layer." To begin with, I would be very careful/suspect of applying a 100% solids "base coat" epoxy without using an appropriate primer. Granted, not all "solids" are the same, case in point, both Wolverine's primer and base coats are 100% solids but they are completely different in size and performance characteristics. Double check to make sure MPC is OK without.

"Is a moisture barrier/primer an absolute requirement?" re: Moisture barrier. See and perform Plastic sheet Tape Down Test. I've already commented on primer.


"Also as far as quantities, I want to order 9 gallons of epoxy with the intention of trying to use only 6 for a base and top coat" and "For a full flake, I want to use 25 lbs of flake with a goal of having little to no excess flake. Do these quantities seem unrealistic?" Short answer, YES. Here's why, 25lbs of flake will not get you even close to full flake broadcast (to rejection) you will have zero excess at about half way through your job. 50lbs would be cutting it close, 75lbs would be safe and thats over a 12mil base coat (3.75gal). A 6 gal base coat will net you somewhere in the neighborhood of 19+mils thickness, which is a lot, that 19mils will potentially swallow up a lot of flake especially given that no floor is perfectly flat/level so you will have high areas at 12-15mils and low areas that will be 20+mils thick. For full rejection we would recommend 75lbs and, if we did our math right, you'd scrape up 30-40% of them but... you wouldn't run out of flakes with 10% left to do... which is truly a disaster!

"I'm not as concerned with the lack of UV protection because of the full flake broadcast" except that you intend to use the other 3 gal of the MPC-100 clear epoxy as your top coat.... Which I would advise against from both an abrasion resistance perspective and, possibly, from a U.V. resistance concern as well.

"do I need to use special combed squeegees and spiked rollers?" No to both. At 500sf and 6 gal base coat a 3/8" nap 9" roller and spiked shoes will do fine.

 

[Armorpoxy]

Never use an epoxy as a topcoat. it will yellow and discolor and is not stain resistant. For a full broadcast make sure to scrape or sand the overlapping high spots of the flecks, then use a clear urethane or polyaspartic. We carry these products as do others, but you’ll get a much better and longer lasting outcome by not using epoxy as a topcoat.

 

[floorman3787]

Hi all,

First timer here and I was hoping to share my plan with you guys so I could address any issues with what I've come up with. Some background: I'm a new homeowner that wants to pour an epoxy floor before the garage fills up with items. The garage is 500 sqft (conservatively) and was built in the 60s. I live in a temperate climate in California.

I intend to use a 100% solids epoxy coat as both my base and top coat with a full flake applied on the base layer. The epoxy coat is a cycloaliphatic coating that is self-leveling. Assuming the concrete is properly prepped, is there a problem with only using an epoxy coating? Is a moisture barrier/primer an absolute requirement? I'm not as concerned with the lack of UV protection because of the full flake broadcast and the amount of sunlight. For a self-leveling epoxy do I need to use special combed squeegees and spiked rollers?

Also as far as quantities, I want to order 9 gallons of epoxy with the intention of trying to use only 6 for a base and top coat. For a full flake, I want to use 25 lbs of flake with a goal of having little to no excess flake. Do these quantities seem unrealistic?

Item List:

Epoxy Coat (base and top coat) and Technical Data Sheet
Crack Filler

Thanks for your time.

1. The amount of flakes you will need is about 70lbs to do a full broadcast.
2. Yes you need a gauged squeegee. If not the you will have thick spot that the chips will settle into and leave epoxy showing through and look splotchy at the end. Check the spec sheet it should tell you how many mils to put it down. Once you mix you need to pour the epoxy out of the bucket or it will lock up. Hit edges first then pour into middle.
3. I use 3 gallons of 100% epoxy on a 500sf garge. It also depends on how soft the concrete is. The softer it is the more it will absorb.
4. I don't recommend doing this as a dyi. If you are not fast enough it will lock up on you and then start over or pay someone to fix the problem you created. Dyi is a good way to waste money especially that size of a garage.

 

[Armorpoxy]

We offer and have sold thousands and thousands of full broadcast complete kits that include everything needed including the proper application tools, prep material, etc. Very easy to apply, just please read the directions first, and then if any questions prior to starting give us a call or email to clarify.

We also now have available a No-Prep optional primer that eliminates the need for grinding or etching!

Armorpoxy makes it easy!

 

[Garage Flooring]

Is Epoxy Coat still here?

It has been a while since I looked at their systems. I find it hard to believe that they would suggest a clear epoxy topcoat unless you are in SoCal. I have no idea of what your budget is but a properly done Polyurea 3-coat full broadcast system runs about $1400. https://www.garageflooringllc.com/product/polyurea-full-broadcast-garage-floor-coating-kits/ In most cases that is what I would do.

A proper primer, 100% solids base coat, and 2-coat aliphatic system will run closer to $2400. Based on your needs and ease of installation, a High SOlids system (some people call them 100%) is going to be easier to work with and is less expensive (under $1,600 https://www.garageflooringllc.com/product/high-solids-diy-epoxy-kits/

Whatever system you do, a lot of your success is going to come down to floor prep and application. Companies like Ours, Legacy, Alpha Garage, and others do an amazing job walking customers through the process. A cheap epoxy floor is a very timeconsuming and expensive investment.