Calling all that have or not use Flakes in Epoxy

[kyles974]

Just looking for some opinions on those who have or have not used flakes in thier epoxy job, if you regreat doing or not doing so. Maybe more, maybe less?

I'm pretty sure that I will be adding flake to my job, but the way I may see things are not the way you see things and may open my eyes to something(no point intended)

Thanks

 

[jeff68bird]

iam in the same boat deciding to use them or not.i think the flakes hide alot of imperfections in the concrete but worry about using them without a clear with a product such as epoxy coat. pros would be shows dirt less than a solid color would and hides imperfections better especially with a high gloss.

 

[kyles974]

jeff68bird

I understand that flakes hide, etc., pro's and con's (been reading and searching here for over a year)

I have a new concrete slab (with a metal building going to go up in the next few weeks)

I hope this does not end up a debate but just plain looking for opinions that why they would or would not use flakes from experience.

I do worry about using the flakes without a clear

 

[tncatadjuster]

I do not like flakes. They look nice but make the floor a nightmare for finding small parts.

 

[bluesman2a]

I have done two epoxy projects thus far, a 2+ bay and a bathroom. My thoughts.

1) I agree with the above poster, it makes finding parts/stuff a PITA.
2) For me, the flakes are about wet traction, that is the ONLY reason I used them. For better traction, use more flakes.
3) I did not use clear on either of my floors and the flakes have held up fine.
4) I am glad I did NOT use the aluminum oxide, I've seen it before and it makes cleaning a real pain, this is not the case with flakes.

Now, having said all that. If you are going to use flakes, I think what comes in the kit is a little light. On the garage floor, I used about 1.5 kits worth of flake on a little more than 400sqft. Because the bathroom project is a frequently wet floor, I used about 4X more flakes on it than normally come in a kit. Based on the appearance, it is what the Epoxy-Coat website would list as "heavy". See examples here:
http://www.epoxy-coat.com/flake_colors.php

 

[AlphaGarage]

Flakes will make it tougher to find smaller parts, but they do have a few benefits...

The cover a host of sins. If you have an older floor, or even a newer one, that has a lot of pock marts, divots, cracks etc that you don't want to repair beforehand, then a good coat of flakes will hide those imperfections nicely.

Likewise any marks you may get after you install your floor will be less noticeable.

A monochromatic floor will show dirt and dust pretty easy, so if you're the Felix Unger type you'll find yourself weeping and cleaning frequently. Adding some flake will allow you to be an Oscar and hold a brew instead of a broom as you watch the game on your bigscreen.

To mitigate slip & fall potential a lot of jobs add a grit additive to the coating, these can be pretty visible on a monochromatic system whereas the grit will be camouflaged.

There is no "right" amount of flakes to use - if you want to see what the different coverage rates look like, check out this post: http://www.wolverinecoatings.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1012

Personally for a "light" look I figure about 1 pound for 100 ft2. For full coverage it's 0.15 pounds per square foot, or 15 pounds per 100 square feet. For medium I figure 0.07 lbs per square foot. Personally I'll go anywhere between 0.01 - 0.07/ft2, but more than that I go right to a full broadcast at 0.15.

 

[kyles974]

I have done two epoxy projects thus far, a 2+ bay and a bathroom. My thoughts.

QUOTE]

(with all do respect to others)
I think so far you are the only one who understood what I'm asking.

Thank you!

 

[csp]

I used flakes and would use them again.

I have dropped parts (screws, nuts, nails, etc) and for some reason haven't had any problem locating them. Lucky I guess. If it came down to not finding something I could always sweep the area with a broom.

For two epoxy-coat kits on 864sq ft. I used what came with the kits and added seven pouns of additional flakes. I'd call mine a medium broadcast except for a couple of areas where I threw too many, too close to the ground. Oh well.

 

[AlphaGarage]

I'd call mine a medium broadcast except for a couple of areas where I threw too many, too close to the ground. Oh well.

That's why my #1 tip with flakes is to do a few practice throws, and #2 is to use small hand fulls because while it's easy to toss out another hand full - it's impossible to pick one up!

 

[theoldwizard1]

My son did epoxy in his utility/laundry room. The flakes definitely add "class" ! My wife did a fantastic job of getting them spread evenly !!

 

[54FordPanel]

I used flakes on 2 garages, and I'm glad I did. Looks better, and it aids traction.

 

[5.0 Mike]

HHHUUUMMM I read this looking for help on the "2 Flake or Not 2 Flake", but I am still on the fence. I like the look of the flakes, but not sold yet....

 

[Bennie]

I did my old garage (670sqft) without flakes.
5 years later I did my current garage (980sqft) without flakes.
Now, 3.5 years later I'm about to do my shed (1584sqft) without flakes.

I guess it's the neat freak in me that likes a clean solid color floor. It's always been more for function than looks though.

 

[richtersrodz]

Nice size "shed" you got there Bennie... Others have commented on it being a slip
issue. Have you had any issues when it is wet? I don't need one of my kids cracking
their head open on a slick floor, when I choose to do mine.

 

[Bennie]

Thanks,

It can be. I usually keep it pretty clean so it's not bad. Don't get me wrong, I do a lot of work out there. If you spill coolant, oil or ****** fluid on it in the winter when it's bound to already be wet, you're asking for trouble. But as far as wet traction (with no oil involved) I've never had a problem. Concrete that is finished smooth is just as bad. Actually my work (smooth concrete) might even be worse with condensation on the floor than my painted floor.

It's worth noting though, I've never had flakes so I can't give you a comparision.

 

[richtersrodz]

Gotcha... Thanks for the feedback..

 

[Cruzin90]

You can use color latex chips, micah chips, or quartz....or nothing.

www.torginol.com

 

[csp]

That's why my #1 tip with flakes is to do a few practice throws, and #2 is to use small hand fulls because while it's easy to toss out another hand full - it's impossible to pick one up!

I threw probably three pounds as practice onto a clean tarp. My messups were purely accidental, not because of a lack of practice.

 

[munkey]

I have a flaked floor in my garage and a non-flaked floor on the porch. They both have their place; I think the non-flaked floor is classier and looks better when it is clean. But, the flaked floor hides the dirt exceptionally well and thus LOOKS cleaner on average.

I topcoated both floors with a moisture cure urethane. Both floors are exceptionally slippery when wet, and both have very good traction when dry. To repeat, the flakes are NOT a traction solution, especially under a hard clearcoat. There is very little difference between the two in terms of traction. (Obviously this will vary if you don't use a clear coat or use a different kind than I did.)

 

[suprvee]

No flakes for me, just kept it simple. I figured if I ever needed to touch up any areas in the future, it would be easier with the flakes in the way. But IMHO both look great. Though if you plan on clear coating, I think flakes are a good choice.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

We offer an "omit flakes" option with our epoxy kits and 1 in 10 customers hits it.

 

[kyles974]

We offer an "omit flakes" option with our epoxy kits and 1 in 10 customers hits it.

Could you explain what this means in both ways: "omit" and customers "hits it"

 

[csp]

They have an option that allows the customer to get their kit without flakes. One in 10 selects this option.

In other words, most select to use flakes.

 

[kyles974]

cps

oh, I get it now, thanks