Clear Coat on Epoxy

[davaldez21]

I am about to lay down my Epoxy Rustoleum Professional (Solvent Based). I saw overall decent reviews on this product.

Now I was about to buy the epoxy clear coat, but discovered it may yellow with sun. I live in south texas, very sunny, so want to go with alternative.

I dont have alot of knowledge in choosing the clear coat and brands. Polyurethane vs urethane. How fast and simple is it? And do I need a solvent (oil) based clear coat or are water based the same.

I already did all the prep work for the epoxy coat, just want to straigthen out the clear coat.

Thanks.

 

[Garage Flooring]

STOP

Sorry to be dramatic, but don't put your base down until you decide what to do with the clear. You only have a limited period of time to get a good bond. Get your topcoat in hand before you start the base coat. Otherwise you are going to create more work for yourself.

Clear epoxies can yellow (even urethane can), much less likely with a good aliphatic. As to epoxy Cycloaliphatic epoxy is less likely to yellow, but it still can.

I think it is a mistake to do a flake floor and not do a clear coat. Normally I would suggest something like TL321 but given you are ready to go, check around locally and see if you can source a good urethane.

One thing to keep in mind... You need to be cognizant when using brands that are different that issues can arise. Its always best to test.

When you say

I already did all the prep work for the epoxy coat

what exactly do you mean. What type of prep have you done?

 

[davaldez21]

the prep i meant is just all the basic degreasing, etching. I plan on starting the epoxy coating in the next 2 days (I guess it came across like I was about to pour it on the floor already lol).

Are aliphatic urethanes available locally? What are 2-3 recommended brands? I have no more than 400 sq of garage to cover.

thanks for the response.

 

[Garage Flooring]

the prep i meant is just all the basic degreasing, etching. I plan on starting the epoxy coating in the next 2 days (I guess it came across like I was about to pour it on the floor already lol).

Are aliphatic urethanes available locally? What are 2-3 recommended brands? I have no more than 400 sq of garage to cover.

thanks for the response.

Check Sherwin WIlliams

 

[davaldez21]

Ok, sounds good.

When you stated about being careful on issues arising on different brands, can you elaborate on that?

What would be a good timeline with laying clearcoat after epoxy (temperature would be 85-93 F, 60% humidity.

Would 1/4 nap be recommended and is a single coat ok?

 

[Garage Flooring]

Ok, sounds good.

When you stated about being careful on issues arising on different brands, can you elaborate on that?

What would be a good timeline with laying clearcoat after epoxy (temperature would be 85-93 F, 60% humidity.

Would 1/4 nap be recommended and is a single coat ok?

I have seen some odd situations. Typically it occurs with solvent based over water based but I have seen solvent over solvent have/cause issues. So better safe than sorry.

You really need to check the PDS on your product for the most accurate information. On our epoxy systems recoat must be done in less than 24 hours.

Again, check your PDS for our system on epoxy we suggest
1/4" phenolic core synthetic roller cover and
with a 3/8" phenolic core, synthetic roller cover for the urethane

This page is not ready to be live yet, but it has some basic tips for you so I took it out of draft http://www.garageflooringllc.com/coatings-tip-sheet/

 

[Shea]

Polyurethane and urethane are the same when dealing with concrete floor coatings. Technically, urethane is something completely different but the flooring industry tends to shorten polyurethane to urethane for some reason.

You mentioned oil based polyurethanes. Do Not buy from a home improvement center. We've had people contact us who tried applying polyurethane for wood floors. They bought it from their local home improvement center thinking it was the same thing.

As Justin said, Sherwin Williams would be a good place to look locally.

Between 12 and 24 hours is a good recoat window. Rust-Oleum states up to a 4 day window but I believe that is when using their own product. I would recommend staying within the 24 hour window to be safe.

One coat is fine if you are doing a light color flake coverage. Heavy or full flake should have two coats. We always preferred using a 1/4 nap roller for polyurethane since it goes down thin anyways. It helps reduce the chance of creating bubbles from air entrapment, but most manufacturers recommend a 3/8 roller.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Full flake is more like 3-4 coats to avoid a dry porous floor. Urethane is super thin .


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[davaldez21]

Thank you for your replies.

What to look for on selecting a product?

aliphatic polyurethane.

oil based.

any suggestions on individual products?

I would have totally gone with your TL321 product if I knew choosing a clear coat would be this complicated.

I can visit SW later today to inquire.

 

[Garage Flooring]

Thank you for your replies.

What to look for on selecting a product?

aliphatic polyurethane.

oil based.

any suggestions on individual products?

I would have totally gone with your TL321 product if I knew choosing a clear coat would be this complicated.

I can visit SW later today to inquire.

I'm more worried about you getting your project right than getting a sale. In this case your best bet is definitely to get it locally. Some SW have a great staff... others.... But if you ask for an aliphatic urethane top coat (solvent based) they should be able to help you.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

If you will go to SW ask for a single component, aliphatic, moisture cured, urethane.
They will know what to give you.

 

[davaldez21]

Does rusteolum solvent based professional hold up against the sherwin Williams epoxy?

 

[mnavillus]

i live in corpus...let me know if you still have any questions about your epoxy floor....We do about 300 garages a yr all over south Texas

good luck

 

[benwah]

Where in Texas are you located?

You keep saying "oil based". Please remove that from your vocabulary. You do not want anything oil based. Oil based coatings and solvent based coatings are not the same thing.

 

[drinkmoresake]

I used the Rustoleum Professional Epoxy (Solvent Based) and their clear on my floor about 3 years ago. Details / reviews are here if you are interested: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=204436

At the time I wanted to stay with a "single" product line to eliminate any possability of bad things happening as a result of mixing brands.

Overall, I am still happy with the floor. As I mentioned in my review the scratch resistance of the clear is the one weak point. At some point I may scuff the floor and apply a couple coats of a different / stronger clear, but for now it will have to do. I am too busy spending time with my 9-month old grandson, which takes priority over everthing else