Cold Weather Epoxy Application

[oldbones]

Ok, I'm sure this has been asked before, but I can't seem to find the thread.

I am getting so close to move in day on my new shop, I can taste it. Only a couple of big projects left to go.

(Not listed in any particular order)

1. Epoxy the floor
2. Drywall/Paint
3. Install radiant heat hardware (boiler, pump, etc)
4. Trim out the electrical

Here's the rub... I've been waiting on my heat source for almost a month. It's going to be at least another week until it shows up. I can hang a couple of sheets of drywall where the boiler package mounts, then finish the rest of the drywall later.

I've got a big pile of boxes of epoxy (Rustoleum Pro) just waiting to go on the floor. While waiting for the heat source, I've knocked out all the prep work, and the floor is ready to coat. I'm planning a base coat, top coat, flakes and then clear coat. I could start RIGHT NOW.

Well, except for this little detail... I'm worried about the weather, mainly the temp. I'm in the Seattle area, and it's getting on with early winter conditions here. High temps for the next few days are 45 degrees, with lows near freezing. No rain in the forecast, but it's always humid. The building is fairly well insulated, but there won't be any heat available if I do the floor now.

Question is this... Would I be stupid to go ahead with this? I have enough time this week to do one coat, wait 24 hours for the next, and another 24 hours for the clear. I would be done by Friday night.

My heat source should be here by the middle of next week. If I wait for that, I may get it installed and running by the end of the week, then try to coat the following week. That pushes the floor back by two weeks.


This is driving me nuts! I've got this beautiful building sitting out there and I can't go play in it!!!

 

[thegarageguy]

Would I be stupid to go ahead with this? ..............................YES!


Wait fo your heat source

 

['the epoxy floor guy']

Get yourself an infrared Temp detector. Use it to take the temp of the floor especially near the garage door.

It would be best to do this FIRST THING in the morning. IF the temp is OVER the recommended temp (40-45 degrees in most cases) You are IN THE CLEAR.

IF the Temp is BELOW that you should wait.

The reason I want you to take the temp in the morning is I don't want the heat from sunlight shining on the floor to give you a Fake "safe" temp.

IF your SURFACE temperature is at or above the temp by a few degrees you will be ok.

The epoxy needs to be that temperature in order for the proper chemical reaction to start happening.

As long as you keep the doors and windows shut there should not be a fluctuation up or down of the entire slab more than a few degrees in the 24-48 hours needed to get the epoxy cured enough NOT to have to worry about it.

Also EVEN if the air temp is slightly cooler than the slab temp, the concrete will heat up the epoxy.the air will not cause the temp of the epoxy to drop too quickly.

 

[oldbones]

Thank you, but I chickened out. Spent the time prepping the slab, and then waited for my boiler to show up. It did this weekend, and I just finished installing it. Slab is warming up now!!!