Could Really Use Some Help Picking A Floor Finish

[Tangram]

First post. Love GJ; found my way here after seeing Jack Olsen's Petrolicious video. There are a lot of talented guys on here. I can't imagine NOT using GJ as a resource when doing anything garage-related.

Need to first come clean. I am NOT building the garage myself; lack of skill and time means I have a contractor building a 22'X26' two-car garage with two garage doors and partitioned such that there is a separate shed running the length of the back of the garage and accessed by two large doors from the back. So the actual space I am looking at finishing is about 22' X21'. This is new construction. The floor was power troweled when poured a couple of weeks ago.

I have a concrete floor that isn't highly polished, more of a very smooth matte finish, that is an interior living/storage space at our weekend place. I would like to replicate this finish for my garage and wonder if this was simply power troweled and then coated with a finish of some sort? If this sounds plausible, what sort of sealant/finish would be applied to a power troweled floor to get a smooth but not crazy slippery finish? There has been some staining over the years but it really looks like a patina if anything and I am fine with how it has aged.

For the garage, it will house two summer cars that are stored winters (I live in southern Ontario). The only water it should see is from the snow blower if I store it in the garage. The cars will be tucked away before the first snow and taken out in the spring.

I won't be working on the cars except to detail them. So in theory, no concerns over oil spills etc.

So, my question is:

Am I making a good decision to go with a sealed, power troweled floor for this sort of usage? Is it possible that my concrete floor at the weekend place has had a light polish before sealing (because that is the finish I would like). Anybody recommend any other, more suitable floor finishes based on what I have described? I am shooting for an easy to clean/sweep surface that looks that little bit nicer than a "typical" garage floor

Thanks,

Dave

 

[Tangram]

Bump. Anybody?

 

[shaun oriold1]

Seeing as your floor is already power troweled, you're pretty much stuck with that, unless you want to do extra work. Power troweling is intended to get a super hard, smooth surface.

Depending on how much troweling was done (Time), will determine how the surface will look. So will the type of blades used. Do you have pictures of the current floor?

Can you get pictures of the weekend place to see as well. Unless you asked for polishing, it probably wasnt done. Unless the contractor was trying to hide something. Polishing is an multiple steps, which cost time and money....

 

[Turning Point Innovations]

Will the floor take water now? If you pour a cup of water on the concrete does it all stay on top or does the concrete darken after 30 or fewer seconds? If the water just stays on top then you will need more work to get to the concrete to effect any change. But, if water can get to the concrete then one simple option would be to clean it really well then densify under a black pad on a floor buffer. For a few more dollars and just a little more work you could apply pigmented epoxy for much better stain resistance.

 

[James-W]

Is there a budget for this, or is cost not an issue? I only ask because there are many different options available to you, it all depends on what you want to spend.

 

[Shea]

Are you looking maybe for something like this? Depending on how your concrete was finished, it may require an acid etch before applying it.

 

[Tangram]

Seeing as your floor is already power troweled, you're pretty much stuck with that, unless you want to do extra work. Power troweling is intended to get a super hard, smooth surface.

Depending on how much troweling was done (Time), will determine how the surface will look. So will the type of blades used. Do you have pictures of the current floor?

Can you get pictures of the weekend place to see as well. Unless you asked for polishing, it probably wasnt done. Unless the contractor was trying to hide something. Polishing is an multiple steps, which cost time and money....

I will try and get pix of the current floor in the next week or so. Currently covered by plywood to protect it while they are working.

Won't be back at the "weekend" place until New Year's Eve. Here is a really small jpeg taken years ago that shows the floor. Hopefully that shows enough for people to get a sense of what it looks like.

 

[Tangram]

Is there a budget for this, or is cost not an issue? I only ask because there are many different options available to you, it all depends on what you want to spend.

Well I guess I am trying to avoid the expense of polishing. So anything less than that is fair game.

 

[Tangram]

Are you looking maybe for something like this? Depending on how your concrete was finished, it may require an acid etch before applying it.

Yes, that looks really close. Perhaps a bit more glossy than what I am thinking. See photo I attached in post just above this.

 

[Shea]

Yes, that looks really close. Perhaps a bit more glossy than what I am thinking.

That product is available in a matte finish as well. You might want to contact Scotty at Legacy Industrial and ask him about it.

 

[Tangram]

Hi all,

As an update, I finally sealed the floor. We used a product which was inexpensive but which serves my purposes for now. We ended up going with HIAC Acrylic Concrete Sealer (WR Meadows). All in cost for 500 square feet is around $500 including application. It is a clear sealer so the mottled coloration of the concrete comes through. I'm happy with the result. Thanks for everybody's input. I will post additional photos of the garage when it is done.

Dave