Dust when sweeping shop floor?

[mdim]

I've found that broom/vacuum gets the floor kinda clean. But every once in a while when I really want to clear it out, the leaf blower makes a huge difference getting rid of dusty ****.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I vacuum the floor. Though I occasionally take the weedblower to the entire shop. It makes a great feather duster.

 

[ConCretin]

I'm kinda late to the party but I thought i'd weigh in anyway. It's been alluded to by several posters but this isn't about housekeeping, it's about a defective slab. Not surprisingly, the defect in question is called 'dusting' and it occurs when the water cement ratio in the surface paste is exceeded enough to cause a weak, chalky surface that produces a constant supply of dust from abrasion no matter how minor.

Unfortunately, any sort of adhered floor covering such as epoxy or paint is unlikely to stick very well. As mentioned previously, you can seal the surface or even apply a densifier, which might hold down on the dust a bit. A more extensive solution would be to grind away the weak cap and expose the (hopefully) sound concrete underneath. Otherwise, I'm sorry to say you will probably be sweeping up dust for as long as you own your garage.

 

[thammel]

Brings back memories of my dad in the 50's and 60's. He always had sweeping compound and sprinkled it on the basement floor before sweeping. Hadn't thought of that in a LONG time!

 

[Hobby_Man22]

I'm kinda late to the party but I thought i'd weigh in anyway. It's been alluded to by several posters but this isn't about housekeeping, it's about a defective slab. Not surprisingly, the defect in question is called 'dusting' and it occurs when the water cement ratio in the surface paste is exceeded enough to cause a weak, chalky surface that produces a constant supply of dust from abrasion no matter how minor.

Unfortunately, any sort of adhered floor covering such as epoxy or paint is unlikely to stick very well. As mentioned previously, you can seal the surface or even apply a densifier, which might hold down on the dust a bit. A more extensive solution would be to grind away the weak cap and expose the (hopefully) sound concrete underneath. Otherwise, I'm sorry to say you will probably be sweeping up dust for as long as you own your garage.

I think it just hasn't been swept much. The place was a year old when I bought it and I've had it a year and haven't ever swept the entire shop all at one time.

 

[ConCretin]

Everytime I sweep my shop it fills the air with a cloud of dust. Honestly I'm not even sure what it is. I think it's dust from the concrete which can't be good to breathe. I don't know if I need to just open the doors and blow the whole shop out with my backpack blower or what

I think it just hasn't been swept much. The place was a year old when I bought it and I've had it a year and haven't ever swept the entire shop all at one time.

Maybe I'm confused. If it's dust from the concrete as you suggested, then the slab is 'dusting' as I suggested. Normal concrete might collect dust but doesn't produce it.

 

[petee_c]

I wonder if sawdust (I have some wood working equipment) sprayed with pledge would work as sweeping compound? I have bare so-so condition 30yr old concrete in my garage....

 

[vrinner]

Get yourself one of these. It works great and is really quick to pick up everything.

 

[Daniel Dudley]

Seal it. I have sealed or painted floors that were so dusty you could taste the concrete when sweeping. Instant improvement.

 

[Badgerstate]

Everytime I sweep my shop it fills the air with a cloud of dust. Honestly I'm not even sure what it is. I think it's dust from the concrete which can't be good to breathe. I don't know if I need to just open the doors and blow the whole shop out with my backpack blower or what.

Thats what I do: just open the doors put a fan in the side door and get out the leaf blower to blow the dust out of the big door.
Its one of the many times when I wish that I had a dust collection system.

 

[tarmy]

I got one of these…helps.