Epoxy before or after insulation and sheetrock?

[gotta56forme]

I'm planning out my menu of work over the next 3-4 months for both my home and garage. As of right now, I'm thinking I will put down a Rustoleum Professional Epoxy floor in my one year old garage in late August or early September. I haven't insulated or sheetrocked the garage yet, and figure I will do that starting in October or November when the Seattle weather starts forcing me indoors anyway. I hope to have the garage done enough to start working on my cars the first of next year.

Does anybody have a strong opinion/information/advice that I should insulate/sheetrock before the epoxy floor? Or is my sequencing fine the way it is?

 

[Kevin54]

I would do the floor the very LAST thing on the agenda. If not, then you will no doubt have repairs to it, along with drywall compound and drywall dust all over it getting ground in. The only way around that would be cover the finished floor with a fairly heavy tarp or some luan plywood and duct tape,until finished with drywall, compound, dust, and paint.

 

[dipper]

I plan on hanging the sheetrock first, not only because of the dust and compound associated with finishing it, but to get it up off the floor; cause it's been sitting there for 6 months now.

So much to do, so little time...

 

[drivinhard]

I'm going through this now. The reason I'm so behind on doing the floor (I bought the stuff in March, lol) is I'm doing the insulation, sheetrock, additional wiring, misc framing, etc now. I decided to back up and make a mess now, instead of making a mess later.

 

[AlphaGarage]

Some of the benefits from a good floor coating is that it protects the substrate from nicks, dings, dirt, spills etc.

If you aren't using flakes would be inclined to coat the floor first and then do the rest of the chores. If you want to topcoat to be 100% unmolested, you could do the primer and bodycoat, the finish the other tasks, and come back later to apply the topcoat. If you ae using flakes I wouldn't leave them unsealed.

 

[gotta56forme]

I wasn't planning on using flakes. Based on another person's comments here on GJF, I was going to do two coats of Epoxy Professional. I'm on the fence regarding doing a clear coat as I don't want it too shiny. Sounds like two coats of the Rustoleum E.P. would give me a semi-gloss finish.

I only make mention of it, as it sounds like you are suggesting putting the color coats down now and feel OK about it before doing the insulation/drywall. Then go back and do the clearcoat. Only part of that is, I wanted the floor all done before I start wrenching on my cars (hopefully) mid winter here in Seattle.

 

[thegarageguy]

Epoxy after all that mess is done. You'll regret having to scrape off excess spackle and paint over spary and or drips.

 

[moogoob]

I thought the whole idea of a coated floor was to make "workshop" things easier to clean up.

If the coating cant handle a bit of sheetrock, spackle and paint, hows it going to hold up to big tool chests, cabinets, and jacks rolling around.

I would also think that all that mess that "you might regret" would be the same stuff that would causue adhesion problems for the coating.

 

[locoman]

I thought the whole idea of a coated floor was to make "workshop" things easier to clean up.

If the coating cant handle a bit of sheetrock, spackle and paint, hows it going to hold up to big tool chests, cabinets, and jacks rolling around.

I would also think that all that mess that "you might regret" would be the same stuff that would causue adhesion problems for the coating.

My thoughts exactly! Well said. Is this a garage or virgins shiny A**

 

[AlphaGarage]

...it sounds like you are suggesting putting the color coats down now and feel OK about it before doing the insulation/drywall. Then go back and do the clearcoat. Only part of that is, I wanted the floor all done before I start wrenching on my cars (hopefully) mid winter here in Seattle.

That is my suggestion. A primer coat (5 mils), followed by pigmented body coat (12 mils). Go ahead and finish out the walls, electrical etc. No need to baby the floor, it's there to be abused.

When everything else is finished, clean and buff the body coat with those green Scotch pads (not the detergent type), wipe it down with a solvent, and then apply the final clear coat (5 mil).

Stand back, admire sharp looks, and wrench away on your wheels!

disclaimer: my recommendations are based on the epoxies I'm familiar with, those from Wolverine Coatings. I have no idea if this technique is applicable for products from other manufacturers.

 

[premierguy]

Does anybody have a strong opinion/information/advice that I should insulate/sheetrock before the epoxy floor? Or is my sequencing fine the way it is?

I have a Strong Opinion which I’ll PM you… but need to know how you will be prepping first?

 

[gotta56forme]

While I haven't read up on the prepping, yet... I do know that it is necessary and will follow the instructions that Rustoleum Epoxy Professional recommends.

 

[sharpshooter]

I decided to go ahead an sheetrock first. I didnt want to take a chance at scratching my floor (when I decide to put it down). I know its not a shiney virgins ***, but while im sheetrocking and painting Im also moving all my S*** back and forth from one side of the garage to the other sliding my benches saws cabinets and everything else. Once Im done with it I will be able to situate most of everything and will not have to slide everything around. There is no since in asking for trouble. Your gonna have to prep anyways, so who cares if you mess up the floor. I personally would wait. Its not a questions of will it hold up. But why put it thru the ringer if you dont have to.

 

[moogoob]

I guess my point was why bother at all if your not going to put it through the ringer. I thought the whole idea was so it can live up to the ringer that a workshop guy is likley to through at it.

Sure a silk suit looks nice, but I wont change my oil in it. I'd wear something durable and easy to clean.

 

[premierguy]

While I haven't read up on the prepping, yet... I do know that it is necessary and will follow the instructions that Rustoleum Epoxy Professional recommends.

I understand.... "Sustainability" is only one shade of Green.

 

[gotta56forme]

Most people I talk to say do the epoxy floor last. by the time I get to the epoxy step, it will be December-ish. Since I will be heating (gas) the space, my bro-in-law suggests running the heat up to 75-80 for a day or so before applying the epoxy. He said turn off the heat, apply the epoxy, wait an hour or so then start the heat back up. Does this seem like a reasonable approach for applying the epoxy when the average daily temps are less than 50 degrees?

 

[Floorguy]

I just went through this on a friends home that he built. My suggestion to him was this. Insulate, sheetrock, tape, float and texture if you are going to texture. Protect the floor as much as possible during these steps so it will be less prep work when you do the floor. Do the floor at this point. Once floor is cured, paint walls and install base boards. This accomplishes a couple of things. Gets most of the really dirty work out of the way so your floor will not take that abuse. Allows for the oops on the walls and basedboards to be handled. It is pretty much a given that if you do the floor after all is completed (which I do 99% of the time. That some epoxy will get on baseboards or walls and touchup will need to be done. Not really a big deal just another step.

My $.02

floorguy

 

[moogoob]

Contrary to my other post, I opted to go walls first.
Though only due to time constraints as my vacation was ending. Also, I still hadn't decided on what floor system to use.
Anyway...
I had just drywalled and painted my garage this week. For what I put the floor through, I expect any floor coating to withstand it. It would have made cleanup easier too. Nothing like sweeping a drywall dusty room with beat up concrete, or trying to wipe up wet drywall mud. I waited till it dried and chipped it off.

I guess you really cant go wrong with which one goes first, but a coated floor would have made cleanup easier, and to me.... thats the whole point.



and i like floorguy's thoughts, but in my case, its a one step at a time project.

 

[Copenhagen848]

I'm going to be mudding, sanding, and painting the garage walls of my new house soon as well. I'm planning on doing the floor first for the same reason you wish you had - cleanup should be easier.

 

[Matti]

I need to make the same decision this week. The floor is just over a month old. I had planned on doing the walls first but then I thought about all of the mess I was going to make drywalling. I've swept a couple of times and it's not easy with bare concrete. By the time I get the electrical and drywalling done it could be October and then the weather is iffy so I would have to install the heater too. I'd also have to move everything outside and I wouldn't have the option to park in there for a week. I think the only cons is that the coating could get scraped a bit when I'm moving the lift around doing the ceiling. I'll have the results of the concrete curing test (plastic taped to the floor for 24 hrs) which might help make the decision.

 

[AlphaGarage]

Again, a good epoxy coating is put down to protect the floor. It will stand up to spills of all types of chemicals, it will easily resist hot tire pick up, it will withstand loaded engine hoists with tiny metal wheels, it will hold up to dropped tools. And it will hold yup to finish work on the garage. Any spills and common dirt and grim are far easier to clean off of an epoxy coated floor. And they can reflect a lot of light, making for a better work environment.

A new floor is the ideal canvas for a coat of good epoxy. Before things fall on it and leave chips, before any spills that will need to be removed, before it dusts up the place.

You're going to spend quite a few hours finishing the space, some of it exacting electrical, other tedious (mud & tape) might as well do it in style, it's just more enjoyable and probably more productive.

If there is a major accident, no big deal, patch the epoxy a little, then clean it, put on a final top coat, and continue to enjoy...

So I still say coat it as soon as possible and then finish off the garage.

 

[Dave88LX]

Not that it helps, but I'm doing my walls after the epoxy is down. I figure if it's good enough for garage work, it can handle a little mud and dust on it.

 

[dslater35]

Sign me up as one who is doing the floor as the next to last step with trim being the wrap-up.

The sheetrock was finished up yesterday morning. The first coat of paint hit the ceiling last night. Once my workday is wrapped up there will be more painting.

WooHoo!!!

We built the garage at the same time as the house but never finished the inside due to time and cost constraints. Remind me again about putting things off!!! I can't believe how much "stuff" found its way into that garage during the last 27 months.

We are getting closer to a final floor decision.

This is a great site!!

 

[Matti]

Me too. I'm coating it tomorrow as temps will be up to around 75F.

 

[gotta56forme]

I have gone back and forth on this and have been agonizing about the decision. Yesterday, the light bulb went on over my head. I'd rather suffer the chances/consequences of a few chips from installing the last of the electrical; insulation; and sheetrock, than take my chances with possible future adhesion problems from applying it in less than ideal midwinter conditions.

I unloaded 75% of the garage last night, so as to prevent me from waffling more. I'll prep (cleaning/washing Saturday, acid-etch Sunday) this weekend, with an eye toward laying the floor down the weekend after.

Thanks to all who have offered their opinions and experiences...

Scott