Epoxy coat and legacy primer/urethane install

[Mauian]

Will be installing these products in my newly built 12 x 14 shed. This is actually more of a practice run before doing my two car garage.

I originally bought the epoxy coat half kit thinking that it would be enough. The representative at epoxy coat did not recommend a primer or sealer. Well, after scouring the available information, I'm not sure that is the best approach for me. I want this to go as smoothly as possible with the best possible result.

So I contacted legacy and they helped me in getting the appropriate primer and sealer (hd-356 urethane). Both companies sent the products out in a timely manner. There were a few things missing from the legacy order but they were quick to fix that and send the rest of the order. Kudos to legacy for their customer service.

This will be my first epoxy flooring job so I have a few questions, any helpful info would be greatly appreciated. I'll post pics of the process if anyone is interested.

Room is 14 x 12 so 168 sq ft.
Primer coverage is 300 sq ft. A gallon.......I have 2 gallons...seems like a lot?
Epoxy coat coverage is 250 sq ft
Urethane clear coverage is 400 sq ft. A gallon.....I have 1 gallon

1. So with these quantities it seems I will have a very thick coating....Too thick?

2. What are the differences in pot life between products? ( could I do the primer or sealer on my own by doing two coats splitting each coat into two sections to get more working time)

3. I was originally going to use lowes quikcrete brand but changed my mind after reading up on the subject. The only product I bought and used was their etching solution. I used two jugs worth since I wasn't happy with my first application (not enough water on the floor seemed to keep the debris from staying suspended prior to vacuuming) I did that 2 months ago on a new slab that had cured for a year. The doors have been closed and the floor is still clean with a rough sandpaper feel. So my question is should I still use the etcher included with my epoxy coat kit or should I just do a quick vacuum and start the project.

4. And last question (for now...lol) I haven't neutralized the acid yet, it's been two months, should I still use some baking soda solution?

Again, thanks for any help you can offer....it's time to get this done!

Oops...one more
5. Epoxycoat recommends pouring everything out yet every install I watch online they pour a little out at a time....including epoxycoats video if I remember correctly....what's the verdict?

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Apply the primer evenly sticking closely to the 300 sqft per gallon.
Wait approx 8 hours and apply your epoxy coat. Wait approx 12 hours to apply urethane. Apply urethane evenly at 375-400sqft per gallon.

You will have extra, tempting but do not apply too thick, it will cause a poor result.

 

[Mauian]

So if I read that correctly I actually have too much primer and I should just use one gallon of primer? Maybe even a little less? Or two coats of primer?

Extra is not a big deal since I have a two car garage to do still....although next time I wouldn't want to order an extra gallon.

Thanks for the quick reply...I did want to know the recommended application times.

Do you have any recommendations on pot life of primer...dump it all on the floor for the section to extend pot life or is it a little easier to work with than a 100% solid

Sorry for all the questions but I'm trying to get some concerns out of the way.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Mix and pour a ribbon on the floor. This will extend your pot life.
It is much easier to work than the 100% solids.

 

[c7fx]

As far as the epoxy coat we figured it to be about one ounce for every 1.25 square feet and that left us with a good coat. So you should use a little more than a gallon of epoxy-coat. Also need to factor in a little waste from the roller and any big cracks etc. I would split your job into two applications this will give you a great idea how much you will need.

 

[Mauian]

Alright time to get this show on the road...my brain is sore from reading up on this..time to just do it And figure it out.

Legacy....
One thing I need to know about is the primer. When I ordered they recommended two gallons of primer for my sq ft. It seems that one gallon will be plenty. Do you recommend I go a little heavier on the primer and use a small portion of second can or do I just save it for the next project.

Today i will neutralize with baking soda just to make sure there is no residual stuff left from etching. Followed by a few days of drying to make sure it's bone dry. I'll post pics of progress once I start laying stuff down

Thanks for the input

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

We package in two gallon increments.
Use the single gallon and make a friend with the second.

 

[Mauian]

Came out pretty good. Made a few mistakes due to inexperience but good enough for my small workshop/shed.

No fish eyes or anything which I was a little worried about. I did go a little thin on the actual epoxy coat. Probably rolled it out too much and should have added a little more. I can see some areas where the thickness made for a very pretty outcome. Luckily the urethane topcoat helped to even that out a bit.

The primer seemed to soak right in and make a solid adhesion. Again, lucky I had three parts since I apparently went on the thinner side with my applications.

I did run out of flakes, one more bag would of probably been just right. I had two small bags. After looking at final product I do kinda prefer the areas with less flake a little better. Although that look depends highly on your skill at doing an even light distribution of flake and a nice even coat of epoxy to pull off I would imagine. I threw a few heavy spots and had to throw more flake than anticipated to blend it in.

I'm glad I decided to do the shed prior to the garage since there are some definite areas for improvement.
I'll shoot for a light flake on the garage but be sure to have lots of extra flake in case I decide I need it.

I guess time to get a quote for the garage....

 

[Mauian]

Primer..

 

[Mauian]

Last pic..here's a close up, as good a photo as my phone can take.

One other thing is the anti slip from epoxy coat is SHARP! Hopefully this will dull out a little bit...

 

[Jim B]

Looks great! Wish I had a small floor to practice on. I'm with you on the less flakes. I think getting the flakes even is hardest part of the job.

 

[BL50]

I'm curious as to why you would want a primer even though the manufacturer of the epoxy you used recommended against it? Are the two products compatible? Doesn't this void any kind of warranty issue with the epoxy? Just wondered. Your results look great by the way.

 

[Mauian]

If the warranty covered someone coming over and grinding my screwed up floor I would of thought harder about it. I'm not saying epoxy coat would not have worked as they suggested. I'm sure it would have. BUT would it benefit from a primer? Open to debate but I think so. would it benefit from a clear coat? Again, I think so. I could be wrong, I'm no chemist or industry expert. You can paint a car with a one stage paint but are you going to get the same result as a primer, paint , cleared one?
I just went by what Information was available from various sources and it appeared this route would help me to avoid some of the more common problems.
I put a lot of faith in legacy industrial as they did recommend a primer and clear coat contrary to epoxy coat. I went with legacys opinion over epoxy mostly by what kind of service I got over the phone. Legacy was a little more informative and patient with my questions while epoxy coat seemed to leave me wondering.

I did expect a response from epoxy coat on some of my questions. Sure I could of just called but still......

Anyways that's my take on this whole epoxy garage stuff

Legacy...thanks for the application timeline and amounts. I followed it and it worked well

 

[hardhat]

If the warranty covered someone coming over and grinding my screwed up floor I would of thought harder about it. I'm not saying epoxy coat would not have worked as they suggested. I'm sure it would have. BUT would it benefit from a primer? Open to debate but I think so. would it benefit from a clear coat? Again, I think so. I could be wrong, I'm no chemist or industry expert. You can paint a car with a one stage paint but are you going to get the same result as a primer, paint , cleared one?
I just went by what Information was available from various sources and it appeared this route would help me to avoid some of the more common problems.
I put a lot of faith in legacy industrial as they did recommend a primer and clear coat contrary to epoxy coat. I went with legacys opinion over epoxy mostly by what kind of service I got over the phone. Legacy was a little more informative and patient with my questions while epoxy coat seemed to leave me wondering.

I did expect a response from epoxy coat on some of my questions. Sure I could of just called but still......

Anyways that's my take on this whole epoxy garage stuff

Legacy...thanks for the application timeline and amounts. I followed it and it worked well

I would tend to agree with Legacy as well, nothing against EC as its a great product but Legacy is an installer of his products. I believe EC just sells theirs.