Epoxy Coat questions/advice

[jasonvt]

After looking at a bunch of different floor types and getting some estimates, I have decided that I thin I want to try to do this myself and order Epoxy-Coat.
I have a 630sf garage and was planning to order a full and half kit of the special premium kit they sell - it looks like it comes with everything i need. epoxy, clear, floor cleaner, 15lbs of flakes, spike shoes.
For those that have used this, is there anything else I should buy to make the job easier? Is the cleaner that comes in the kit good enough for a 6 yr old garage with the usual oil stains here and there? Is 15lbs of flakes enough for a heavy dose on 630sf?
I am going to paint 1 wall in my garage red and the others white. I sent an email to E-C to see if they can mix me a black/white/granite/red flakes. the website only allows 3 colors.
Also, does anyone know if I can get glow in the dark flakes from them or do i need to order that from somewhere else and add them in?
Any thoughts or advice is welcome. I think adding the red in would look good but I havent been able to find pictures of anything similar. Also, is there a way to get free shipping on their site?

Thanks!

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

My only advice is that once you put the multi-colored flakes on the ground they sort of meld together to form a new color. Remember, you will be looking at the floor from 5-6' off the ground, not 12" from your lap-top screen.

Torginol has a great color palette tool to use on their web site.

If you have an ipad, you can select the colors and lay it on the ground to get an idea of the finished product.

Good luck.

 

[jasonvt]

thanks for the torginal suggestion. cool tool. im not going to put the flakes down to rejection. im thinking i will do heavy. i think black/white/red will look good on a light gray epoxy.

 

[Jim B]

It doesn't take a lot of red flakes to make your floor appear pink from a distance great than a few feet.

 

[jasonvt]

Interesting. I was hoping to find pictures of a floor using these colors but I havent been able to.

 

[bdamico]

Interesting. I was hoping to find pictures of a floor using these colors but I havent been able to.

buy some flakes and throw them on the ground (try to recreate underlying epoxy color if not to rejection) and see if you like--maybe your vendor will be nice enough to give you some sample flakes.

Also try different amounts. When I had epoxy, I always wished I went to rejection.

At the end of the day, it's not a big expense to undertake before spending big bucks on your floor

 

[jasonvt]

just ordered a sample. i really hope it doesnt look pink. i want red on the floor, but i dont want the epoxy itself to be red - thatd be a little much I think.

 

[kinghong1970]

Jasonvt,

as for colors, can't help... but as for your question:

Is 15lbs of flakes enough for a heavy dose on 630sf?

according to their website,

Our Standard epoxy garage floor coating kits include enough flake chips for a light flake density.

Note:
Light density requires 2 lbs. per 1,000 sq ft.
Medium density requires 5-10 lbs. per 1,000 sq ft.
Heavy density requires 20-30 lbs. per 1,000 sq ft.
Rejection density requires 150 lbs. per 1,000 sq ft.

check this link here and it shows you coverage of flakes for light, med, heavy, and rejection density.

for my project, i've ordered the 3 color flakes and additional 25 lbs of flakes to go along with my 2 full kit order.

good luck and post some pics.

 

[jasonvt]

25 extra lbs? wow! did you get the premium kit that already comes with 10 lbs or the regular full kit that comes with 3 lbs i think? how many SF are you covering?

 

[kinghong1970]

jason, i'm covering appx 1000sf in my basement.

and i'm sorry, it's a monday and my brain will probably catch up by wednesday.

2 full premium kits, grey base

so i have 20 lbs that comes in the 2 premium kits
Flake Color 1: - Cyberspace/F-19
Flake Color 2: - True Blue/F-61
Flake Color 3: - Stormy Blue/F-56


i've ordered extra 10 lbs, 5 lbs each of
Flake Color 1: - Cyberspace/F-19
Flake Color 3: - Stormy Blue/F-56

so total of 30lbs for a 1000sf
coverage i am aiming for is something like this on their website.

and the color combo selected was this from their website

so i'll have a bit more contrast in the grey and lighter shade of blue.

sadly, UPS did not deliver the package today... so i guess i am not applying epoxy tomorrow...

hopefully by wednesday, i'll have some pics of my progress in my other thread...

cheers.

maybe i should have added a bit of festool green... lol...

 

[Donald Cook]

I'm not a fan of flakes, we had shop area at work with the flakes, and trying to find small parts was a PITA.

 

[burleyfarm]

I flaked my EC. I wish I'd have gone heavier.

 

[jasonvt]

I decided on my flakes. Now I need to make sure I prep correctly.
Is the prep solution that the kit comes with enough?
I was thinking about:

1. sweeping/blowing floor off
2. 1:1 hot water/simple green solution and scrub to degrease
3. Order some Pour N Restore in case there are stubborn oil stains
4. Prep solution from Epoxy Coat kit
5. 4 gallons or so of muriatic acid (Unsure of ratio to mix this) for etching
6. Using acrylic latex caulk to fill hairline cracks and control joints for seamless floor look
7. Epoxy-Coat, flakes, clear

Does this sound right? Do I need to do more? Less?

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Your seamless look would be better off using a more rigid material. Caulk is a solution for perimeter joints, not where you will have traffic . Bondo would be a better product than putting caulk under your material.

 

[Cobra6]

a couple of things -

Have you considered using any primer? Scotty has some good stuff at Legacy Industrial that is compatible.

I used DAP concrete caulk from HD - I had used it on cracks on my sidewalk outside before I did my floor - it does not contain silicon and is a little more like concrete than regular latex painters caulk.

If your floor was not finished with a power trowel, you probably won't need the muriatic acid. if your floor was broom finished the Epoxy-Coat prep solution should work OK.

 

[bdamico]

you should really read all threads with epoxy coat in title. And all threads about primer. And all threads about grinding

 

[jasonvt]

I think Ive read most of the epoxy coat threads. I will not be priming - I looked at the legacy page. Im sure its great stuff, but the calculator said I needed 4 gallons at $199/gallon - thats not happening. Also, not going to grind - just plan on degreasing, etching with the E-C supplied prep solution and if needed using muriatic acid.

 

[bdamico]

I think Ive read most of the epoxy coat threads. I will not be priming - I looked at the legacy page. Im sure its great stuff, but the calculator said I needed 4 gallons at $199/gallon - thats not happening. Also, not going to grind - just plan on degreasing, etching with the E-C supplied prep solution and if needed using muriatic acid.

Then you'll get whatever results you'll get. Good luck.

 

[jasonvt]

I might have been looking at the wrong product. This one says good for primer before epoxy-coat. and 2 gallons covers 600sf and is $169.

http://legacyindustrial.net/cart/standard-epoxy-coatingprimer-p-103.html

my floor is 630 so the 2 gallon one should work for me I think.

Will probably go ahead and get a 1/2 gallon of HD 821 to fill the expansion joints and cracks and divets. According to their calculator, a gallon will fill 300LF of crack. I have 75 and a few random divets and hairline cracks so I think this should work. This is getting expensive - hope it looks good when its done

Hopefully Legacy will see this and let me know if I am looking to purchase the right products

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

JasonVT:

 

[Cobra6]

I might have been looking at the wrong product. This one says good for primer before epoxy-coat. and 2 gallons covers 600sf and is $169.

http://legacyindustrial.net/cart/standard-epoxy-coatingprimer-p-103.html

my floor is 630 so the 2 gallon one should work for me I think.

Will probably go ahead and get a 1/2 gallon of HD 821 to fill the expansion joints and cracks and divets. According to their calculator, a gallon will fill 300LF of crack. I have 75 and a few random divets and hairline cracks so I think this should work. This is getting expensive - hope it looks good when its done

Hopefully Legacy will see this and let me know if I am looking to purchase the right products

That is exactly what I used with mine