Epoxy coat...Ugh.

[Maddabe]

Howdy, I am the proud owner of an "almost" complete 26'x42' building. Half of said building will be working garage area. I don't want tiles because I'd be worried about **** collecting underneath. So, here's the sixty-four thousand dollar question: Bang for the buck, what's the best epoxy to use?

 

[haugy]

There is no answer for this question, other than it's up to you. There are almost a hundred, no exaggeration, a hundred threads about the pros and cons of some of the more popular epoxies out there.

The only way you'll be able to make a decision is to read through them. Read about the process involved, the cost, the end result, and peoples likes/dislikes about them.

There are many things that one person may like, another may not.

Take a couple hours, trust me it will take that long, and search through this whole section, and just become informed on all the choices. Then contact the ones you think might work for you, and go from there.

 

[67restoproj]

I used Epoxy Coat.com. Its been 9months now and holding up good. I think if I was doing it again I would just seal the concrete and be done with it. You will freak the first time you drop a wrench on it. Cost me about a dollar a square foot doing it myself.

 

[vr6-gti]

I used Epoxy Coat.com. Its been 9months now and holding up good. I think if I was doing it again I would just seal the concrete and be done with it. You will freak the first time you drop a wrench on it. Cost me about a dollar a square foot doing it myself.

What do you mean by "you will freak the first time you drop a wrench on it?" Did it chip, crack, damage the coating?
Thanks.
joey

 

[moogoob]

I was able to dimple a sample tehy sent with my thumb nail. forget about my other super scientific tests of hitting it with a spoon.

It looked real nice. It fits the price part. seemed "soft" compared to other samples i have.

 

[Scramblur]

Funny enough, I have nearly the same size woodshop and am one day into the epoxy process. I have 650sqft of concrete I'm coating and 250sqft of #2 maple flooring installed in a raised insulated area where my workbench and lathes are.

I rented an Edco single head floor grinder with diamond blocks and went over the floor. Washed and swept after.

I purchased PPG Aquapon 35 (an industrial product) and I'll put a single coat on tomorrow.

Then I'll follow-up with two coats of PPG PSX 700 (Engineered Siloxane Coating). Extremely durable, gloss epoxy coating that is repairable at anytime if needed. They use this stuff on Navy ships, nuclear power plants and NASA even selected this stuff for the launch pad for the space shuttle.

I asked for the most durable and easiest cleaning epoxy/coating I could do myself and this is what my local Industrial Wholesale Distributor suggested.

The PSX700 runs about $250 per gallon and I bought two gallons. All in, it's costing me $1.25 per foot with the rental of the machine.

I seriously considered going with polished concrete. It's smooth, durable and looks incredible. My only hesitation was the spills I'm sure to encounter in the woodhop that would at least partially absorb into the floor. Look at this, it's really nice.

Good luck!

 

[Scramblur]

One coat of the Aquapon 35 down. It has a couple bubbles, don't know why...

 

[67restoproj]

What do you mean by "you will freak the first time you drop a wrench on it?" Did it chip, crack, damage the coating?
Thanks.
joey

I dropped a big wrench on the floor and chipped the paint. Also, if you are rolling anything on the floor (jacks, motor stands) be sure the floor is clean, otherwise dirt will block the wheel causing you to drag the wheel scratching the surface. I REALLY like the floor, but its not for the backyard mechanic like me IMO.

 

[TRC51]

I dropped a big wrench on the floor and chipped the paint. Also, if you are rolling anything on the floor (jacks, motor stands) be sure the floor is clean, otherwise dirt will block the wheel causing you to drag the wheel scratching the surface. I REALLY like the floor, but its not for the backyard mechanic like me IMO.

You don't even know it, but just the way you wrote that helped me make my decision. THANKS!

 

[ace23]

I know If my garage I'm going to build was just going to have flat screen tv, work bench, and really be more of a car storage area then the epoxy would be great....I think for lifts, motorcycle stands, solvents ect.... and actual work I'm going to stick with a sealer more than likely

 

[67restoproj]

I know If my garage I'm going to build was just going to have flat screen tv, work bench, and really be more of a car storage area then the epoxy would be great....I think for lifts, motorcycle stands, solvents ect.... and actual work I'm going to stick with a sealer more than likely

I agree,If I was to do it again I would seal it too. I get lots of nice comments about the floor. Love the product, but its high maintenance.

 

[AlphaGarage]

Gotta take issue with the sealer/epoxy debate. From what I see on the industrial side, the more punishing an environment, the more sense a high build resin coating makes.

Which is why tomorrow we're doing a pre-project scout at a 70,000 ft2 industrial facility the makes and rehabs oil well pumps, huge multi-ton beasts that have destroyed the current floor. The company has other facilities which perform similar industrial tasks, but those floors have epoxy coating, and they want the same proven durability and ease of maintainability at this factory. (BTW - No flat screens but several really huge mills, lathes, sand blasters, gantry cranes etc.)

A good sealer will provide some chemical resistance, but not near that of a good epoxy or polyurethane. And even the best sealer will offer zero impact mitigation.

 

[Squirlz]

If I don't seal a new 4" thick slab is it going to get damp when it rains? My 50 year old floor in the original attached garage does.