Epoxy-Coat with SharkGrip WITHOUT clear

[94mustang]

Wow...my first post. Been lurking doing research for quite a bit. My floor is all prepped and the Epoxy-Coat is on its way and I'm starting to question the use of anti skid. I will be putting down two coats of Epoxy with light density flake and no clear. I've decided on SharkGrip because of the reviews but I'm worried about mixing it into the Epoxy-Coat top coat.

My research has shown some inconsistencies:
- jeff5295 appears to have mixed it into the epoxy with success (http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52549)

- This guy mixed it in with PartA (http://weestro.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-garage-floor-epoxy-project.html)

- Post#20 says it will clump up and look like **** (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?188995-Floor-Epoxy/page2)

So, does anyone have any experience mixing it in with a top coat of Epoxy (not clear)?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[fstbusa]

I have a buddy who used shark grip in a different coating and it worked great. I myself used the supplied alum oxide stuff with epoxy coat but I put it in a clear topcoat.

I would think you could flake your floor and then immediately throw out the alum oxide and still have a good slip resistance. Shark grip IMO is too fine to try and spread by hand.

 

[Shea]

The color of the epoxy does not matter in terms of how it goes on. A clear top coat is just epoxy that has not been tinted a certain color. The most important part is to make sure that it is thoroughly mixed in to avoid clumping. If you apply the epoxy too thick the Shark Grip will have a tendency to sink into the coat and not be as effective.

 

[Zmw]

Any reason you do not want to do a clear coat? Epoxy or polyurethane? I used shark grip in poly top coat and I like it. I used 2/3 of the bottle, wish I used the entire bottle.

I did a primer coat (water based), base coat (solvent based), and polyurethane clear coat - I am happy with that process.

 

[94mustang]

Thanks for the feedback. Since it will sink into the coating, would I be better off putting on a thick first coat and then adding the Shark Grip (thoroughly mixed) into a thin top coat?

Maybe shoot for about 12 mil on the base coat and 5-6 mil on the topcoat/SharkGrip mixture?

Or would it be better to thin the topcoat/SharkGrip mixture with MEK or xylene?

Sorry about over analyzing. I'd really hate to have clumpy Shark Grip piles all over the garage. I wish my budget would allow for a 5 mil clear topcoat.

 

[Zmw]

U can get a polyurethane to cover 500 sq ft for $130-$150 range. Dried 2-3 mil thickness is what the product I used offered. maybe that is an option ?

 

[94mustang]

The aliphatic urethane top coats that I've seen are about $150 per gallon but only cover approx. 400 sq ft. My garage is 525 sq ft so the cost with shipping would be about $330 which is too expensive at this point. Unless that 400 sq ft limit is very conservative and anyone with experience (LegacyIndustrial?) can assure it will stretch, it's not an option.

Unless you can recommend another decent urethane that's less expensive or one that is sold in gallons and quarts?

 

[Zmw]

I am no expert, a DIY that just finished my garage. I used Original Color Chips Polyurethane. My garage is 460 sq ft and I could have gone to 525 no problem. I did 2 coats because they sent me an extra 1 by accident (1st was lost with Fedex, but later found). 1.5 gallon kit.

Dries to 2-3 mils, I actually do prefer 2 coats as I like how mine came out. Its quality so far, but only been on for a few weeks. respirator is a must!!!

 

[Okolowicz]

The aliphatic urethane top coats that I've seen are about $150 per gallon but only cover approx. 400 sq ft. My garage is 525 sq ft so the cost with shipping would be about $330 which is too expensive at this point. Unless that 400 sq ft limit is very conservative and anyone with experience (LegacyIndustrial?) can assure it will stretch, it's not an option.

Unless you can recommend another decent urethane that's less expensive or one that is sold in gallons and quarts?

If you have a Sherwin Williams locally I would recommend Rexthane. It is a clear aliphatic urethane. I paid $101 for a gallon from a local SW store that stocks it. It can cover up to 537 square feet per gallon at its thinnest recommended coating. I used it on top of my Epoxy-Coat color and am very happy with it. Smells like a used diaper... filled with... Indian food. But, the smell goes away in a couple of days.

 

[pauls_workshop]

There is no reason why you can't use Sharkgrip right in your basecoat if that is also going to be your final top coat. Would work the same way as in the top coat if it is a clear top coat. You add it in the bucket when you mix the two parts of epoxy together and mix it all well for 3 minutes. I didn't have any clumping of any sort. I used 2-3x the recommended amount too (which is a good thing). From Sherwin Williams, you can get the giant size of shark grip for not much more than the dinky little container of it. Shark grip is tiny, so more is better and doesn't hurt anything. Other choices may be large, so be careful about your choices for anti-slip and know what you will end up with with larger size boulders. If you use chips, chips make a huge difference and provide a great deal of anti-slip on their own, IF your top coat over them isn't so thick or so many layers that it completely buries and flattens out the top surface of the floor around all the chips. Idea is to leave bumps for each chip to stick out some, then it provides anti-slip. - Paul

 

[94mustang]

Okolowicz,
I'm trying to get my hands on the SW Rexthane. Might have to drive a bit to find some but definitely an option for this weekend's project. The data sheet says it "may exhibit tire tracking". Have you seen or heard of this issue? http://www.paintdocs.com/webmsds/webPDF.jsp?SITEID=STORECAT&doctype=PDS&lang=E&prodno=B65A60


Paul,
Thanks for the feedback. It appears that the SharkGrip is actually little spheres that float to the surface and pull some of the topcoat up with them to create a profile for slip resistance. Since the epoxy is so thick, they probably can't float up. I'm assuming by adding 2-3x the recommended amount, you're saturating it soo much that the granules will pile up on themselves after sinking 9-10 mils and actually provide some slip resistance like you said. I will keep this mind as the big bottles are only like $13.

 

[Zmw]

On the original color chips urethane I have not seen any tire tracking FYI, but its only been a few weeks. I do live in Phx and its a 115 here and everything has held up well so far regarding tires.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

The aliphatic urethane top coats that I've seen are about $150 per gallon but only cover approx. 400 sq ft. My garage is 525 sq ft so the cost with shipping would be about $330 which is too expensive at this point. Unless that 400 sq ft limit is very conservative and anyone with experience (LegacyIndustrial?) can assure it will stretch, it's not an option.

Unless you can recommend another decent urethane that's less expensive or one that is sold in gallons and quarts?

We have a 1.5 gallon unit that is perfect for you.
http://legacyindustrial.net/cart/hd322-pigmented-urethane-p-173.html

This is the best way to obtain a non-skid if you choose.

Putting sharks grip into a thick coating will not work too well. It will sink in leaving a smooth surface. Mixing into urethane is the best method.

 

[pauls_workshop]

A normal thickness of epoxy with sharkgrip had no issues when I did it. The sharkgrip worked fine in the 8-10 micron thick coating layer. Might have issues with 20 or 30 (multiple layers). Instructions say to put it in the top coat only though, where it seems to work fine. It would be even better in a much thinner urethane top coat though, as Scotty suggests, where you could probably use less for the same effect as more in a thicker coating. - Paul