Epoxy did not lay down so great

[TheClaw]

As the title refers to, the floor that was installed in my new shop did not come out that great.

It's kind of hard to see from the pictures but there's bubbles and surface irregularities on the entire floor. It was only a two-coat process, first the primer, then a standard epoxy. Part of this is my fault because we only had a day or two of warm weather left before things got cold and I rushed my contractor. So I can't really hang this on him.

The reason I rushed the job was because this project has been delayed about 6 to 7 months and I wanted to get the floor done so I could move equipment in over the winter.

What I'd like to get some advice on is what might be some remedies to fix this up a little bit. I know some of you are going to say you have to grind it all down and start again. That is not an option. I got the floor down and I want to start moving stuff in there.

I'd also like to maybe take some of the shine off cuz it's awful slick. I was thinking maybe I could get a buffer with a 3M pad and go over the whole surface.

Is there a way to lightly grind the surface without taking too much material off?

It's not so bad but the shop is empty so now might be a good time to try to fix it.

The pictures aren't that great because the floor's gotten dirty while we do some work on the interior.

 

[nadogail]

IMHO, 80% of any sucessful paint job is Surface preparation.

 

[Joemctag]

IMHO, 80% of any sucessful paint job is Surface preparation.

Yah, that’s what they all say, Nadogail.
Probably, true, though

 

[Overboost44]

No helpful advice from me but it looks like you could break your neck in there if it gets water on it.

 

[BillK]

I think as long as you think it has sealed up the floor pretty good I would move my stuff in and get to work. I don't know what you are going to be doing in the shop but I bet after 6 months you will never notice. If it was a "showroom" garage space I might think differently but if its going to be worked in then it is fine.

 

[zimman]

Don't do anything. Wait for warmer weather.
Zim

 

[Shea]

As the title refers to, the floor that was installed in my new shop did not come out that great.

It's kind of hard to see from the pictures but there's bubbles and surface irregularities on the entire floor. It was only a two-coat process, first the primer, then a standard epoxy. Part of this is my fault because we only had a day or two of warm weather left before things got cold and I rushed my contractor. So I can't really hang this on him.

The reason I rushed the job was because this project has been delayed about 6 to 7 months and I wanted to get the floor done so I could move equipment in over the winter.

What I'd like to get some advice on is what might be some remedies to fix this up a little bit. I know some of you are going to say you have to grind it all down and start again. That is not an option. I got the floor down and I want to start moving stuff in there.

I'd also like to maybe take some of the shine off cuz it's awful slick. I was thinking maybe I could get a buffer with a 3M pad and go over the whole surface.

Is there a way to lightly grind the surface without taking too much material off?

It's not so bad but the shop is empty so now might be a good time to try to fix it.

The pictures aren't that great because the floor's gotten dirty while we do some work on the interior.

A floor maintainer (slower-turning than a buffer) with a green or black pad will degloss and haze the surface while adding texture that provides better grip. However, that texture will collect dirt and make cleaning harder.

 

[TheClaw]

A floor maintainer (slower-turning than a buffer) with a green or black pad will degloss and haze the surface while adding texture that provides better grip. However, that texture will collect dirt and make cleaning harder.

Can you see the swirls from the floor maintainer?

 

[TheClaw]

I think as long as you think it has sealed up the floor pretty good I would move my stuff in and get to work. I don't know what you are going to be doing in the shop but I bet after 6 months you will never notice. If it was a "showroom" garage space I might think differently but if its going to be worked in then it is fine.

That's probably how this all play out.

By the time I put the rubber mats down that I use, the work benches and motorcycle lift, there won't be much gray left.

 

[TheClaw]

A floor maintainer (slower-turning than a buffer) with a green or black pad will degloss and haze the surface while adding texture that provides better grip. However, that texture will collect dirt and make cleaning harder.

Might give this a try

 

[CapriMikeC]

That sort of prep might allow for a clear top coat to be added? Some of the clear top coats have traction additives.

 

[kngelv]

Since you already waited seven months why not fix it correctly? It's screwed up because you were impatient and now you won't fix it correctly because your impatient. Think about that for a minute.

James

 

[Burt Shaver]

It’s been awhile but I used to work in my twenties laying epoxy floors. Is this just rolled on? You didn’t trowel a base first or anything? The pinholes are most likely die to improper cleaning prep, did you clean the concrete first? We used to have the concrete blasted with steel shot first but I’m thinking not a possibility for you, you could have et he’d it with a muratic acid though?
To make it non slip, we always chicken fed some grit onto the floor after applying sealer and back rolled it. Not sure how you would make it anti slip now, I don’t think sanding it is going to work, probably just going to make it look like ****.
I would say sand it, clean it very well and do another coat with abrasive

 

[TheClaw]

Since you already waited seven months why not fix it correctly? It's screwed up because you were impatient and now you won't fix it correctly because your impatient. Think about that for a minute.

James

The seven months delay was due to the building dept slapping a stop work order after we got the permit. I pushed the the floor thru so I could move in over the winter. If not, I'd have to sit on it all winter, and I've paid for it already. Then next spring is have to move it out for the re-do. I'm trying to avoid that.

 

[nascenta]

From what I've seen, lightly torching the surface after pouring the epoxy will bring air bubbles to the surface and after they pop move to the next section. Too bad there was a rush.

 

[b-boy]

Is there heat? I did my floor in February, but my barn was heavily insulated and heated. It was a pain, but it came out OK. I did have to work fast.

If possible, I'd buff it out to rough up the surface and apply a 3rd coat of epoxy. I think you can do that as long as you don't wait too long.

No desire for flakes? They'll help even out the floor and reduce the slipperiness. Just don't drop any screws. You'll never find them again.

 

[TheClaw]

No desire for flakes? They'll help even out the floor and reduce the slipperiness. Just don't drop any screws. You'll never find them again.

I have texture and flakes in the existing garage and you're exactly right, nuts and bolts disappear if dropped on the floor.

 

[67King]

Misery loves company. My nightmare on Christmas. Reached out to supplier, and learned that what caused this was moisture. Some parts are really bad, some parts are almost entirely unaffected. Even though I let the concrete dry for 24 hours, new concrete can take longer. So here is what I am looking at. Dana at Armor Poxy suggested I sand this with 80-100 grit to get an even and dull surface, then recoat. I only did half of my workshop, and still have another garage to do, as well. So only 1/3rd of it was messed up. Need to get the rest done in short order. May just use abrasive on the bare concrete rather than etch (this is new construction, though the slab was poured several months ago, but it hasn't had any use), depending on if I can use the same floor sander, or if concrete prep requires an entirely different process - the diamond tip grinding I see is never on new stuff, always on an existing, well used system.

But yeah, this is a lot more particular than I had expected. Like so many things I do, I mess it up the first time, costing me more, but eventually make up for it by learning how.