Epoxy Fumes

[Colonial]

I used some Sherwinn Williams armoseal 1000 yesterday. The fumes were killer. What product if any will work well without the heavy fumes.

I was looking at the Epoxy -Shield anyone know how bad the fumes are. Also is there a waterbased that is really tough?

Dan

 

[boiler7904]

I used the Rust Oleum Epoxy Shield Pro last fall. My father in law and I probably should have used masks when putting it down but didn't. The fumes weren't too bad to us or my mother in law. My wife on the hand wouldn't come within 30' of the garage while we were putting it down because it made her light-headed and nauseous.

I've heard of more than one person using the water based products with poor results - cracking and peeling within a year. Personally, I wouldn't waste my time with them.

Buy a good mask and use the solvent based material. I think I paid about $40 for the one I used for acid etching my floor at a Sherwin Williams store. Make sure the filter cartridges are rated for the type of material you'll be using.

 

[Hammerdown]

With the water based epoxies you should have very low VOC's and hardly any fumes. They don't usually smell bad at all.
The EPA is making it harder to sell solvent based epoxies to the average Joe for home use.
I know that Epoxy Shield, UCoat It and Behr have water based systems for their epoxy.
I have had some success with Rustoleum, greater success with UCoat It and I have not used Behr personally.

Just my $.02

 

[04 Navi]

My Budget Bob/Wolverine flooring had very little fumes. No problem at all working with the doors just cracked a little. It seemed like the worst fumes were after I was done, and then they weren't that bad.

Supposedly the stuff that I used has no solvents, hence not many fumes to be had. I would say it was about like painting with latex. Not bad at all.

 

[P-51]

I also have a question about how bad the fumes are in your house.

The first time I used this stuff, I used SW TileClad. I had to do it with the rollup doors closed because it was too cold outside. I told my wife to keep the entry door closed, but it inevitably ended up being opened a few times. Some of the fumes got into the house. My wife started getting a headache inside the house, and my son was 12 months old. I felt terrible. We opened the windows even though it was January, to vent it. That got the worst out, but it still smelled a bit. I feel bad about doing that to my kid.

This time when I did it in the new house, I used SW ArmorSeal1000HF, again I had to have the doors closed because it's too cold outside. This house has a heat recovery ventilator, so I thought that would help air out the house.

When I was done the job, I went inside, and the house was fine, no problem at all. I had intended to tape the door shut, but since it was fine inside, I didn't bother. I cranked the HRV up to high speed and went to bed.

What I didn't realize, was I think the HRV, particularly on high speed, creates a negative pressure in the house. When I woke up, the house smelled. I realized that the negative pressure was sucking the fumes in from the garage. My wife didn't have a headache or anything, but again I feel terrible doing this to my kid. I turned the HRV on low, opened the windows and aired it out again. I also taped the door shut which I wish I'd done before.

Now, to be realistic... the fumes were never "powerful". Nowhere near as bad as inside the garage. Just the odor of it. I'll also point out I was wearing a chemical mask myself.

How bad is this stuff? Maybe I worry about this stuff too much, heck, some kids sniff gasoline and goodness knows what else.

I hate the way the MSDS sheets read. "Reports have associated repeated and prolonged overexposure to solvents with permanent brain and nervous system damage."

What is overexposure, and what is prolonged? Frustratingly vague.

Anyway, I'd just like to throw that out there... if you have to do this with the doors closed because of the weather, tape your entry door closed. And crack a window on the side of the house facing the wind, that will help make sure you have a positive pressure in your house. My situation last night was made worse by the fact that the wind was blowing directly on the roll-up door, pressurising the garage. There was a good draft coming in right past the weatherstripping on the entry door.

 

[Hammerdown]

In my eyes overexposure means being exposed to the fumes until you get dizzy, nauseus, light headed or a head ache. This would be a short term exposure. Prolonged exposure means using the product repeatedly/daily for years. The more you are exposed to the vapors the more chances they have have to make you sick. I am in construction and deal with epoxy jobs on a regular basis. Some of the "old timer" guys I know have been installing epoxy for over 25 years. They say it has no harmful effects, and joke around that the fumes "are good fer ya!" I wouldn't go that far, since the solvent based systems contain, benzene, xylene or toulene, all volitile and flammable liquids. I would say you are fine with the levels of exposure you could experience installing your own floor.

 

[Colonial]

Well I was concerned about using a high fume epoxy on a customers house. The fumes on the armorseal 1000 would knock most people over if they are living in the house with an attached garage.

Dan

 

[Hammerdown]

When applying this product, take precautions like taping up doors, vents or any openings that lead to the house with plastic sheeting to minimize the fumes from finding their way in. Also make sure to have adequate ventiallation during application and initial cure. Make sure the temps are at the optimum as recommended so the cure time will be on schedule and in a timely fashion. The cooler it is the longer it takes epoxy to cure, so if they have an issue with fumes, wait to warmer weather.

 

[Vicegrip]

I used the water based Rustoilum stuff and so far so good. it gets banged up but it is a working shop and chips are also missing a chunk of concrete too. No cracking flaking or peeling at all. One tire pull early on but it was i a spot I did not rinse as well as I should and the coating pulled dusty cement with it. I think once the floor coating gets seasoned with some oil or coolant it is less likely to stick to tires. It seems less sensitive to welding slag. I think it is because it is thinner build and the cement ***** the heat out before the slag burns a crater.

Prep is #1 key to any coating.

Stick a box fan or two blowing OUT in a door and cardboard the gap up. Negative pressure in the space will keep the fumes from getting into the house. Open a window or even crack the door to the house to let fresh air into the work space.

 

[P-51]

Just an update on this.

I applied the second coat, this time the inside entry door was taped shut the whole time, and we had a window cracked in the house to make sure there was no negative pressure. I myself exited the garage via the side entry door.

This time, the house was fine. We left the window cracked all night, with the HRV on high speed, and all night and in the morning there were no fumes at all, barely a perceptible smell. During the day, we had to close the window for security. Coming home, there was a slight smell again, but we just opened some windows to vent it, after 15-30, it was all gone, and then just left the window cracked again.

Having the window cracked will waste some energy, but for a few days, it's worth it if you're doing this in cold weather. Taping the entry door closed makes a huge difference on what gets into the house. Cracking a window is important to make sure that there is no negative pressure in the house.

I'm a real worry wart about things, and I have no problem with how I did it this time. Any exposure to my family was very very small.

 

[WolverineCoatings]

Supposedly the stuff that I used has no solvents

There are ZERO solvents in LiquaTile 1184 !!! ZERO V.O.C.!!! We are frequently tested by FDA, USDA, as well as pharmaceutical companies, food service companies... and... The Baltimore Zoo last week! I know the Zoo might sound funny, but... you wouldn't believe how much money they have invested in the chimps (that are suseptible to fumes). The LiquaTile was applied indoors while USDA inspectors used 'sniffers' to test the air!