Epoxy Second Coat -- Color or Clear?

[aagiv]

I am closing on my new-construction home this Friday and intend to epoxy the garage this weekend before the movers show up with my stuff next week. I intend to use the Quikrete kit from Lowe's because garage floor coating isn't really in the budget at the moment, but now is the easiest time to do it. I have read enough success stories here with the big-box store DIY kits that I feel comfortable with that decision.

My only area of uncertainty is what to do for the second coat. My plan is to do two coats, but I am not sure whether I should do two coats of the color or one coat each of color and clear.

Does anyone have any experience or opinion one way or the other?

 

[iceman536]

Don't do it.

How many "success stories" have you read that are more than the 1-week old "the floor looks great"?

I would be interested to hear stories 2 years, 5 years later. Though I used Rustoleum's kit (guessing similar to Quikrete) I can tell you the hot tire pickup is / was a big problem.

You have a new house. This is the time to do it right. I think you'll intially love the Quikrete job; I also think in a year you'll regret it. These $100 kits just don't cut it.

Good luck, but again I say DON'T DO IT!

 

[playerjdd]

Congrats on the new house. You said that you saw alot of success stories with the store box stuff but i have seen more horror stories than successful ones. The reason is the store box epoxys are water based. If you have to do your floor this weekend i recommend going to sherwin williams and getting a 100% solid epoxy. It might be a few more bucks but is well worth it. If you for some reason are set on the store box epoxys make sure you prep the floor good with muratic acid or a diamond grinder. I hope that your floor works out.

 

[chevelless1]

love my Ucoat It floor

 

[Ruddy]

love my Ucoat It floor

Is that the first Macintosh?

 

[Lhorn]

I used the Quikcrete kit from Lowes and have had no problems so far at almost 2 years. I did a thorough cleaning of the floor and the acid etch and used the product as recommended.
I've had no issues with hot tires etc. I've dragged heavy items across the floor generally without damage and I've welded on my car without problems. Now I try to protect the floor from welding sparks, slag etc. when I move things I try not to drag them across the floor. There are a couple of areas where the epoxy has a scrape, but that's from dragging a heavy piece of steel across it, so I'm not too surprised.

From my experience, I'd recommend it but I too heard very mixed things about it. Certainly I wouldn't expect it to told up to damage as well as a product that costs several times more and I do make an effort not to be too hard on the floor. I just did one kit...no clear coat etc.

 

[houstonhusker]

I used the rustoleum base coat with a quikrete clear top coat. I have used this combination now on three homes and have NEVER had a hot tire pick up or any other major issues for that matter. Yes, if I drag something large and metal, it will scratch it, but I really don't do that too often and for the price difference you can't expect it to hold up like the others that are twice as much. Overall, I'm very happy with these big box store epoxies and will use them again if needed. Good luck...

 

[Robertkanuth]

I put Rustoleum epoxy down on the garage in my last house and didnt scratch it (not being careful, its just pretty tough) or scuff it in any way for 5 years. I just finished putting it into my new house with a clear coat and the no skid adative. It looks pretty great and makes the garage look truly "finished". It may not be industrial strength stuff, but it is alot tougher than folks on here give it credit for.

 

[mo2872]

I've had my big-box store stuff on my attached for 5+ years now(forget whether it is Rust-o or Q-crete), and it has just now started "wearing thin" where the wife parks. We waited the full recommended time before parking on it, so maybe that has helped.

On the other hand, for my new detached, I went with 100% solids......