floor covering....for metal fab

[pennsylvaniaboy]

Ok guys.....I bought a new house with garage. The floor has some issues that I and slowly addressing like waviness and and low/high spots. I used some concrete patch and it's starting to become "level". I would like to do an epoxy type covering so that it looks uniform and nice, as I painted the rest of the garage which looks great. Here is the big question:

I do metal fab work as a hobby. Mostly welding and abrasive cutting, although i do break out the torch and plasma when needed. Will the epoxy type coatings hold up to small spals and sparks, etc landing on them? I am not planning on doing major torch cutting without throwing a piece of plywood, or scrap sheetmetal under the drop area. But as anyone who has cut with these tools knows, they shower sparks/spals that don't exactly fall straight down.

I am looking at rust bullet as it seems to have a great reputation and my floor is less than perfect.

 

[bdamico]

comes up all the time

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/search.php?searchid=23774155

 

[benwah]

Molten steel will definitely damage topical coatings. You're on the right path dropping plywood or sheet metal, but splatter marks can still occur.

 

[pennsylvaniaboy]

I realize that no flooring with withstand it entirely, but the floor is pretty grodie. I need to do some coating. Again I will lay down hardi board or sheetmetal when doing intense work, but I will was a coating that will with stand mild fab work without getting badly damaged. I have read a lot of those threads and most suggest densifier, but my floor is 2 different appearances since i have done patching, etc. I would like to hide that. Perhaps I would be better off using a cheaper solution that can be repaired and recoated easier?

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Agreed, low cost acrylic with tint.
Our HD6600-MMA is the best of acrylics. You won't sacrifice much when using it.
Two roller coats.

http://www.legacyindustrial.net/products/concrete-sealers/hd6600-mma-concrete-sealer.html

 

[Garage Flooring]

Agreed, low cost acrylic with tint.

If your going this route with the knowledge its going to get messed up (as would epoxy, rust bullet, etc) I would just add go solvent based, order extra and a simple recoat procedure.

Your dealing with the lessor of several evils.

One thing I would have to consider here is grinding the floor, good primer and heavy flake followed by a good top coat. Sounds like slag is the exception as opposed to the rule so use a weld blanket or piece of plywood when you do.

The downside to that, is many acrylics can be repaired with almost no prep. That is not the case for epoxy.

 

[INTMD8]

What about one of those thick rubber mats for the welding/fab area?

 

[pennsylvaniaboy]

Agreed, low cost acrylic with tint.
Our HD6600-MMA is the best of acrylics. You won't sacrifice much when using it.
Two roller coats.

http://www.legacyindustrial.net/products/concrete-sealers/hd6600-mma-concrete-sealer.html

My only concern about a sealer is that my floor is not smooth. Its a fairly pitted and abused floor, im guessing circa to the house (1920). The patches were put down after etching with muriatic acid, although I have a spot or 2 that needs to be fixed because they lifted.

As you said heavy slag will be dealt with by protecting the floor appropriately. I just want something that will hold up to mild welding spatter, grinding sparks, and cut-off wheel shower.