Down Under Bloke
Well-known member
I have a new concrete floor, a 9’ grinder and a welder any advice on products that will keep the floor looking good is greatly appreciated. I’m thinking a paving sealer may be my best option (?)
Flooring for grinding and welding
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Down Under Bloke
Well-known member
enginerd said:A nine foot grinder, ********!
Yep ya got me; I'm a metric bloke so this “ and ‘ stuff is confusing to me. Funny thing is grinder sizes are still referred to by inches.
PS: Hay anyone got something to contribute or do I need to throw a tanty about being ignored, (seems to work for other blokes).
Down Under Bloke said:Yep ya got me; I'm a metric bloke so this “ and ‘ stuff is confusing to me. Funny thing is grinder sizes are still referred to by inches.
PS: Hay anyone got something to contribute or do I need to throw a tanty about being ignored, (seems to work for other blokes).
Oh no, none of that!
It's not you, it's the question. This has been asked several times, once within the last month by me. There's always a limited response to it. Some have epoxy and say it is easily damaged by welding, grinding, etc. Others have epoxy and say it's OK. I think it will vary largely on how much work you do, how careful you are, what sort of life expectancy you have for a floor finish, and what level of damage to the floor you are willing to consider accptable. And there's probably some impact based on the brand/type of epoxy as well. It seems to come down to epoxy will be damaged, & VCT and plactic tiles will be damaged. A ceramic tile floor would handle the sparks, but is fragile. So sealers seem to be about the only way to go for sure. I wanted epoxy all along, but am now thinking I may just seal the floor, then years from now when the cars are all done, put down some sort of tile for appearance.
In my opinion, the best flooring for a heavy fabricator is bare concrete... You can do an epoxy, but expect to reply every year or so depending on how much use it gets...
OP
Down Under Bloke
Well-known member
Thanks Dyno Dave and Ryan
I had a feeling, sealing or bare floor was the only option. I think Dave will be sealing before me so I’ll watch the progress.
I had a feeling, sealing or bare floor was the only option. I think Dave will be sealing before me so I’ll watch the progress.
I have Epoxy in my shop and in our 2 car at the house. Hot cuttings from the torch do make brown marks. I am hard on my floor. I used an industrial epoxy from PPG. I have not found anything that will hurt the floor other than dropping heavy stuff and chipping the cement.
I rebuilt one of my Trailers in my shop last winter. I had to use a carbon air arc rod to blow the old spring hangers off the frame. When the floor is clean (if ever) you can see the brown out lines of were it was.
I also walk my Bulldozer in my shop for repairs. It will just mark the epoxy and make little white marks were the cleats hit. The floor will not win a beauty contest. But the epoxy does do its job. It is always easy to sweep and mop with no oil stains.
It has been down for over 5 years and still looks good. If I had to do it over again I would do the same. Just as soon as I get my backhoe back running (I am rebuilding the engine) my next long project is going to be an airplane building project. I would like to rent a sander and repaint my floor.
I am starting on another 24'x30' Garage by the house this week I hope. I will put epoxy down there as well.
John
I rebuilt one of my Trailers in my shop last winter. I had to use a carbon air arc rod to blow the old spring hangers off the frame. When the floor is clean (if ever) you can see the brown out lines of were it was.
I also walk my Bulldozer in my shop for repairs. It will just mark the epoxy and make little white marks were the cleats hit. The floor will not win a beauty contest. But the epoxy does do its job. It is always easy to sweep and mop with no oil stains.
It has been down for over 5 years and still looks good. If I had to do it over again I would do the same. Just as soon as I get my backhoe back running (I am rebuilding the engine) my next long project is going to be an airplane building project. I would like to rent a sander and repaint my floor.
I am starting on another 24'x30' Garage by the house this week I hope. I will put epoxy down there as well.
John
red caddy
Well-known member
We have a product availible here, called "masonite" or hardboard, the same material peg board is made of, in 2 grades, hard and tempered. It's a compressed glue and fiber sheet 4 X 8 ft. in 2 thicknesses 3/16 and 1/4 inch (3.2 and 5.5 MM I think) I layed 4 sheets side by side on the floor, and try to do all my welding and heavy grinding over them, and not on the bare concrete. They are easy to move under the project of the moment, and protect the floor very well. When one side get's torn up and burnt, I flip 'em over for another go, then cut them up for bench top protectors and walk boards around the mill and lathe's. when they get too ugly for the shop. I cut them up, soak them in gas and use them for firestarters. Last time I was "down under" I saw some in a lumber yard in Sydiney, but can't remember what it was called... PaulDynoDave said:Oh no, none of that!
It's not you, it's the question. This has been asked several times, once within the last month by me. There's always a limited response to it. Some have epoxy and say it is easily damaged by welding, grinding, etc. Others have epoxy and say it's OK. I think it will vary largely on how much work you do, how careful you are, what sort of life expectancy you have for a floor finish, and what level of damage to the floor you are willing to consider accptable. And there's probably some impact based on the brand/type of epoxy as well. It seems to come down to epoxy will be damaged, & VCT and plactic tiles will be damaged. A ceramic tile floor would handle the sparks, but is fragile. So sealers seem to be about the only way to go for sure. I wanted epoxy all along, but am now thinking I may just seal the floor, then years from now when the cars are all done, put down some sort of tile for appearance.
rbcsaver
Member
red caddy said:
I too will try this. Just some caution, when welding, grinding cutting, that it is a flamable wood product.
regards,
Steve
OP
Down Under Bloke
Well-known member
Bisqwik said:
OMG you drive your bulldozer, etc on your epoxy floor and its ok!! Please share the pictures of your floor next time you have a clean up. Given your report on epoxy I’m reconsidering it, also I have noted that it’s not to difficult to recoat in the future.
OP
Down Under Bloke
Well-known member
red caddy said:We have a product availible here, called "masonite"Thanks Paul, yep I'm familiar with Masonite, does work but a pain when you drop that obscure tiny part late at night. I have worked on more Masonite cardboard etc than I care to remember; always so as not to make a mess of some else’s garage. My garage is going to be stain resistant free of clutter and surgical white, yep boring but practical.
PS: Think we share a similar climate but reverse, our cyclone season (Hurricane) starts next week.
PAToyota
Well-known member
Down Under Bloke said:
I've scraped/chipped up my epoxy pretty badly just getting a loose stone under the wheels of my Bobcat when I've turned in the garage. You must be pretty delicate with bringing a cleated track in on it!
My down fall? I sometimes actually use my shop floor as a welding table...
Were the cleats hit it just makes shinny whitish spots on the greay floor. I don't loke the tracks and do 360's.The only time I have chiped the paint is when I cheped the cement. At that happens when I drop somthing real heavy like a steel plate on the corner. Or I super heat the floor with a torch or welding and the cement pops. Before I put the expoy down it was on new cement that had dried for 6 months. I acid washed the heak out of it. I will take some pics and post of the aeras most worn. I need to get time I will turn in to a hunter soon and hide in the woods.PAToyota said:
John