Flooring Options for a Previously-Coated Floor

[BradH]

I've been lurking on this forum for many years and always come away with some great information and ideas. There are so many variables in choosing the right garage floor, and I'm hopeful that by listing mine the community here can help me choose the right direction for my garage. Here's what I'm working with:

• 1,000 square foot attached 4-car garage in Dallas, Texas
• The house was built in 1990, and I'm guessing the garage floor was coated when the house was new with an unknown product.
• The current floor coating has failed, with multiple areas where it's worn off completely, flaked off, or just generally looks terrible.
• I use my garage for general to advanced car repairs & maintenance and detailing, so it's a real garage, not a showroom. I don't do any welding or fabrication.
• The sides have a 45 degree concrete slope up to the framing/drywall. The front edge has a ~2" step up and raised area closest to the house.
• Looking for a "permanent" flooring solution. I.e., we plan on staying in this house for a good long while, and I don't want any possibility of having to redo the floor.
• I'm looking for a cost-effective floor solution. It's a higher end house, but I don't have an unlimited budget for the garage remodel.

I DIY epoxy painted the garage in our first house on a new slab and liked the look. In our last house, I did black & white checkerboard Armstrong VCT, and loved it for about the first six months. I should have epoxy coated it, but with my use, the floor started to stain and generally look poor even with diligent maintenance. The VCT is just too maintenance intensive and, honestly, I quickly tired of the look.

That leaves epoxy (either DIY or pro-installed), porcelain tile, or polish/seal.

Given the fact the floor has a failed coating, what prep will need to be done for any of these options? There are quite a few rough areas and cracks to deal with. If I go with tile, how do I deal with the step/raised area and the 45 deg slope?

What would you do and why? How much should I weigh the prep labor to get the floor into shape against the finished look?

Thanks for your help!

 

[SunsetsAndFriends]

Looks like enough of the coating has come up that you could do a basic moisture test. Place a 4 mil or thicker plastic sheet 18"x18" on the floor and tape all four sides with duct tape. Leave for 24 hours. If you see water droplets on the underside of the plastic or the concrete is darker under the plastic, then you have higher levels of moisture.

 

[Shea]

Besides the moisture test (assuming things are OK), grinding the floor is going to be the next best step. It will remove the remainder of the coating and prep the floor for all three options. It's best to do the crack repairs first before grinding.

The angled sides and step up for porcelain are not a big issue, just more cutting involved. Terminate the tiled floor edge at the line where the floor angles up. You can then cut tile to fit on the sloped edge. 1/8" grout lines work well for garage floors. You will need to cut small pieces to lay against the face of the raised edge.

There are some pro tile setters that may be able to chime in and suggest the best way for the top edge of the raised floor to meet up with the smaller tile applied to the face of the raised area.

 

[Armorpoxy]

A good epoxy system like our Armorclad would be a good choice. Grind and use the primer and you will have a floor like a car dealer!

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

A god epoxy system like our Armorclad would be a good choice. Grind and use the primer and you will have a floor like a car dealer!

The God?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MouldsPI]

Hi Brad,

Please check out http://exeliausa.com/! Exelia is a cost-effective interlocking floor tile that is extremely durable and is definitely a "permanent" solution for your home. It's extremely easy to install. It's a DIY process and I myself have completed a project around 3,000 sq.ft with 2 other people and completed the task in about 2.5-3 hours with just a rubber mallet. Exelia is also chemical resistant, which is perfect for your situation (car repairs, maintenance and detailing).

Check out one of our customer's completed project:

We also have an ongoing sale right now, so please take a look!

Goodluck with your project.

Cheers.

 

[Garage Flooring]

I've been lurking on this forum for many years and always come away with some great information and ideas. There are so many variables in choosing the right garage floor, and I'm hopeful that by listing mine the community here can help me choose the right direction for my garage. Here's what I'm working with:

• 1,000 square foot attached 4-car garage in Dallas, Texas
• The house was built in 1990, and I'm guessing the garage floor was coated when the house was new with an unknown product.
• The current floor coating has failed, with multiple areas where it's worn off completely, flaked off, or just generally looks terrible.
• I use my garage for general to advanced car repairs & maintenance and detailing, so it's a real garage, not a showroom. I don't do any welding or fabrication.
• The sides have a 45 degree concrete slope up to the framing/drywall. The front edge has a ~2" step up and raised area closest to the house.
• Looking for a "permanent" flooring solution. I.e., we plan on staying in this house for a good long while, and I don't want any possibility of having to redo the floor.
• I'm looking for a cost-effective floor solution. It's a higher end house, but I don't have an unlimited budget for the garage remodel.

I DIY epoxy painted the garage in our first house on a new slab and liked the look. In our last house, I did black & white checkerboard Armstrong VCT, and loved it for about the first six months. I should have epoxy coated it, but with my use, the floor started to stain and generally look poor even with diligent maintenance. The VCT is just too maintenance intensive and, honestly, I quickly tired of the look.

That leaves epoxy (either DIY or pro-installed), porcelain tile, or polish/seal.

Given the fact the floor has a failed coating, what prep will need to be done for any of these options? There are quite a few rough areas and cracks to deal with. If I go with tile, how do I deal with the step/raised area and the 45 deg slope?

What would you do and why? How much should I weigh the prep labor to get the floor into shape against the finished look?

Thanks for your help!

Besides the moisture test (assuming things are OK), grinding the floor is going to be the next best step. It will remove the remainder of the coating and prep the floor for all three options. It's best to do the crack repairs first before grinding.

The angled sides and step up for porcelain are not a big issue, just more cutting involved. Terminate the tiled floor edge at the line where the floor angles up. You can then cut tile to fit on the sloped edge. 1/8" grout lines work well for garage floors. You will need to cut small pieces to lay against the face of the raised edge.

There are some pro tile setters that may be able to chime in and suggest the best way for the top edge of the raised floor to meet up with the smaller tile applied to the face of the raised area.

Hi Brad,

Please check out http://exeliausa.com/! Exelia is a cost-effective interlocking floor tile that is extremely durable and is definitely a "permanent" solution for your home. It's extremely easy to install. It's a DIY process and I myself have completed a project around 3,000 sq.ft with 2 other people and completed the task in about 2.5-3 hours with just a rubber mallet. Exelia is also chemical resistant, which is perfect for your situation (car repairs, maintenance and detailing).

Check out one of our customer's completed project:

We also have an ongoing sale right now, so please take a look!

Goodluck with your project.

Cheers.

The first thing you need to do is decide what type of floor you want to go back with and badly you want to do it. If you really want an epoxy, then yes. moisture test, grind the floor and prep it. Add a good primer, coat and seal with a urethane.

I would stay away from adhesive tiles. Porcelain is a good option is are PVC tiles and Polypropylene tiles. The nice thing about these products is it eliminates much if not all of the prep.

A grind and polish or grind and seal is a great floor. In this case though, your going to have to start with a removal tool and depending on what you use and the finish you want, there will be anywhere from a couple to several grits that have to be used.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Polishing that slab is not a DIY project.
The initial cut will be pretty good. If you go coatings, diamond grind it well.

 

[Corsair4360]

My two cents. First grind and finish work great, IF your concrete is not grease stained thoroughly, you have a company skilled in its use (not DYI) and you live in an area where the good finishes are still available (aka not in California and other states with similar restrictions in finishes). My very good friend has a 80 year old building that was a car dealership / repair building. Half of it was a shop for many years and the concrete is oil contaminated down much farther than grinding will ever touch. The other side was done in epoxy 25+ years ago, and it is still good, although failing to adhere in many places now after heavy auto repair use. The grease stained side is a mess, the coating peeled up, it has been redone in several places and still is not great.

 

[bilie]

Looks like enough of the coating has come up that you could do a basic moisture test. Place a 4 mil or thicker plastic sheet 18"x18" on the floor and tape all four sides with duct tape. Leave for 24 hours. If you see water droplets on the underside of the plastic or the concrete is darker under the plastic, then you have higher levels of moisture.

yes, I agree with you