Flooring prep questions

[Lucid Moments]

So I am in the process of having a shop build. Primarily for hobby automotive work. 3,000 square feet. The slab has not been poured yet. I have extremely limited knowledge about concrete. What should I tell my contractor about prep? I have been looking on here, and am still undecided on how I am going to finish the floor. I don't need or particularly want anything fancy, but I also want it to be functional, and not to add to the dust and mess that a shop generates.

 

[Kaizen]

He should be telling you what he is doing or you should have a contract specifying.
Flat or pitched
Power troweled
Expansion joints should be planned around future lift if big garage
A few threads a month ago with lots more suggestions


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[Armorpoxy]

If you are planning on coating the floor just a standard trowel finish (not power trowel burned) finish. No sealer or broom finish.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

If you can find a reputable contractor that will pour and finish 3000 sq ft without using a power-trowel, I would like to meet him!!!

It's totally fine and beneficial to use a power-trowel. Just tell him not to "burn" it, you are not looking for a slick-trowel job and no additives or sealers.

Good luck!

 

[Lucid Moments]

Well they poured my floor today. Should I do whatever I am going to do for the surface as soon as I get walls and room up and do the entire 3k square feet as one open surface or wait until later in the process when the bathroom is framed in and the lifts and other fixed stuff is in?

 

[Armorpoxy]

The problem with doing the floor first is that the contractors will beat the **** out of it unless you protect it with a good floor protector like Ramboard or Trimaco.

Much of our commercial work we do ‘first’ and cover per above and then the finish out the space.

It’s certainly much easier to do the floor first as a big open room, but if not protected this asks for problems.