Flooring Woes - How to fix?

[Striker]

Howdy:

I'm about two months into my garage renovation. I've been doing it off and on as time permits. However, I'm finally getting to the point of insulating, drywalling, painting, and flooring. I would like to do an epoxy floor, but I have a 35+ year sealed concrete floor with a ton of issues.

I have the normal cracking you would find in a 35+ year floor, but I have huge divots in certain sections of the floor on both horizontal and vertical surfaces. I even have a wall where part of the concrete was poured uneven! The sill plate is square, but the concrete edge moves away from the wall. I can't even put trim in due to this issue.

If anyone has any ideas, clues, tips, or tricks they would like to share to fix this poor excuse of a floor I would be very grateful if you shared. I do plan on powerwashing and grinding, but the repair work itself is new to me.

Thanks in advance!


Picture of the messed up wall:

Garage door entrance:

Spot below engine compartment where a car normally sits:

Rest of the garage:

 

[Striker]

No one has any suggestions? Some of the current patches were done by the previous homeowner. I would really like to get this cleaned up this week so I can order the epoxy. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[v7guy]

I'm surprised Fred hasn't jumped in here yet.

i would think that after grinding out the "loose" fill in the cracks you would be looking at putting some integraflex (or something similar) in it.

at the edges... it looks like there might be a lip where the floor meets block? The angles of the pics aren't very revealing.

If it's not completely awful I'd cut trim to match and/or coat it. If possible I'd probably put a bench in the corner, just to hide it.

 

[Striker]

Thank you for replying!

I'm surprised Fred hasn't jumped in here yet.
i would think that after grinding out the "loose" fill in the cracks you would be looking at putting some integraflex (or something similar) in it.

The small cracks and loose fill repairs will be fixed with a flexible filler. It's all the other stuff in the pictures I don't know how to fix!

at the edges... it looks like there might be a lip where the floor meets block? The angles of the pics aren't very revealing.

There is a lip that is about 4 inches high that runs along one length of the garage. I put the quarter in all the pictures to gauge size and to show if it is a vertical or horizontal surface.

If it's not completely awful I'd cut trim to match and/or coat it. If possible I'd probably put a bench in the corner, just to hide it.

Are you talking about the place where the bottom plate meets the walls, but the concrete wasn't formed very well? (first picture)

 

[v7guy]

I stepped away and took another look at your pictures and besides them showing scale of the damaged surface, I personally am having difficulties seeing any elevation change.

The first picture appears to have some sort of ridge... I gather this from the line that's due to the debris that stops, but it's like an aerial view of of a city (you can see outlines but no elevation changes).
If you want to show height differences you need to get the camera on the ground and take a pic so we can see the floor height and then the block height. It would add context to the other pics and would probably give other members a perspective so they could give advice

 

[Striker]

I definitely agree the aerial shots are not the best. I will get better pictures tonight.

 

[gabeancounter]

Striker,
How about another DIYer opinion? The floor does not look to bad. Grind the floor, then use a epoxy filler. I have heard pretty good stuff about the rustoleum filler. Remember the floor is kind of like sheetrock. Whatever it looks like before you paint is what you will get. Epoxy (100% solids or any others) do not really cover cracks or fill them.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0008JHBD2/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Forget the high dollar floors.
HD and Lowes now sell a bonding primer, apply a primer, then rustoleum kit, then clear kit. Enjoy!

PS- If you are still having some stains after grinding try the Quikrete bondlok. I think that stuff works well.

 

[rwhite692]

One thing...Do all of your other improvements to walls/ceilings/etc first, before you do the floor.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Prep: Grind to achieve 80-100 grit
Fill all voids with an epoxy filler/mortar
(1) Primer Coat, (2) top coats 100% Solids High build, flake if required.

 

[Striker]

Howdy:

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I'm dealing with a major crisis at work that developed the day I said I would post updated pictures. It is still ongoing and taking up ALL my time. As soon as that is over I will post back with the information and reply individually to everyone. Thank you again!